As a reader, I’ll dive into any book that interests me. I know many bookish folks online have a preferred genre, but truthfully, if a story is raw and resonant, I don’t care about genre. When I learned about Laura Rose’s I’m Not That Depressed: An honest account of (ill) health, something about the book caught my eye. Perhaps it was the colorful cover, the promise of honesty, or the vulnerability of opening up in the way Laura did… whatever it was, I found the book to be excellent, and I’m so glad to have read it. It was truly like having a conversation with the author over tea!
Today, I’m glad to be sitting down to talk to Laura Rose, an author from Hove, England. She has worked as both a scientist and therapist, and she has a deep fascinating with how the human mind works. Her writing style is deliciously colloquial, and boy, does this author have a story to tell.
Nikki: Thank you so much for chatting with me, Laura! I can’t wait to learn about your story. Did you always know you’d be an author, or did you aspire to be something else when you were a child?
Laura: When I was really young, I think I wanted to be either a princess, a singer, or an astronaut! As a child, I remember being told that I was good at writing, and I had always loved reading (and still do), so I decided when I was in junior school that I wanted to write books when I was all grown up. When I started senior school, I was told that I could be a great scientist one day by my favorite teacher, so that started me on a different route entirely.
And yet, you still found your way into the writing world, which is so admirable and incredible. How did that happen?
Okay, so it’s a bit of a long story but please bear with me…
I wanted to be a writer when I was younger, but gave up on that dream and forgot about it once I hit secondary school, until a few years ago. I had loads of mental health problems from my early twenties: I was depressed, anxious, had OCD, panic attacks, was dealing with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, it was all a bit hard to manage. I had therapy which helped me, and I knew I wanted to do something to help other people. I trained to be a therapist myself, and felt that with my knowledge of therapy and science (I’d been a scientist for 14 years), maybe there was something I could do with both of those to help people.
I found that writing things down helped me calm my mind, it gave me a bit of perspective. Some people call journaling, I just call it getting the stuff out of my head and onto a page. I thought that maybe I could compile my experiences into a book that might be able to help other people and make them feel less alone.
So many books about depression or anxiety are really huge books with tiny writing and can be dry and difficult to concentrate on when you just don’t have that focus, or at least that’s how I felt during my bad patches. I wanted to do something to help myself, but couldn’t concentrate on massive texts and felt like a failure.
I decided I wanted to write in a way that would be easy for people to read when they were struggling. I try to keep my books at a manageable length, I use larger font sizes, and my partner does cute illustrations which all help to break up larger chapters and to keep the material light. I also write in the same way that we’re talking now, like we’re friends having a catch-up over a cup of tea, nice and casual. If someone can read my book and feel like they aren’t alone with their problems or experiences, then I feel like I’ve done something good.
I loved the doodles along the way, and the conversational nature of your story definitely kept me hooked. Let me ask, do you have a favorite author?
I have to say my favorite author is the late great Sir Terry Pratchett! I absolutely love his books, especially anything from the Discworld. I was first introduced to his work by my older sister, who lent me her copy of Mort when I may have been around 12 years old. (I’m afraid she never got that book back, oops!) Since then, I have been hooked, and have read (and own) almost all of the Discworld, as well as others in his catalogue. His style of writing is fantastic, his humor is brilliant, and I can easily just lose myself in the worlds he creates. I’m currently reading his biography, written by his assistant which contains anecdotes from Terry. I wish I could have met him when he was alive, he truly fired up a passion for reading.
Ah, I totally get it! There are so many now-gone authors I would have loved to meet. It’s so magical that our words live on, though. As you’ve been cementing your own words in eternal lines with I’m Not That Depressed, I’d love to learn more about your publishing journey.
I’m a self-published author. I started writing my book kind of as a therapeutic practice, trying to make sense of my depression, reflecting, putting it to bed, that type of thing. I remember my therapist at the time telling me that the way I expressed myself was very clear and understandable and that I always managed to put a bit of humor (even if it was pretty dark humor) into my stories, and that I could turn it into a book one day.
Once I’d finished a first draft of my book, I started to look into self publishing, as I hadn’t heard of it before, and discovered KDP. I decided I’d sign up, get my book ready, and decide whether to actually publish it at the last moment or to keep it as just a private book for myself. I had a couple of my friends read it, and they thought it could be really useful to other people, so I went ahead and hit the ‘publish’ button!
I love that you started with friends as readers! My journey started in a very similar way. What can readers expect when they open I’m Not That Depressed?
In it, I describe my journey through depression with honesty and rawness, and a bit of dark humor. I share what it was like living in a fog of depression, and share some of the things which helped me through, as well as some of the things people said to me which really didn’t help!
I wanted to write about mental health and be open and honest about it, as I still don’t think we’re as open about it in our society and still use stereotypes of what someone with depression would look like or how they would act, for example. Also, even though someone is depressed, they can still have a sense of humor!
I loved your humor throughout the story. It’s so seldom that a book digging into something so heavy can also make you chuckle and giggle uncontrollably along the way. What can we expect next?
I’m currently working on my next book which will be about anxiety, and I plan to call it I’m Not That Anxious…, just to keep my title trend going, it’s pretty easy to guess what the book is going to be about! I’ve had quite a few challenges with health to overcome and want to write and give hope to others living with them, so I’m planning to write about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) after that as well. I also have an idea in my head of a fictional work for young adults, stories about mental health struggles and superpowers which you can have and harness through them, but that’s really just a glimmer of an idea at the moment.
Superpowers? Okay, I’m in! (laughs) What does your writing routine look like, Laura?
My routine changes all the time! I know some writers sit down consistently and have a regular schedule, but I can’t gel with that, it doesn’t work for me. I have to wait for the inspiration, the drive, the hyper-focus to hit me. Once I’m in the zone, that’s it for potentially eight or more hours at a time.
The one consistency with my writing is my set-up. I need a good cup of Earl Grey tea, some snacks, a fidget toy, some quiet instrumental music for background noise, and a clear patch of desk to work on to start with. I tend to fidget a lot, so I will be at the desk writing for a while, then move to the sofa with the laptop on my knees, then be laying on the floor typing away, next I’ll settle down on the yoga mat cross-legged and writing, using a meditation cushion as a table. If it’s sunny I’ll sit on the balcony for a while typing, then I’m back indoors at the desk. But always, and I mean always, with a cup of tea next to me!
We love a good tea on this blog! I know some writers have a preferred time of day when they’re most active. Are you a morning or a night person?
Have you ever heard the expression, “I’m not a morning lark, I’m not a night owl, I’m a permanently exhausted pigeon”? I feel like that most of the time! Some days I have loads of energy in the morning, or can be up late at night wide awake and doing things, but generally, I’m the pigeon.
That is the funniest answer I’ve ever gotten for that question! I love that readers are getting a taste of your humor right here and now. I’ve never heard that expression, but it’s absolutely one I’ll be adopting now. Have your readers reached out to you at all? What’s your favorite piece of feedback you’ve received?
I’ve had lovely feedback from people saying how much my book resonates with them and how clearly I explain things. I’ve had someone say they lent it to their friend as soon as they had finished it as they thought their friend would love it and find it really helpful. That type of thing really warms my heart, hearing words from people who’ve read the book and enjoyed it or found it useful in some way. It’s the best feeling in the world!
That is so lovely. My love language is also sharing books I love with my peers, so I totally relate. On the topic of sharing books, how did you feel about required reading in school?
I hated doing that type of required reading at school. I loved reading, but as soon as you tell me I have to do something, I have a stubbornness in me that doesn’t want to, and that still exists to this day. I love reading for pleasure and losing myself in books, which range from fantasy to sci-fi to romance to non-fiction to horror, pretty much any genre I can lose myself in. But tell me that I am required to read a particular book and I’ll immediately want to rebel!
That is so funny, I love that your stubbornness just comes out when it’s a requirement. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Give it a go would be my advice. Just start writing, write about something you love, write what you are passionate about. Your passion will come across in your writing. Everything can be figured out along the way, that’s what the internet is for.
Beautifully said, Laura. I just have one more question for you, then I’ll let you get back to your tea. What do you do for fun when you’re not writing?
I am a bit of a homebody and love doing arts and crafts like knitting, cross-stitch and crochet. I also love building LEGO, baking, and of course reading. I really enjoy music and going to concerts and shows, as well as doing a bit of yoga. I guess I go wherever my mood takes me, whether that’s cozying up with a book under a fluffy blanket, or heading out to enjoy a concert which will leave me with a huge smile on my face and ears ringing!
I remember seeing mentions of your crafting in the book! I definitely recommend it, and I’m so grateful for you taking the time to chat with me.
Getting to know Laura Rose has been such a treat. Check out I’m Not That Depressed: An honest account of (ill) health to hear more of her quirky humor and helpful insights, and be sure to give her a follow on Instagram.
Want to learn more about other indie authors to know? Keep an eye on my Indie Author Spotlight Series for more.