Wedding season is well and truly underway! To mark the occasion we’ve been chatting to Laura Ziepe about honeymoons, hen parties and everything in between. Her new book The Morning After The Wedding Before covers all of these topics and more! Read on to discover Laura’s answers to some of our questions…
What was your inspiration for your new book, The Morning After the Wedding Before?
My last book, ‘Tis the Season to be Single, was a Christmas themed book, so I wanted this one to be set in the summer instead. Before I had children, Vegas was my favourite holiday destination to go to with friends. I’ve never had so much fun in my life and I’ve always wanted the chance to go back (not so easy with two young children at home at the moment though!). Vegas is renowned for weddings, so I thought it would be a good theme for the book and the reason that Holly and Kim who both have children, decide to go.
Your book focuses around three friends, Holly, Kim and Emma. Do you have a favourite character?
I like all of them for various reasons. I sympathise with Holly being a single parent to two young children and love her honesty about the fact she doesn’t always find it easy.
I also can relate to Kim having a child born prematurely (my twins were born at 34 weeks but there was a point when we thought it was going to be earlier). Sometimes things happen out of your control and you worry from the moment your children are born. Kim and Andy have grown apart since having their children too. I think you do need to work at your relationship when children come along, because it’s easy to forget about your partner along the way unless you make the effort/ time for each other.
I’m quite fascinated by social media and how it’s changing our society for the good and bad, so I really enjoyed writing Emma’s storyline. I think its important to remember that what we see on social media is only what people want us to see, and not everyone’s life is as perfect as their newsfeed.
What’s the best wedding you’ve ever been to?
Apart from my own of course, I would have to say three of my closest friends weddings, which I was bridesmaid for each time. Its so much more relaxing when you’re not the bride, and they got married in Cyprus, Ibiza and Sweden so it was fun as we could make a holiday of it. I’ve not yet been to a Vegas wedding, but I hope one day its another excuse for me to go back!
Do you have any tips for newlyweds?
Enjoy it being just the two of you (if you don’t already have children) and have as many holidays as possible! My honeymoon was by far the best trip of my life (we went to South Africa and Mauritius). My husband and I always talk about how great our honeymoon was when we didn’t have a care in the world. Of course we love our holidays now too with our children, but we certainly can’t lie and sunbathe all day, go wine tasting or swimming with great white sharks like we did back then, so do all things you love together when you can.
What do you do in your spare time when you’re not writing?
In all honesty, I don’t get much spare time. I’m either with my children going to some form of club or softplay, working as a wedding make-up artist or trying to catch up with family/ friends. My life is a little chaotic and manic, but I really prefer it this way. Any spare time I get to myself I like to catch up on programmes that are easy to watch like Love Island, or start a Netflix boxset with a glass of wine. I love reading too and always read every night before I go to bed.
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?
I really do think that if you love writing, then you should do it regardless of whether you’ve struggled to get published before. I write stories because I love to do it, and try to view getting published as a massive bonus rather than the reason I’ve done it in the first place. Never give up either. When I first started out and started getting some rejections, I looked up some huge authors who have been rejected in their career including JK Rowling. It just inspired me to keep going.
The Morning After The Wedding Before is out now! Start reading it here.
