A Conversation with Lauren Denton
When I first sat down to read The Hideaway in 2017, I had a hunch that the name Lauren K. Denton would quickly become a familiar one in the literary world. Her lyrical, beautifully crafted story about family secrets and second chances was nearly impossible to put down. Since then, Lauren’s authored two additional titles, Hurricane Season and Glory Road, solidifying her as one of my favorite authors writing fiction today. Her fourth book, The Summer House, is set to debut this spring.
Despite her busy schedule the Homewood, Alabama-resident and mother of two was gracious enough to chat with me about her books, the writing process, and some of her favorite Christmas traditions.
Tell us how you first got started writing fiction.
I’ve always loved to read, but it wasn’t until college that I started writing down some of the stories floating around in my head. It was just tendrils of stories at first—nothing with chapters or even real scenes. Then after college when I had a job where I sat behind a computer for several hours a day, I started writing out story beginnings. I never got far—just a few chapters before I’d move on to another idea—but it was still writing. It was practice.
Glory Road highlights three generations of women. Were you inspired by women in your life now or in your past when writing this novel?
There’s a little but of the sassiness of my maternal grandmother in Gus, but really, all three women are mostly from my imagination. I loved the idea of the main character, Jessie, being between the two ends of the female spectrum, with older, wiser Gus on one side and Evan on the other side, just beginning to feel her way into womanhood and young adulthood.
I love generational stories, where we see situations through the eyes of people at different ages. As a reader, it’s fun for me to read them, and I always try to write stories that I would like to read if I were on the other side looking for something to read.
How do you generate ideas for your novels?
Oh they come from everywhere! Bits of conversation I overhear. Stories I read that make my imagination take off. The setting plays a big part for me, often dictating the kind of story I write. For Glory Road, I knew I wanted to write a story set on a red dirt road similar to where my grandparents lived, and the idea for the garden shop and Jessie living in her childhood town sprang from that.
Of the novels you’ve written, is there one that is nearest and dearest to your heart?
I really can’t pick a favorite! But I think The Hideaway will always be extra special to me, just because it was my first “baby” and I wrote it while hunkered down over my computer during nap-times and in the early morning dark hours, not having any idea if anyone would ever read it—other than my husband and my mom!
What are you reading these days? What are some of your favorite books?
I’m currently working on my second (or third?) read-through of the Harry Potter series, though I’ve been stuck on book 4 for a while. My daughter and I were reading them together for a little while, but she blew past me and devoured the whole series. I’m also reading a book by Andrew Peterson about the process of writing, called Adorning the Dark. Some of my all-time favorites are The Secret Life of Bees, The Shell Seekers, All the Light We Cannot See, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and Walking Across Egypt.
Tell us about the writing process. What’s it like for you?
It has changed over the years depending on the age and stage of my children! It started during naptimes, then moved to the few mornings a week when the girls were in preschool. Now that both of them are in all-day school, I write while they’re at school. I recently started waking up early again, around 5am, to get a good hour/hour and a half of writing in before my brain really wakes up. Sometimes it’s helpful to get some words down before all the other to-dos of the day fill up my brain! But for the most part, I try to do my writing in the morning. After lunch (and especially after dinner) my brain activity nosedives and any writing is worthless!
What’s next for you in terms of your writing? Can you let readers in on what you’re currently working on?
I’m currently working on the book that will come out in 2021, though at this point, it is nameless and mostly shapeless! I’m also doing the very last proofread of The Summer House, which comes out in June of 2020.
Since we are entering the Christmas season, any family traditions that are special to you and your family?
Our church always has an Advent Hymn Sing the week before Christmas, and it’s always a really special night of singing and waiting, which is really what the Advent and Christmas season is all about. This year, the kids in the church are singing a couple of songs, which makes it even more special. Other than that, once the kids are out of school we just try to keep things as relaxed and unhurried as possible. I’m planning to go for a lot of walks with my girls, maybe paint some fingernails, see Frozen II. My family will come into town to stay with us for a few days after Christmas, which means a lot of conversation and laughter, running feet on the stairs, and volumes of trashed wrapping paper!