The Bookish Hour
Your new literary podcast!
We talk about all things BOOKS, in all genres; romance, fantasy, thrillers, romatasy, mystery, dark academia, book recommendations, our favorite books (and our least favorite books) buddy reads (that hopefully you want to join along in), bookstagram/booktok with the drama that comes with it and lots interviews with people in the book world.
You might know us from Thirty Talks but after a few weeks we realized that we really still talk about books mostly so we needed a new name. We have combined the best parts from The Smutty Book Podcast (no longer available) and The Thirty Talks Podcast and come up we a NEW and IMPROVED podcast.
Third time is a charm, right? And trust us, this will be the last change (its hard changing a podcast).
Welcome to The Bookish Hour with Jor & Fab...
The Bookish Hour
Interview with Author Assistant: Lauren (Part Two)
The Bookish Life of an Author Assistant...
We are back baby, the second half of Lauren's interview...We do recommend that if you haven't listened to part one then listen to that first then this one. But also who are we to tell you what to do. You do whatever your pretty little heart wants!
Ever wondered what life is like for an author assistant? Meet Lauren, the dynamic force behind the success of over ten authors, and learn how her passion for reading led her to this unique career.
Lauren's story is a charming blend of personal anecdotes and professional insights, painting a vivid picture of her journey from real estate to becoming a sought-after author assistant in the literary world. Navigate the complexities of the author assistant industry with Lauren as your guide. She unravels her path from social media marketing to landing an opportunity with author Holly Renee, highlighting the power of mentorship and the importance of seizing unexpected opportunities.
Listen in as we explore the art of content creation, touching on the nuances of engaging with social media and the ethical considerations of book reviews. Whether you're interested in the life of an author assistant or looking for inspiration to follow your passions, this episode promises to be both educational and entertaining.
Follow Lauren;
IG: @lbcreads
TT: @lbcreads
Website: www.lbcreads.com
Cover Art by: Fabienne and Jordan
Contact email: thebookishhourpod@gmail.com
Intro/Outro music: Season Two: Ramaramaray by Aiyo via Epidemic Sound Season One: Sweet Psycho via TikTok’s Offical Sound Studio on Capcut
Follow Us:
Podcast: @thebookishhourpod
Fabienne: @oxonheart
Jordan: @sipsoffiction
Welcome to the bookish hour with JustJor. Hopefully you have listened to part one. If not, this is part two. So this is kind of halfway through. The interview with Lauren is part two. So this is kind of halfway through the interview with Lauren. And if you want to start with part two, please do. But if you haven't listened to part one, I do highly recommend you go back to the first half of the interview with Lauren and then come to this one. But you know who am I to tell you what to do, so you do whatever your pretty little heart desires. Anyways, back to the interview. Okay, so next question Before you take on a client, do you read their whole backlist of books? Sorry, can I just make note that we're only on question six too. This is like a great episode. I'm so sorry. No, I love it.
Lauren :Okay, so, do I read my entire client's backlist? Okay, so, that's actually so. I think that's a genuine question, right, like, do you what? Like, what does an author assistant do? Because you could be promoting all these different series and things could change. So usually I read their most current series. If it's a content client, I've got my packages. So I have a package where I'm only focusing on one series and then I have a package where I'm focusing a max of two series, because if you get into some of these fantasy books, they'll have four or five, six books.
Lauren :Um, it's a lot. It's a lot to read, it's a lot to take on. And again, like I mentioned earlier, like I read arcs for other people, I read, you know, alpha and beta reads. I read personally, like for myself, all these different books. So it can be a lot to juggle. And if you take on clients like Karina Halle, where she has 80 books in her backlist, that would literally be my whole year of reading. Like, actually, I've read more than yeah, like if I read every single one of her books. Could you imagine Maybe one read more than yeah, like, if I read every single one of her books, could you imagine, um, maybe one day, but yeah.
Lauren :So it's usually the most current series and you know I mentioned earlier I typically like to read at least one of their books because I want to know if it's going to be a good fit. And I like I feel I know some author pas will probably disagree with me here, and that's totally fine, and maybe some readers too, but like I feel like I can champion my authors and like create the best content or like find the best arc readers if I genuinely love their book. So you know, it just comes more organically. Like I'll keep talking about Holly all day long. This is like not, I'm not trying to give her so much clout, but she like her books.
Lauren :I like just know so well it's so easy for me to make content for them, like it's so it comes so naturally to me and like so easy versus I am working on a project right now.
Lauren :Like I do random side projects as well and I have an author who I have made content for like I'll do a max of like 10 videos or 10 graphics and they asked me to do a different series and like I've not read this series so it's taking me longer to make this content because I don't feel like I know it as intricately as if I had read the books. And so if I'm making like what I call UGCU user generated user generated content they typically send me like quotes, books, tropes, anything like. I have an intake form that they can fill out that has everything. So that way I like know what to market. But when I haven't read the book it doesn't come to me as easy, so it takes me longer to do it, and so that's just kind of been like my routine. If I'm going to take on a client and I haven't read them before, I like to read them just to make sure it's a good fit.
Jordan:So Kind of makes sense. So I'm just kind of curious for the clients that you kind of have recently taken on, when you pulled somebody off the waitlist before you get back to them, are you kind of reading their most recent book just to see before you get reach out to them?
Lauren :So I have I've had a waitlist since like May of 2023. It's absolutely insane. Like I check my wait list all the time and I actually need to get back to some people, but for the most part, like I it's yeah, I look at their current like content or their books and I read Goodreads reviews and I kind of see like if it seems like somebody I'd like to work with. And I read Goodreads reviews and I kind of see like if it seems like somebody I'd like to work with and I like see what they need, because obviously different services take different amount of time. So like if someone wanted me to just do newsletters for them, I could do newsletters, no problem, they don't take very long. Like if it was only newsletters, I could add like five more clients doing that. Like that's no problem, but if they want content, that's going to take longer. So like I have to gauge and see what can I realistically fit in.
Lauren :But I'm right now I'm at the point to where, like I'm not actively taking on new clients, I like like, for example, I keep referencing the same clients over and over again. Karina has been asking me to like help make more content for her. So like if I were to take on more services. It's most likely going to be from my current clients.
Lauren :Like it's a conversation we've talked, like you know, so like I have done some things for her, but I'm not at the capacity where I could do more, and so, like she had asked me and I and I referred people. You know it's something that, like I have friends that I'll refer if I can't take on. And that's when you sign up for my waitlist. I asked Do you want me to refer you to somebody because I just can't my way again, my waitlist I've had a waitlist since May of 2023. Like I always tell people, I don't know, I don't know how long it would take and, like I said, the only option of like me taking on more would be to hire somebody and I just don't want to do that so cool.
Jordan:That's like kind of cool to be like, yeah, I'm just like that cool and that badass, but like I can refer you.
Lauren :Yeah, like I'm like I'm so sorry I have a waitlist. Like nothing makes me more anxious than when I have, like an author DM me about taking them on and I'm like I can't, I genuinely can't, so it's yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. Now, if it's now, if it's like and the problem is a lot of people want that, they want TikTok management, right, they want me to be doing the TikTok videos and posting and doing all of that and that is so time consuming and I like, theoretically I could take on more, because I at one point have four clients I was doing that for, but I have so many more clients now that it's like it's just a lot and if I were to open it up, it would. If I were to open up any services, it would be that and it would obviously up, it would.
Lauren :If I were to open up any services, it would be that and it would obviously be it would go like prioritize to my current clients. So that's the other hard thing is I have this long wait list for that. But, like, if somebody emailed me and they said I just want 10 UGC videos, I can do, like, I can do that, that's easy. So that's why, like, I do do side projects, so like I have that client who I haven't read her books but she sent me all the quotes and stuff, so like I can make those for her.
Jordan:Oh, that's kind of cool too, Because then it's like something like a little bit different. But that that's interesting. So I'm guessing most authors want, like social media management, or just like they want you to create content for them. Yeah, basically.
Lauren :I mean, it's like it's management and it's content creation, like those are the two most requested services from me, but those also are the ones that take the most time. And so I do have some people on the waitlist who like want just like our team management or whatever. But I like right now I'm slow. But I think back to like August, when I wanted to die because I had so much going on and I haven't changed my clients at all. So I'm like I know that there's going to be another month where I'm drowning in work and I have so much going on, but if I add anybody now while I'm slow, I feel like I'm going to slack. Like I really pride myself on the quality of my work and the fact that nine out of 10 times if a client texts me about something, I can get to it that day.
Jordan:And I don't want that to change. So that's why I'm just very strategic on like who I take on. I I know you do like the highlighting in books and stuff, but I feel like there's only so much you can highlight, and then does that ever like stress you out for trying?
Lauren :to create more. We're on video, so Jordan's reaction will just have to, like, be good enough. Do you see, hold on, I gotta take you out of my tripod. Do you see this pile of books here, right, right, right here? Yeah, okay. So the other day I texted Holly and I said hey, do you have any damaged books you can send me that I could use for highlighting Because I've run out of room? She sent me 31 books. That's amazing. That is amazing. So I'm set for life.
Lauren :And I reached out to another client and I was like hey, do you have any damaged books Because I'm out of space? Yeah, so you can only highlight so much in books, like there's only so many certain quotes or scenes or whatever. I do typically have quite a few copies of each book for my clients. So, like, obviously I can use multiple books, but I do run out of space. I can use multiple books, but I do run out of space.
Lauren :So I think, like it's so hard, right, because when you're constantly creating content, it's really easy to get burnt out. But if I find like one idea that works, I'm using it a bazillion times. Like a bazillion times. Like right now, that top five trend is super popular on Instagram and so, like I asked a lot of my clients who I do Instagram for, like, do you want me to do this? If you do, you've got to send me all these things. And so, like, once I kind of have the template, I can change it up and pop it in and out really quickly.
Lauren :So and I'm, if I see an idea on Instagram, like if I'm scrolling and I'm like, wow, this would be like actually really good for my clients, like I'll screenshot it and I usually give credit.
Lauren :But if I see something like I get inspired by and yeah, it's like for TikTok, it is hard In the videos that it's like my face, that I like I'm filming. If I'm scrolling my personal TikTok, I'll save sounds that I like whether it's for that, this, that client, or just sounds in general, and I put them in a note app because I can easily open it up and all the different TikToks and like save that sound and that's typically what I'm getting ready to batch. I will be scrolling my TikTok and I'll just save five to 10 sounds and then film. The other types of videos I do a lot of is like holding like the edge of the book and like doing like a quote or showing all talking about all the tropes and then like showing the cover. That's a very common one as well, although right now the big thing is, everyone doesn't like trope marketing anymore.
Jordan:I have heard like they just want. Yeah, especially too with like, because a lot of people I would see that would do like a like a few tropes in a subtitle and everybody's like hating on that. It's crazy.
Lauren :Yeah, which I actually made a thread about it the other day. I said it's so ironic that I get these comments. Like I did a video for a client where you know it's like it's the just the pages of the book and I listed a couple of tropes and then I show the cover and someone was like I hate when authors only market like this and I'm like I, I. What's hilarious is that was like her best performing video in the past few days. So I, I'm like I, you say that, but the trope graphics and the trope videos like those perform the best. So I don't think everybody agrees with you.
Jordan:But okay, y'all take your thoughts into consideration.
Lauren :Like I'm, like you can. You can pry tropes like using tropes and marketing out of my cold dead hands Like I'm going to run those into the ground. I love that.
Jordan:I mean I do that too, like I definitely dead hands, like I'm going to run those into the ground. I love that.
Lauren :I mean I do that too, like I definitely I do I yeah, like I love single dad romances, like I'm I'm going to talk, you know what I mean Like I don't, I don't get it, like it's. Like I love tropes, like I love knowing what tropes are in there, and I think you can do it without spoiling what happens.
Jordan:Like exactly well, because, like I know, there's a few tropes that I'm not the biggest fan of. So like I want to know if it's in there, because I don't want to read it if you're gonna know, if you don't like it, like you're like you.
Lauren :If you read it and you didn't know you would be like well, I wouldn't have read this if I had known exactly.
Jordan:Or there's like some too that like, oh, I guess it also depends, well, but there's it's like different. I think it's different because, like there's certain authors like I mean I feel like I've talked about it enough that I'm like not the biggest surprise pregnancy trope person. But then there's like authors like Elsie Silver can do no wrong, so like I've loved every single one of her books. So like there's times where it's like it fits and it doesn't for me, like if it. I think if it's like an author I've never like read before, I probably wouldn't pick it up, but then if it's an author that I love, that I either know or don't know what's going in. Like I knew going into like that one book Reckless. You know that that's like what the whole book is about.
Lauren :Vader made an appearance. I wish she like, I wish I could like hear him like purring or hear him meow, so he could be on the podcast, cause he's right now just in the video.
Jordan:Oh my God, that would be so cute.
Lauren :Yeah, my little.
Jordan:Okay, he's like I, he just wants to be been to be held like talking for so long he's like mom's still not done yeah, I know I bet my husband's home.
Lauren :He like was coming home early to work from home. Oh no, you're fine. And I told him I was like I'll be in this podcast and yeah, it's fine.
Jordan:It's fine, I'm, we're having a great time talking and I'm a rambler, so I am too, but I was gonna say this is like my first Holly Renee book, and I got it because you've talked about it. I haven't read it yet though, so I'm sorry. That's okay, but like I really want to, I almost picked up the, like the one you were just holding up, the. Oh, the Veiled Kingdom. Thank you, I almost picked up that one the other day at the bookstore, but then I was like Jordan you haven't read this one, and at least this one's completed that one's completed.
Lauren :Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I haven't. Okay, I feel like so many people associate me with that series. It's so funny to me, which I love. I love it, I love.
Lauren :Like a lot of people like view me and Holly as like a team, like we're like this, yeah, but you guys are a team like that. Like we're like this, yeah, but you guys are a team, yeah, yeah, we when we were at we were at centers and stardust, and I was like telling everybody like I posted on her story or something that I was like her sister, and everyone was like, oh my gosh, you guys are actually sisters. And she's like, no, my sisters actually get mad that she, because her sisters are coming to work for her next month, so they're gonna be, yeah, and so like her sisters are usually the ones that help her at signings and stuff, and so when I was telling people I was her sister, she feels like my actual sisters are upset. But they love me, they love me. They call me Holly's stalker, yeah, so it's, it's funny. But no, we, I mean we are a team.
Lauren :And then I mentioned Reagan earlier. Reagan's also like one of Holly's PAs and a lot of people don't know that because I do mostly her social media, but like Reagan helps with like the Facebook reader group and newsletters and stuff as well. So like it's yeah, so like. That's why earlier, when we were talking about like I think you can reach out to authors and like offer your assistance, even if they like have a PA already, because, like I couldn't do it all of it, like I couldn't do all of Holly's stuff, like I just there, she has so much going on that I couldn't, so there's oftentimes where they'll have two oh, I was so I was just gonna ask.
Jordan:So like do most authors have two PAs?
Lauren :it just depends on how big they are. Like I know, um, I know, like Emily McIntyre is another author that Reagan PAs for, and I believe Jacqueline I can never say Jacqueline's last name Jacqueline also PAs with Emily. So there's, I know Emily has two, but not all authors. I mean, obviously, like it's you know, an expense, so not all authors can have two PAs, but like there are other. So like one of my, actually my other two content clients that I do TikTok management for, they also have a PA who does more of their admin stuff and then I do their TikToks and Instagram stuff.
Jordan:So oh, so people that want to be an assistant like don't get discouraged, because there's like a possibility and it kind of sounds like if you want to get into it, you should get into the user generated content, because it sounds like that's what's really hot.
Lauren :Yeah, that's, that's. That is what's really hot. Yeah, it is. Yeah. No, that's like I'm still holding out for one day that maybe Elsie asks me to help her. Like that, she's my dream client. If she were to ask me, I'd be like yes, anything you want fingers crossed.
Jordan:We're manifesting this for you. We are manifesting.
Lauren :I actually made a bingo card for 2024 and that is on my bingo card yes, I mean we still got a few months, yeah. I mean, I I feel like I actually have gotten to know Elsie's assistant this year a little bit and she seems like such a doll and she's so sweet. So like I would honestly like I'm like I don't know, like I don't want her to feel like I'm like taking anything away from her.
Jordan:So but then you could offer different things, yeah.
Lauren :It works, sure For sure. Yeah, I think it's good to play. I think it's good to play. I think it's good when authors also play to like their PA strengths right, like Reagan's really good at. Like the air table stuff which I was talking about was like Google on steroids, so like all of the forms and all of that. She's a great at all of that organization. And I'm obviously not I've talked about how I'm a chaotic mess so like it's good when authors play to their PA's strengths and like what they're good at.
Jordan:Yeah, that actually. No, that like makes sense. And then it's like also to like knowing your strengths, so what you can do. Yeah, that, honestly. Airtable just I don't even know what Airtable is exactly, but it sounds stressful.
Lauren :It's like if, like Google, like Google, like so, forms, docs, spreadsheets, all of that like how to baby. It's like if like google for like google like so, forms, docs, spreadsheets, all of that like how to baby. It's like it's like on steroids and like you can do so much, like so much with it, like I barely know how to use it. Reagan will like do like codes and stuff for it and couldn't be me. We were yeah, we there's like I've mentioned this PA group chat like people will ask her air table questions and like even today we were like earlier this morning we were talking about it and I said Holly and I like always worry, we're messing up Reagan's air table stuff. Like we get scared to do anything in there because we just like don't want to mess it up. I'd be terrified. Oh yeah, it's like her baby. So I'm like I'll be like Reagan, can you do this for me, because I don't want to mess up.
Jordan:She's probably like yes, don't touch it.
Lauren :No, she's great. She's always like you're never going to mess it up and I'm like no, I really will.
Jordan:Just watch me yeah, I won't even do anything, and then it's like you delete it all. Yeah, okay. So what risks have you taken, if any?
Lauren :no-transcript it was. I mean, it was a risk Like real estate isn't the most consistent job If you know anything about real estate. It ebbs and it flows and so for me, like I think I was ready to kind of take the risk not knowing exactly what this career path would look like. I think really the biggest risk was just like doing it and figuring it out, and it's been a journey like I've talked about. I've had to change my pricing, I've had to do a lot of things, I've had to learn to set boundaries and actually take time off for myself and like all of that. So I think like the biggest risk was like actually taking a chance on me and like to pursuing something that I didn't even know existed a couple of years ago. And I wouldn't have been able to do that Like if my husband wasn't like such a supporter of me and like he's the one with the fixed income, and so it kind of, you know, gave me the opportunity to like really take, take the risk.
Lauren :And I am chaotic and I am not the most organized person. I think it's so funny when my clients tell me they love how organized I am. They're all going to listen to this and they're going to know, they're going to find out. I'm actually not that organized. But yeah, it's like I was kind of scared because to be an assistant, I feel like you have to be this like very organized, neat person and I'm very much not, so it was a little bit of a risk.
Jordan:Yeah, mean, you do seem very organized, though, and I feel like you're all organized up here. Yeah, it's all right here it's all right here, yeah, as we point to our heads, our noggins yeah. I was thinking that, but I was like don't say that, jordan.
Lauren :I should have said it, is that dating me if I say noggin?
Jordan:Well, honestly, I was gonna say it too. So like then, we both just dated ourselves.
Jordan:Yeah, it's fine, it's fine, it's fine. So I know we kind of like dived into this earlier because I just asked all the questions. But if you are also a book talker and bookstagrammer too, is it ever difficult doing all that you do for authors and their social media but then also trying to I I feel, are you still trying to grow your social media? So it's like trying to handle all of that. And then this is where I said do you ever sleep?
Lauren :yeah, um, yeah, I mean, yes, I sleep in a lot. Um, I like get out of bed at like eight every morning, which is great when you set your own schedule, but again, I'm up until like midnight or one every single night, Are you Sorry?
Jordan:side note Are you like a night owl?
Lauren :A little bit. Yeah, okay, I'm not a morning person.
Jordan:Like at all. I'm such a morning person that I have to go to bed early because I'm up at 6am, Because no like because no, like it's.
Lauren :It's genuinely funny because, like I said earlier, my husband goes about like 9 30 and he gets up at 4 30, so, like I'm deep in REM. When he is like getting up, we're like, yeah, it's, yeah, so, um, I that's when I get, that's when I get my reading done. Usually it's he goes to bed. I'll be like up reading, and he'll wake up sometimes at like 2am and he'll look over and he'd be like are you reading? I'm like yeah, I am. I'm just over here. Sometimes I'm crying. You know, he never knows. Yeah, he never knows what to expect.
Lauren :It is genuinely hard, though, to make content for myself. I think that's why my content has also changed so much, because a lot of the content I like would make for myself, I make for my clients. Like I'm one, I would never do the top five trend, because asking me, a Libra who is so indecisive to pick five books, tv shows, movies, it's it's not going to happen. Everyone's like, oh, it's so funny. I'm like it's, I can barely. I just I just turned 31 and I did 31 book recommendations and I had the hardest time picking 31. Could you imagine asking me to narrow that down to five? I would like to see you try. Just kidding, no, it's not going to gonna happen. So I think that trend is so fun, though, and so I'm like I. Sometimes, if I don't have the energy to do it for myself, I do it for my clients. So, like I do, like I, I feel like I'm getting to fulfill that desire by having my clients do it.
Lauren :Um, but yeah, it is. It is very, it's very difficult and like also it's hard to prioritize it all. Right, like when I have so many clients who have so many releases like and there's you know, like I'm arc reading too and I like to promote releases, so like I do new release Tuesday every every week, and so like I talk about a lot of releases in that video, because I genuinely don't have time the rest of the week to like talk about other books, like there's so many books to talk about that it's so hard. And when I have so many clients and like a lot of clients like release on the same day or whatever, like it's just so much to juggle that I do feel like my reading content has like kind of it's not as like. Like I I don't know I used to post three TikToks a day like how did I do that? I don't know. Um, yeah, I don't know how you did that either.
Lauren :I did that for like a year. Like I don't know how I did that, but I like sometimes I post two in a day if I'm feeling creative, but a lot of times, like I said earlier, it's in the moment. The only content that's planned is new release Tuesday. We know that's coming every Tuesday.
Jordan:Everyone's so obsessed with that yeah, I was super grateful because that gave me, like my inspiration for my new version of new release.
Lauren :Tuesday where.
Jordan:I literally talked about one book, yeah, but like it, it's how it's like helpful, because I I've noticed too like kind of what you were saying of like creating content and like everything's, because I've noticed too kind of what you were saying of creating content and everything's content. I've been doing different things and I kind of want to treat my Instagram like a booktube channel and just talk on it, because sometimes it's hard to take photos. Now I'm in this single room I don't really have much to work with for photos. I'd rather it be video-based 'm.
Lauren :I'm terrible with flat lays like I, which is hilarious because that's what I do for a living, but I'm not the best with flat lays like I definitely think my game, my game has improved, my skill has improved, but I that's why, like I do a lot of like with my clothes and like I feel like I can talk about clothes or whatever, like we're on a bow and like I can snap a quick picture, and so I do feel like like I'm better at the video content and sitting down.
Lauren :I could have if I knew how to edit videos, I could do YouTube Like I could. I could sit there and easily talk about books all day long. And I that's why I love TikTok and that's what I used to be known for was my like in depth reviews, talking about a book for like a long time, and I don't do that as much anymore because I just so it takes so long to edit those videos. It's so long. Even new release Tuesday. It's funny. I can't remember who I was talking to, but somebody was like asking me they're like no-transcript, having it uploaded by 12.
Jordan:So this is the last question for author assistanting. So we finally made it to the end of part one, looking back as your time as an assistant, is there anything that you would have done differently that would have made your life easier now or easier then?
Lauren :Yeah. So when I was looking through the questions, there was something so stock photos are so insanely hard to find, like good stock photos, because you can't use Pinterest. It's like illegal to use Pinterest photos for. So I think if you're like, if you wanted to create an edit on Instagram, like you could pull photos from Pinterest, but like for me it's illegal, like their copyright is to the owner of the image, so if I were to use it for marketing purposes for the author, they could get sued. So stock photo, your faith right now, like yeah, so stock photos are really like good ones are really really hard to find and I wish I had started collecting a database of them, like when I started. But there's so like so many that I found and I've lost and like I just wish I had I've started doing that, like I've started collecting the really good ones.
Jordan:But they're just very hard to find. Okay, so do you. I'm like so because I remember making those like aesthetic reels and maybe I should have never made those because I pulled images from.
Lauren :Pinterest, you could use them, because you're not really doing it for a business purpose, right? Like you're just doing it for fun, like I. If I were to do one now that, like I used to do that too, I used to do the aesthetic videos and things too. Like I think it's when you're like literally trying to make money from the video or from the photo. Like, do you know what I mean? I do think that all content creators should probably use stock photos. So, like, if you do make an aesthetic one, maybe you use stock photos from now on.
Lauren :But, like I, is this like a website? So there's different websites. So there's one called dupe, literally d-u-p-e. They're trying to be like the pinterest of stock photos and they have a like like you and I could upload pictures. Like if you take an aesthetic picture, you could upload it. So those are the more like aesthetically pleasing ones the stock photos are can be a little more cheesy, like if you go to like deposit photos. Um, istock, unsplash, pixels. There's all these different websites you can go to for like stock photos.
Jordan:So you're faked. I'm like actually blown away for a moment. Um, so then do you have to like pay for these? Like are you paying for these stocks?
Lauren :oh, dupe is free um deposit photos I have a membership for and so I do pay for that and I get like 30 photos a month, I think, and get to download them. But so some of them are free. You can find free ones, but like some of them you do like you do pay for them. It just depends on the, like the website that you pick. But yeah and then.
Jordan:And then do you have to give them like credit?
Lauren :no, so they like when they upload it, they like sign away their rights to the photo so like anybody can use it. But like if you go to pinterest and you type in like hot guy and you like the owner of that photo could sue you if you use that for like a cover or for like a picture on instagram or whatever like that's their intellectual property so you can't use that for your own gain.
Jordan:Oh no.
Lauren :And there are some authors like there are some authors who still do it and they don't care. But like I know, like I haven't worked with anybody that's been affected by it, but I've heard horror stories where you owe like thousands and thousands of dollars in fines, so mm-hmm okay, um, good to know any bookstagrammers, booktalkers that?
Jordan:um, just like the heads up. I actually don't do the aesthetic reels anymore but I I did those for like a hot second. I did like quite a few.
Lauren :I did too. I did too. I did too. So you're not alone. I. It wasn't something. I mean, like even when I started out, like I was using photos that my clients gave me and I think that they were from Pinterest, like I don't know for sure, and so I mean, it wasn't until, like I was educated on Instagram that they were like no, no, you can't use Pinterest photos.
Jordan:So okay, good to know, even just like everybody good to know. Yeah, yeah, interesting, but then, okay, then I'm kind of curious. So where do you use these like images that you get?
Lauren :so if I am like um, I don't know if you've used CapCut, but like there's like templates on love, that app, okay, so there's like templates on there right where people like have made funny videos, where it's like a clip of somebody from like a tv show or whatever and you need like a background image. Do you know what I'm talking about? No, I did not. I wish I could show you on my phone. Okay, I'm trying to think have you seen um, like people use them all the time on Instagram too. Like it's like oh my gosh, why am I blanking right now?
Jordan:is this why things are like cut out and there's like their own picture in the background or like.
Lauren :I've been wondering how people do this for so long it's like it's like it's it's um half cut templates. So like I use those, like I use stock images for that, or if I'm making like an aesthetic post for a client, like I'll use that. I'm wondering, I'm trying to like see if I can pull up um Polly's Instagram so I can show you, like, what I'm talking about, for well, I don't. Well, it's fine, actually let me pull up a different client. But yeah, that's how you get the, the stock images, for your face right now is cracking me up.
Jordan:I had idea, Cause I see everybody's like reels of like maybe like it's definitely somebody from, like it's on CapCut.
Lauren :So if you go and get the CapCut app, you can go under templates and there's a hundred, hundreds and hundreds and thousands and thousands of templates, but I use stock images for that, or I'll use stock images for like Instagram graphic.
Jordan:I'm so glad I asked this question.
Lauren :Yeah, this is a great question. Yeah, like I know that this is like the bane of our existence, like I could spend hours and hours and hours just searching for good stock images, I know Cause it's like it's one of those things.
Jordan:It's definitely I mean I've used to go to like well, I still go to Pinterest. I love Pinterest, but it's like I's one of those things. It's definitely I mean I used to go to like well, I still go to Pinterest, I love Pinterest, but it's like I didn't think that, like how you can't, well, you shouldn't be using it, because, you're right, someone does own that image.
Lauren :Yeah, the more you know, knowledge is key. Yeah.
Jordan:Okay, well, hopefully that also helped other people, just like it helped me.
Lauren :I think so I think I think like that was like when you I read that question, I was like I think this would help. Like anybody starting, just save all your stock images Me yeah.
Jordan:Me that will help. Well, part of I mean. I probably still won't use stock images.
Lauren :Maybe I'll use dupe, because it's free Dupe is like trying to be like Pinterest. I love Pinterest, so I'm here for it. Yeah, it's got really cute. Like it's not as great for like fantasy, which is what I do a lot of, but like any small town. Whatever, I'm going to dupe.
Jordan:Oh, okay, okay. So we finally made it to reading two hours later oh my gosh. Yes, um, I've like quote. I'm hoping you meant that from like Spongebob, because I quote I did. Yeah, thank you. I quote all the time and then, two hours later definitely date ourselves there, but like it's fine.
Jordan:Oh, yeah, that's fine, yeah, it's fine, it's fine. Um, okay, so what is your favorite book and or series? A book you would recommend to anyone and everyone? And I want you can say one of your clients, but then I also want you to say that's not one of your clients.
Lauren :Okay, if, unless it's not, okay, I want to recommend books because I feel like if you go to my page you probably could guess the books I'm going to like recommend. So, like, I want to kind of recommend like random books that I like wouldn't, yes, okay. So one of my clients I mentioned earlier I love Ice Planet Barbarians. I don't know if you've read it, so. So if you know Ice Planet Barbarians, which I mentioned earlier, that I love one of my clients, january Bell.
Lauren :She writes alien books and she writes them. It's like the jungle version of Ice Planet Barbarians, like they crash land there, they're like they mate up with all these different aliens, but it's like the jungle version and that's amazing. January's hilarious like. Her books make me laugh out loud and I love to recommend alien romance books because I think everybody should read them. Um, so I love, I love her books. That's a book like I don't like. I also love Zoe Draven. That's that'll be my other, my non client. She also writes alien books and she has this alien book that's he's like also like a vampire. He's like a vampire alien and it's a desire in his blood is like the name of it. Awesome I mean. Yeah, so that's's fine. I'm fine to be known as the alien girl, like I love I love it.
Jordan:I sorry what? Because just about ruby, I have to say so. I haven't read ice planet barbarians, um, but I've read her god, it's like I think it's aspects and anchors and aspects series like the bound to the battle, god, and I love those books of hers, like they are, so like, if you like greek mythology, like you would like those books okay, okay, I need.
Lauren :I want to read her newest one, the bull moon rising. I just haven't gotten a chance yet. But yeah, like I, I'm fine to like I love the alien books, I don't know, I think they're fun, like they're nothing that you have to like think, really, the alien books, I don't know, I think they're fun, like they're nothing that you have to like think really hard about like I. And what's hilarious is I genuinely, in real life, hate aliens. Like one time my husband made me watch an alien documentary and then I couldn't sleep. So I was like thinking, like I'm like, are they real? Um, but in romance, apparently, I'm obsessed, can't get enough of them they just fit better in romance, so it's fine yeah, I think it's like fictional, so I'm like they're not real, it's fine, just like vampires.
Lauren :Like they're not real, it's fine.
Jordan:I love vampire books. Those are like yeah you.
Lauren :you absolutely need to read that Zoe Draven book like I need to. Like, look it up now, yeah, yeah. No, I had it. I'm so mad. She was at a Polycon this year and I didn't go meet her because I hadn't read any of her books yet. But there was an art print in the swag bag for Desire and His Blood and that's what. I read it on the plane ride home and I was like, dang it, I could have met Zoe. I was so mad.
Jordan:This art print? I don't have it.
Lauren :I know, I know, next time, next time, yeah, next time for sure. I'm literally going to go up to her and be like I'm obsessed with your books.
Jordan:Thank you very much, yeah, okay. So what is one line of writing poetry or a quote that lives rent free in your head?
Lauren :was a quote, not in a book, and it was the quote from Batman Begins where Alfred is like why do we fall, bruce? It's so we can pick ourselves back up and I'm like okay, so like that was the quote that originally came in my head. But if there was like a book quote, it would be lift your hips for me, love from shatter me, because I love that series so much and I love Aaron Warner so much. I love that series so much and I love Aaron Warner so much, and that quote sticks out my brain.
Jordan:Okay, okay, I haven't read that series. I've like wanted to read the series, but then I've kind of heard that if you have dived into reading then maybe don't read that series.
Lauren :I don't know that I, I don't. I mean, I've I've been reading my entire life and like I read that in 2022. I read all six books in four days. Holy shit. I didn't do anything but read, yeah, okay, okay, like I. They're young adults, so like there's, I mean, but there are some things in there that I'm like how is this young adult Like? This is Like lift your hips for me, love. Are we sure that that is a young adult book? But yeah, I couldn't put them down. They were so bingeable, they were so good. I was actually thinking the other day I'm like I should reread them, because it's been two years since I've read them. I mean At some point. I mean I have the longest TBR ever, it's. I literally have so many arcs right now that I I don't really know where to start.
Jordan:Can't take on anything else, no, I kind of have like the same thought of like I. There's like books I want to reread, but then I'm like if I reread them, I can't read the books that I haven't read, because I know, I know the only way, the only way I really reread is I'll do the audio oh, I have done that that. I love audio and it's so helpful, especially if, like, a new book comes out, you could do the audio for the previous books. It's like, yeah, narrators, bring it to life.
Lauren :I'm trying so hard to be into audio like I, I struggle. If it's a new book, um, still like I, I have to really be doing something kind of mindless. But when it's a book I've read, I can like zone out. And if I zone out like I know what's gonna happen. So I've done um, the entire Chestnut Spring series on audio. I've done. What other books have I done on audio, like rare reread, um, I don't know, I'm blanking. I'm like looking at my shelves right now.
Jordan:Oh, I've been doing like the Kings of Sin series by Anna Wong, like okay so I I was rereading, while I was doing it on audio, runix's Darkverse series because, like a new one comes out next month and I'm so excited. But like I read that, I want to say like three years ago, so long ago, yeah, yeah. So I need a refresher before getting into the book, so audio is perfect for that.
Lauren :Yeah, audio is great. Like I am really glad that I like pushed myself to do more audio, especially this year, because, like recently, I've been drowning in arcs. So I'm currently listening to how my Neighbors Stole Christmas by Megan Quinn, which has a full cast of narrators. Honestly, those are the best. Like, it's so fun, it's so fun, it's so Christmassy and like I feel, like Megan, like contemporary is definitely easier for me to consume audio than fantasy and so, like Megan's books, I can do where I haven't read them before, but I can like a brand new read to me and I'm like really enjoying it. Like, I'm like, and I'm like really enjoying it Like.
Jordan:I'm like this is fun and I know too, like for myself. Sometimes it's like hard, just in general, to be able to sit down and read, whether it's like on a Kindle, unless it's like right before bed or a physical. So sometimes like I can either work and listen to an audiobook.
Lauren :I'm like in the car listening.
Lauren :So I feel like I can still get my version of like reading in. Yeah, like when I, if I'm, if I'm like packaging up like a PR box or whatever, like that is something that I will just put on a audiobook and I'll just sit there and like package or like, um, if I'm going through our applicants, like I can because I know what I'm looking for. So like I can kind of like mind numbingly do that and listen to an audiobook. But sometimes I have to rewind because I know what I'm looking for.
Jordan:So like I can kind of like mind numbingly do that and listen to an audio book. But sometimes I have to rewind because I'll like get so into what I'm not even doing anything. And my mind's like all of a sudden, like something happens and I'm like wait, why'd that guy get punched in the face, like things like that? And I'm just like oops.
Lauren :The worst is on every Sunday, my husband, I clean our house and I'll be listening to an audio book and he'll try to talk to me and like my phone will be on the other side of the house and I like can't pause it fast enough. And then I'm like what's going on? I'm like having to like. I'm like always like this to him. I'm like give me a minute to pause my eye.
Jordan:I do the same because I'm like doing things like whether it's like cleaning or like working, and then I'm just like, oh and for the people who can't see us holding up a finger, holding up a finger.
Lauren :holding up a finger Like don't talk to me until I take off my audio, my headphones, my audio book Can't miss anything.
Jordan:Okay, so what book had the most significant impact on your life, and why? Either recently or not?
Lauren :I, it's hard because I've been reading for so long. I think there's, there's two, if I can say two, oh my god, yeah, okay. So like as a kid, a book that resonated with me and as a people pleaser, you will totally get this Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. I like she couldn't say no, like she always had to say yes, like whatever somebody told her she had to do, and like that book.
Lauren :I read that book so many times as a kid and it was on my like goal this year to like reread some of the books that I read as a kid, like the Aragon series, the Gray series, ella Enchanted and I haven't gotten to do it, but I like those books were such comfort to me and like I've read it so many times I just loved. Like it's a like middle school grade book but like she comes into her own and she's like able to stand up and fight back and speak up for herself and she's like cursed right to say yes to everybody and do whatever they say and she breaks that curse and like it's just so like powerful, even as a kid.
Jordan:so I never read the book, but I remember the movie, yeah yeah with Anne. Hathaway I love Anne Hathaway, but oh my gosh, yeah, that book was like I follow.
Lauren :I follow the author on Instagram now and she's like this, like cute little old lady and like I just like one day I wish I could give her a hug and like just thank her, because her other books I loved too. So I hope so I might. I might cry, I might cry, I might fall on the ground and cry, but it will happen. Yeah, I actually did that the first time I saw JLA, so I fell, I fell on the ground.
Jordan:I probably would do that too. I totally got that.
Lauren :So, and then the book recently would have to be a kingdom of stars and shadows by Holly Renee, just because, yeah, the book Jordan was holding up earlier. I don't know if we ever said the name of it, but sometimes it's just so bad at this, so sorry.
Jordan:Yeah, the book Jordan was holding up earlier. I don't know if we ever said the name of it. We definitely didn't. Sometimes we're so bad at this, so sorry people.
Lauren :It's okay. But so the Kingdom of Stars and Shadows? Simply because that was the book that made me fall in love with Holly and that was the book that connected us, and it was basically the first domino that caused me to end up being where I am today. So that's why I'm like I have two. I have two books that really like resonate with me.
Jordan:I, I kind of I thought you were gonna say like a Holly Renee book, I wasn't sure like which one you started with. So I was like kind of like.
Lauren :I thought like well I did say it, but like it's yeah, yeah, yeah, it's funny because I remember the TikTok event that I saw of like the person that was talking about it and like caused me to like go read it. Like I know who. It is okay, like I should thank them. I should send them like a fruit basket. Do people still do?
Jordan:that all things they need.
Lauren :A fruit basket yeah, I don't know. Yeah, I think it's because my husband's watching the Sopranos and they were talking about that and I've looked at him and I was like do people still send fruit baskets? Is that still a thing? Mr LBC, that's his favorite show and every winter he wants to rewatch it. So he's been rewatching it lately and that was something the other day they said about and I asked him. I was like do people still do that? So but yeah, I'm like I want to send her something, maybe her favorite special edition or something, and just thank her for putting Holly in my life, like, and then starting this whole thing, starting this whole journey, yeah, crazy.
Jordan:If you could have a literary dinner party with three authors, living or dead, who would you invite and why?
Lauren :Okay, so I'm not going to say any of my clients because I've probably had dinner with them already. I would say Mary Louise Alcott. She wrote Little Women, I think that's her name. I love Little Women. I read that so much as a kid. That's also a really great book. I'm like looking at my shelf, I have my copy from when I was a kid on my shelf. And then Gail Carson Levine, who wrote Ella Enchanted, just because, like, I just like idolized her books growing up so much. And then I would want to sit down with Tahara Mafi from she Wrote Shatter Me, just because I do like that series is so good and I just love her and I just feel like she's so smart and I want to just like pick her brain. So, and those like I feel like are people that like it would be impossible for me to like me like they're like hard, like they're most most authors that I like look up to, I've met or I've like interacted with on some level or whatever. So, like that one, I had to think outside the box.
Jordan:I like that you thought outside the box, but I feel like the shattermeat. I don't know how to pronounce her name, but, um, I think it's possible that you could like meet her and sit down and have like a conversation, like dinner, with her, I think that's very possible at some point.
Lauren :I would absolutely love to meet her. I have my first edition of Shatter Me signed by her because my friend met her, but I have not been to like a signing where she's been there or anything and I don't think we've interacted on social media, so like she's just somebody that to me is like more like untouchable I guess. So I'm like I'd love to love to like sit down and I think the three of us would have, or the four of us would have, a very interesting conversation I think that would be a very like well-rounded yeah, yeah.
Lauren :I, though I think the author of little women is is dead, so that's yeah um, yeah, the question is living or dead.
Jordan:So it works, works, yeah, yeah it works Tater's back.
Lauren :Are you going to come back up here? No, okay, sorry, he's like I'm out of it.
Jordan:The video's not even on. I'm not going to be part of it. Okay, we made it to the last two questions, which is like the last part. I know I'm trying to talk fast, oh my gosh. No, no, no, okay, so personal. And then the first question is outside of reading what are some of your other hobbies you like to do?
Lauren :I collect jellycat.
Jordan:I. When you first posted about it, I had no idea what you were talking about Not going to lie and I was Sorry, Sorry.
Lauren :No, go ahead, you go ahead.
Jordan:One I was talking to my friend about it and this is like what I still didn't know and I could. I didn't correlate the two, but she was talking about jellycats and she's like telling me about it and I was like, so, like beanie babies, and she's like, yes, of like our time, and I was like got it now. Okay, go ahead.
Lauren :No. So I was gonna say, like anybody who doesn't know, they're just like little stuffed animals and like there's, they're really cute, I don't know Like.
Jordan:I want is so cute.
Lauren :I know he is. Yeah, so the like how I started that. So my other like hobby is fashion. I guess you would say like shopping. I love to shop and I love clothes and when I was like transitioning I between real estate and this, I actually worked at a local like clothing boutique part time, one day a week and they are like connected to a kid's store. The kid's store had jelly cat and like that was my introduction to jelly cat and it was last October or like last September they had the new Halloween ones and I love Halloween, like I love fall, I love Halloween. So I got the little jack-o'-lantern. That was my very first and it just kind of like snowballed from there. Like yeah, so I started getting them as gifts, I started buying them for myself and it's funny because my most viral reel on Instagram is one about my jelly cats. It's I just did it. It has almost 3 million views. It's what got me to 10,000.
Lauren :I'm like this is so crazy. It's this trend and it's like there's in a circle and it's to the animal crossing like voice talking and they it's like there. So it says like the council is deciding your fate, but it's like in the background, like that's what the text says, but in the background it's the Animal Crossing like boy, and then it's like they have decided, and then it's lobotomy. And my friend, it's this trend on TikTok. I know it's so weird, it's like people will decide different fates. But the one my friend sent me was the lobotomy one and I thought it was so funny because these jelly cats are so cute, right, and they're so soft and like to say something so outlandish like lobotomy, like.
Lauren :So my friend Maggie sent me the original video, like that she saw and she was like can you do this with your jelly cats? So I did and I thought like I thought like maybe a thousand people on my TikTok would watch, like, which is typically like my average views, like at least a thousand. So I'm like okay, the thousand people will see it, I'll probably get a few likes, comments, whatever. No, it blew up on TikTok too. It just hit a million on TikTok and so I posted it to Instagram because I was like well, tiktok liked it, instagram will probably like it and yeah, it went like three million. I don't.
Jordan:I don't understand oh my gosh, okay, well, that's really cool. Well, well, okay, then do you do like? Do you have any other hobbies, or is it just collecting jelly cats and reading?
Lauren :And I mean, like I said, shopping, but I do know you're good, yes.
Lauren :Yeah, like, other than that, I am such a homebody I don't really leave. Like I love going to the movies, but my husband's not as big of a fan, so like he'll go for me, but like we don't go super often. And it's like same with concerts. Like I used to love going to concerts but he's not as big of a concert guy, so like we don't do it as much. But I don't know, I love concerts. I love concerts.
Lauren :He just he's like he's such a warrior and like you know there's so many like tragic things that have happened but like he gets anxious in big crowds and he actually said like that he felt so safe at the Sabrina concert, like that's why he had such a great time. It's like he felt so safe there and he was like there were dads there with their kids, like it was so sweet and like, yeah, so it's, it's just like that for him. It's just like not what like he wants to do, like obviously he does it because I want to do it, but, um, that's yeah, like I used to love going to concerts, and COVID too. Like I feel like COVID kind of killed the concert vibe yeah, yeah it's kind of like coming back, but yeah, yeah.
Lauren :So I mean I don't. I like read, I don't really leave the house, I hang out with tater.
Jordan:I get that, I understand that I do that too, just with my cats, wherever they are. I don't see them, uh, okay, so then we finally made it to the last question what is one future goal that you would like to achieve, either long term or short term? And I definitely forgot to. If you couldn't tell, I took this from like an author interview. I forgot to take out the writing, the writing, yeah, I saw that Either like for author assistant thing or like personal personal.
Lauren :So I mentioned I mentioned that I'd love to have a PR company. I think this is something that not a lot of people know about me. Is I actually like would love to publish a book one day and I have, yeah, like I it's so. It's so terrifying to me, like because I've been on this side of things and, like I, a lot of my clients do encourage me, but I feel like I would be, I would have to pick right, like I couldn't be an author assistant and an author and I couldn't be a book talker and an author. Like I'd have to pick, and that feels like splitting my soul in half. So, um, I actually do have quite a few.
Lauren :I have several work in progresses and I have, like I have two that have like 40,000 words.
Lauren :So, like it's not like I just yeah, but like I think the goal one day would be to finish, just finish it. And even if I publish it or not, like I just would love to finish writing a book and say I did it. Like, say I did this, I did this hard thing and I think that's also why I get so protective of my clients, because I know how hard it is to do that it's like put your heart and soul into something. But so that, aside PR company, I'd love to like have a PR company and like maybe do less of like the day to day things and more of like the big picture. Like I love strategizing with my clients if they have like a release coming up, like that's something I love to like sit down and like brainstorm and like talking about PR boxes and like how can we reach the most amount of people and like what would be a really effective way to like market this book. Like I do love more big picture things too.
Jordan:And I feel like it honestly too, like I think it's cool.
Lauren :Like if I don't know if this is like what you do too for like PR boxes, but I feel like it'd be so fun to like pick the things my house for the PR boxes and I'm like that's cute. Like Holly and like other clients like I, like Holly is next releases March, like we're already planning the PR box and like I've already given like some input and like this is what I'd love to see. And like obviously I get PR boxes and so I keep track of what I think is cool or like what I think you know readers like. Like I think everyone kind of loves the annotation kits I feel like those have been really popular over the last year and having coordinating ones that go to like the book cover and stuff. So yeah, I do love like that side of things. Like I just love really like figuring out like a cool way to do a cover reveal or a title reveal. Like Holly and I we did a really cool title reveal for her third book in the Vail Kingdom series. Like we were in Boston together and a couple days before she was like oh so um, I forgot to tell you like I need to reveal this title and I thought like what, if you like wrote it on the mirror with lipstick, like that would be so cool and different. Yes, yeah, and so that's what we did and it was really like it turned out so cool and like I like loved how that turned out. It's like that's kind of the things that I like hope to do one day. I think so. Like I think some of so.
Lauren :Again, if I have clients who listen to this and they had no idea about anything, A couple of my clients do know that that's like my goal, like one day is that I want to do more like the big picture things and it's something that, like, I offer basically for free. Now, Like I like a lot of my clients will pick my brain on like PR stuff or like marketing strategy or whatever, and like they'll ask me like my thoughts on things. And I think it's because I have such a unique position as a book like I am, you know, a book influencer, book creator, whatever you book content creator, whatever you want to call it Like I do get the PR. I just hit myself in the face.
Lauren :I do get the PR, I do get the arcs. I do see that I'm on that side of things and I do also have connections with readers and my friends and like sometimes I'll even you, you know, like what did they call it like focus group? You know like I'll text my friends and I'll be like do you think this would be cool? Or like, do you like this? Or like what would you want to see? And because I'm on that side of it, I think I get like a little insider knowledge.
Jordan:So and that's like valuable to your like authors like all of that because I think think there definitely are author assistants, which there's nothing wrong with this either, but they're not really on this side. They're only author assistanting and they're only like doing that. But I think you add another level to that to your clients, which I feel like is nice, and valuable?
Lauren :Yes, absolutely, and one of my clients, brittany Kelly. She calls me her PR queen. It's like in her acknowledgement. It's like, if you look, it's like Lauren Cox, my PR queen, so, so cute. That's my favorite. That is like a fun fact about me. I read every single acknowledgement ever like, not even the ones that I'm in. Like, I love reading acknowledgements. Single acknowledgement ever like, not even the ones that I'm in like I love reading acknowledgements.
Jordan:I think it's so sweet. Oh my god, I will actually read a book from like start to finish.
Lauren :I flip through every single page because I need to read all of it yeah, no, I love like I read the dedication, I read the acknowledgements, but like it is surreal to think about like so, um, a author friend I don't work with her but she like I was in like her acknowledgments and she's traditionally published, so like my name is like in a book permanently, like it's so wild to me and like Holly um and RL Calder both have dedicated books to me and so like that's crazy, like literally like people will message me and be like, oh my gosh, this is you and I'm like, yep, that's that's me. Like it's such, it's such a wild, like I guess not benefit, what's the word? Like it's like a, like a privilege, I think, to be a part of an author's journey and to like see their appreciation for it, like, like, it always makes my heart so happy. Like Karina, you know, she just released Grave Matter and I obviously read the arc and like the first thing I did when it went live was I went and read the acknowledgements, not even because I knew I would be in there, but like I just love to know like an author's like perspective when they were writing the book. And I don't get the people like I mean, I get it book and I don't get the people. Like I mean I get it, I get people there, they don't read them, but like I feel like it adds such another um, dynamic and layer to these authors. Right, like you're already getting a peek into their brain basically by reading their book, but like I want to know more about them specifically and especially when it's an author I read a lot of.
Lauren :Like I love to read the acknowledgements and like, um, you know Karina, like she had said, like she's like in the acknowledgements for grave matter. She was like I usually say this is the hardest book ever to write, but like this book wasn't. This book was so fun to write. Like I had such a great time reading that and I'm like that makes me so happy. Like I love that she like enjoyed reading, like writing this book for us and like I don't know, I just I know it's so it to me it's so sweet. Like I love reading acknowledgements and like it is crazy to think about like how many books on my shelf that have like my name in there that I like was a part of that that is very cool, like yeah and like now you have that like forever.
Lauren :It's like in forever yeah, and that's like the dedication. Yeah, sandlot reference yes, just dating myself some more. But no, it's like the dedicate, like literally, when I saw Holly dedicated a book to me, I just sobbed and like it was the same with RL Calder and like just sobbed like it was just. That to me is like the highest praise anybody could give me, um, except for naming a character after me. And what am I calling Brittany Kelly?
Lauren :She's releasing a book next year and she did name a character after me, but it was like kind of a joke. And now it's like ended up in this book like it's it's after, like it's after me, and like I can't say much about it, obviously because I've signed an NDA. But I can't say much about it, obviously because I've signed an NDA, but I can't wait for everyone to read that, because I feel like people will put it together that it's like named after me and it's just so hilarious, so cool, that is so cool. Like it's not like the character, though, like I, literally I was like I can't believe you did this and she was like do you want me to change it? I'm like, no, it's fine, like it's just like not a character like I would want to be named after. But it turned into this joke like it's a joke.
Jordan:Like it's like oh okay, that's good.
Lauren :Well, now I I want to read it when it's released oh, I, I'm, I can't wait for, like the arcs to go out for that one and, like everyone's gonna know, it's me and it'll be funny once it, once it comes out, it'll be funny it'll be a great time.
Lauren :It'll be a great time, yeah yeah, she knew it's funny, because I like joked with her. I had said well, like you know, I was telling her that the only higher thing than being then being about being dedicated to you is like being named after a character, right, like I think that's like the highest honor and that's why it became like she picked this character as a joke and like named them after me and like it's yeah. So like now it's kind of stuck and she's like are you sure? Yeah, she's like are you sure you don't want me to change? I'm like no, because it's funny now, like now it's an inside joke with us. So it's like I don't want you to change it now you, you have to keep it.
Jordan:It's not changing.
Lauren :So I just it'll be funny when it like comes out, because I think people will think the character like what the character is about, like that experience happened to me and that's why it's named after me. But it's not. It's just because it was a joke.
Jordan:Okay.
Lauren :So that was all the questions?
Jordan:did you want the floor to say anything? But um, thank you for having me.
Lauren :I'm sorry, I was so rambly, um, I loved it. Thank you for coming on. Yeah, no, I I really genuinely hope this answers like a lot of questions for anybody who's like interested in what I do. You know, my favorite thing is, like my grandpa like trying to explain to my grandpa what I do. Who's like my favorite thing is like my grandpa like trying to explain to my grandpa what I do, who's like 92 years old. He doesn't quite get it, so I'm not gonna send him this because I talked about alien romance, but I hope that it like helped answer some things for people, because I do know it's kind of confusing Like and it's just so intriguing Like how did I end up here?
Jordan:Yeah, no, I was very curious too, and I think what's nice too is it's like, I think, if there's something that you can offer an author, offer an author that then, like, you could do it, like reach out, just be nice, and you can do it.
Lauren :Yeah, no, I. There's no like special degree you have to have or anything like. Again, I have a biology and chemistry degree, so I use them every single day literally every single day, every day, yeah, yeah, no.
Lauren :So it's. I think genuinely anyone could do it and it's all things that are easily self-taught. So it's not like and there is a demand for it because, like we were talking about earlier, I can only handle so many authors and all my PA friends can only handle so many authors and a lot of them only have like one or two. I'm like I am an anomaly that I have so many Like. I think I know Reagan and I think my friend Deborah also have quite a few, but, like, usually a lot of them do it part time, even like they. I meant you can follow her at LBC Reads. That's on Instagram, but is that also your TikTok? It's on TikTok and TikTok and my website it's also lbcreadscom.
Jordan:Okay, so you can never change your handle.
Lauren :No, no, it's like everywhere. And everyone calls my husband, mr LBC Reads, so it's like everywhere. And everyone calls my husband, mr lbc reads.
Jordan:So it's like it's just stuck, I think that's like, so that's so fun, like it's so fun.
Lauren :I it's like um the other. So I have a friend who calls him Doug because from the hangover, like there's like three of us that are friends and he was like I was the only one married, so like he was like Doug like the outsider or whatever. So we call him Doug and I the other day I posted like a q&a on my Instagram and somebody like my friend literally she was like what are your and Doug's outfits for the concert? And I told him like people are gonna think his government name is Doug because I never say his real name on social media and literally I had somebody DM me and they were like I didn't know his name was Doug and I'm like no, it's an inside joke, his name is not Doug.
Lauren :It's weird because, like when we were at the Sabrina concert sorry, I'm like tangenting like I there is 10,000 people in that arena and I looked at my husband and I said this is how many people follow me on Instagram. So it's like a weird thing to think about, like the amount of people that follow me, and I just try to like protect, like I chose this right, like I chose to to have be a public figure, and like talk about my life but like he didn't. So I try to keep like a lot of like his stuff private and the career that he's in like I don't feel like would be as understanding about like romance novels. So I try to like protect him and his privacy by not using his first name. But I thought it was just so fun, like I just knew like people are gonna think his name is Doug and his name is not Doug, but people are gonna think that look, I mean I get it's hard to say now, but like I feel like you saying Doug, he doesn't cause.
Jordan:Like I know I've seen him on your stories and he like doesn't look like a Doug, but I don't know if that's just because you're saying that his name isn't that that I'm thinking.
Lauren :Yeah, yeah.
Jordan:I? I don't think so. No, I think he like, I think he looks like his name.
Lauren :But okay, well, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. Literally like I am so sorry.
Jordan:I feel like I was a terrible interviewing because I rambled so much no, I think that's like perfect and I think, like this will be so helpful to people and like you gave more information than like what was the question. So, like that was like so helpful and I think great, and I think it's going to be awesome. Well, thank you again for having me.
Lauren :Thank you bye bye.
Jordan:thank you so much for listening. I hope you enjoyed this episode. Please feel free to rate and review us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen, and if there's any interviews or conversations you would like me to have with someone specific, please reach out either email or through our Instagram, available in the show notes and happy reading.