Laura Camby McCaskill

Who is Laura Camby McCaskill you ask? Well, we asked also and here is what she had to say:

In 2012, I published my first work, a paranormal thriller, Her Keepers. From 2012 until now it has gained 5 starts on Amazon, with great reviews. My second work, a romance thriller entitled Fallow, was published in September 2016. Fallow, like Her Keepers, has gained 5 stars. I followed in the steps of my mother, Judy Camby. Judy was a local children's author in Asheville NC.

Judy was only able to get one book published before she passed away in 2010. Judy's first work, Mr. Book's Story, was published in 2008 and I began marketing it then. From 2008 until now, I have worked with schools, library's, children’s homes, and children's hospitals, giving away free copies to children in need. In March of this year I published mom’s second work, A Collection of Love (Illustrated by Sumio Seo, Nancy Worley, and Stacy Abidi.). A Collection of Love holds three different children’s stories, (1)Sunshine, (2)Gail Can Cook, and (3)Laura and the Dr.

I'm a nationally certified pharmacy technician. If I'm not working or writing you'll find me somewhere with my fur-babies, Sebastian and Belle. I work with one of the local animal shelters here to foster animals (bunnies) until they find their fur-ever home. I currently have a little boy bun named Belk who is about to undergo some surgery soon. He's a fighter!

If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?

Take your time. think it through, what sounds good right now might not work out later. Save, save, save! You'll need it. Seriously. Speak up, don't be afraid to ask. the worst they can do is say no.

What is the funniest/strangest/most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?

(I have to say, this had us rolling on the floor.)

There's so many to choose from. It's hard to pick one. Sigh.

I was working at a pharmacy years ago, it was before I was a trained technician. I started where everyone did. The cash register. One of my other jobs was taking out the trash. That day when I strolled to the dumpster I noticed the pharmacists husband pull up. He and I had a weird cat-mouse game. I can't explain it, it was just one of those things. When he stepped out of his car we made eye contact and in that second I thought "I need to run from him," and in that same second he thought "I need to chase her." And we were off. Not that I can run, for goodness sake I can barely walk. Just call me Grace. He is a tall man and I am one of those people you want to pat on the head because I'm short. Don't. I'll bite you. The point is, he was on me before I could move. When I reached the door I simultaneously opened the door and looked behind me to see just how close he was.

He was close. If it were one of those animals out in the wild I'd be a goner. So naturally I let out an earth shattering scream. What else is there to do? I'm not real sure what happened after that, maybe the excitement was just too much that my legs gave out? Or maybe I tripped. No clue. I went crashing in the door, taking out a 50 gallon garbage can full of food for the homeless, landing in the middle of the medal shelves in the vitamin section.

I came to rest in the middle of the floor (where there is to the day, a skid mark on the carpet where I came in for a landing). Apparently when I crashed into the shelves it sliced my arm open and I was now bleeding on the carpet.

I managed to look up to the front of the pharmacy where everyone stood in awe of what happened. None of them fully understood what had just happened or why but their eyes were so huge I couldn't help but giggle. The pharmacist who's husband had chased me was sobbing (she told me later that she had thought he had killed me. I reassured her that he never even touched me, it was all self inflicted.) My boss at the time appeared over me in disbelief and asked if I was okay.

I noticed the pharmacists husband was still outside, holding the door open. He was so stunned (which is hard to do because he worked in EMS and had seen a lot) he couldn't speak. He just reached back and grabbed his radio to call for an ambulance if needed. That also made me giggle. I'm assuming they all thought I knocked myself silly. At this point I was so embarrassed it was either laugh at myself or cry. I chose to laugh.

It was then I noticed there was still a customer in the store. Great. The elderly gentleman made his way to me slowly (yes I'm still laying in the floor) and peered over me. I got a simple, "That looked like it hurt," before he turned and walked right out. Best-day-at-work. Yeah.

If you could be anything in the world (or any world) other than an author, what would it be?

I want to be that person that travels the world. Talking with people, discovering new things. I'll probably need to know about ten different languages to be able to do this. Anyone want to teach me?

Question of the hour, are you working on another book? Can you tell us anything ab out it?

Yes! At this moment I am working on my third novel. This novel will be the sequel to my first novel, Her Keepers. I don't have a name yet and I'm still working out the kinks but I have a good solid start. Progress. I like it.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Take your time. Don't take negative feed back to heart. You will never be able to please everyone so considerate on the ones you can. That is not to say you shouldn't listen to critique. That is where you learn to better yourself and your writing. Writing should be fun and relaxing, if you make it into something stressful there's really no point in writing after that.

What is your most recently published book, and where can we buy it?

Fallow is a action/adventure/thriller/romance mix. It was released in the fall of 2016.

Synopsis: As she helplessly rides in a carriage steered by her kidnappers, the only thing Adine can do is wait. The marketplace is ahead of her and her future is growing dimmer with every mile. A short time later, she is sold into slavery with three other women, leaving her with nothing-not even hope. But everything changes when a band of Freedom Fighters storm their wagon and snatch Adine and her fellow captives from their new owners.

Now as Adine is left to wonder whether the men are really freedom fighters or slave traders in disguise, she struggles with her decision to trust them. As the caravan travels through a desert rampant with murderous slave traders, poisonous vipers, and an ex-slave with an evil mission, one Freedom Fighter appoints himself as Adine's bodyguard. Drake must not only protect the naïve girl from the dangers in the desert, but also from himself. As he tackles threats and attempts to keep Adine alive, his loyalty to the caravan is tested, leaving him with an agonizing choice and the power to transform Adine's future.

Fallow shares an exciting tale of adventure after a young girl is kidnapped, sold into slavery, and rescued by Freedom Fighters who lead her down a dangerous path where a new destiny awaits.

Check out the reviews and see what others are saying about it.

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