We chat with debut author Lauren Evans about Casket Case, which follows a young woman who returns home to run her family’s casket business and falls in love with a seemingly perfect stranger. But there’s just one problem . . . he works for Death.
Hi, Lauren! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Sure! I grew up in a small town in Alabama, and I’ve lived in Atlanta for the past 10 years. My day job is in higher education. I spend most of my free time doing whatever my beagle Lucy tells me to do. Otherwise, I’m usually reading something from the library (any and all genres!) or watching sports (Roll Tide!) or binge-watching the newest show everyone is talking about. My debut romance novel Casket Case is out on September 10!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I have always loved stories! My first experience with “stories” was probably watching soap operas with my nana as a child. Once I could read, I read any and everything. I have always put stories together in my head, but I thought that was the usual daydreaming everyone did. I never actually wrote anything until college when I took an intro creative writing class. Here’s a prompt, write a story. I thought it was so easy! I quickly realized not everyone felt that way. Maybe I had a skill? That led to taking a few more creative writing classes, and the more I learned, the more I loved it.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Hop on Pop
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Time Traveler’s Wife
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Your debut novel, Casket Case, is out September 10th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Caskets, Romance, Alabama, Red wine
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect an exploration of what happens when your life goes differently than you thought it would. A southern small town with quirky characters similar to the people in the small town where I grew up. A love story between two people who both deserve a happy ending, even if they have some things to sort through. A bit of Death thrown in for good measure.
Where did the inspiration for Casket Case come from?
Casket Case started as a dark joke about my own love life at the time. I wanted to write about someone unlucky in love who decides maybe someone who works for death wouldn’t be so bad. It ended up going a bit deeper than that.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
My favorite part to write was everything surrounding the National Funeral Directors Conference. It gave me the opportunity to make all of the death jokes I had been dying to make (death pun always intended).
This is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
This has been a 10+ year process! I wrote a book before Casket Case that did not find an agent. This is really when I learned to write a novel. Then, I worked on Casket Case for a few years, and I was lucky enough to find an agent and editor who understood the book and what I was trying to do and how to make it better.
What’s next for you?
I believe it’s time to write a new novel! I’ll go back into my hobbit hole and see what I can come up with.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
Margo’s Got Money Troubles, The Bright Sword, I Hope This Finds You Well, Grief Is for People, and The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (published last year, but I read it this year) are some of my favorites from this year. My Libby holds stay full! I’m excited to read the new books from TJ Klune, Sangu Mandanna, and Sally Rooney.
