Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My day job is teaching writing and literature classes at Berklee College of Music. In addition to writing (and reading!!) in my spare time, I love to hike, travel, and cycle. (I don’t own a car.) I live with my husband, son, cat, and hamster in a Triple Decker in Boston MA, which is the setting for my YA time-travel series. So far, I’ve written two of the four Fatechanger novels.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Fatechanger: Penny Found is my most recent novel, published by Black Rose Writing in December 2022. The entire series was inspired by my love of finding pennies on the ground, looking at the date under Lincoln’s chin, and imagining what the world was like then. Even though I was born and raised in California, I have fallen madly in love with Boston and Boston’s history, which has been super fun to research.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Since I teach a full load during the academic year, I don’t have much time to write, and I have to take advantage of every spare moment I can–whether or not the muse is striking. To make it easier to jump immediately into my fictional world, I have a special playlist that I listen to while I write. As soon as I hear the opening notes of the first song, I’m immediately transported to Boston circa 1917.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I genuinely love all genres and styles of writing, as long as it’s a good story. From J. R. R. Tolkien to Jane Austen to Jorge Louis Borges to Zora Neale Hurston to Leo Tolstoy to Mary Stewart to Amelie Nothomb to Patrick Rothfuss. Some of the books that inspired Fatechanger are “Six of Crows” by Leigh Bardugo, “The Thief” by Megan Whalen Turner, and “The Song of the Lioness” by Tamora Pierce.
What are you working on now?
Book Three! Fatechanger: Penny Earned will take place in the Lowell cotton mills.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I’d rather write a million novels than try to market just one–which is why I’m so grateful for sites like Pretty-Hot.com!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing-even on bad days with serious writers block. Don’t judge your writing either–crappy writing is what revision is for. Often, I have to work through a lot of bad writing before I can find the story I really want to tell. Although I start a project with a general plot outline, the characters will frequently surprise me with their decisions, and the story takes on a life of its own. In order for this to happen, I have to be writing.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Anne Lamott’s “Bird by Bird” has a chapter on shitty first drafts. It changed my life.
What are you reading now?
“The Silmarillion.” After my fourth reading “Lord of the Rings,” I figured it was time.
What’s next for you as a writer?
After finishing the Fatechanger Series, I want to try writing something more lighthearted (but probably still historical) for adults.
What is your favorite book of all time?
“The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I cry every time I read it.
Author Websites and Profiles
L. M. Poplin Website
L. M. Poplin Amazon Profile
L. M. Poplin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile