Author Interview: Jennifer Laurens *Overprotected*

I’ve had two agents shop my books, and, after 5 years of not getting anywhere decided to carve my own path. Easy for me because I’m an only child and grew up having to do everything myself anyway. I started out writing women’s romance. Then moved into young adult.

Overprotected was actually the first book I ever wrote — and it was written from a different POV initially. It’s VERY loosely based on my cousin who grew up ( also an only child ) on Park Avenue in NYC with two very strict parents. When I visited her, I thought she led a charmed life, much different than mine in Southern California – Palos Verdes ( read A Season of Eden ) with her private school, uniforms and life restricted of boys. ( The restrictions from boys wasn’t what I found charming, it was her penthouse apartment and living in NYC – still one of my all-time places to be )
Other factors worked into the story. I was intrigued by the idea of a Father, daughter,lover love triangle. I thought it was fresh and different but not in a perverse way, just in a controlling, manipulative, obsessive situation where love goes too far.

  In the beginning, what or who spoke to your first? The story or the characters?

I’ve known these characters for over 10 years, so, definitely the characters. The original story was told from both Ashlyn and Colin’s POV and I loved seeing into Colin’s head. And many more things happened, I had to cut the story down.
 

No, Being an only child I easily related to Ashlyn as my mom wass very overprotective. On one of my trips to NYC I did the walks Colin and Ashlyn do in the book,and have been to all of the places they go to.

Was there any scene or part in Overprotected that was difficult to write?

And if so how did you get through writing it? No, I loved writing the book. It was a great write, not like some books that hurt ( like Heavenly – based on my own family experiences with autism, drug abuse and alcohol abuse ) Overprotected was fun because I adored the characters so much.

Who was the easiest & hardest character for you to create?

They were all easy to write. I wrote the book 3 different ways before settling on this YA version so there wasn’t anything really challenging to tackle in the character dept. and I already knew where they were all going to end up!

Since finishing Overprotected what are you working on next? 

Another YA that I hope to have out at the beginning of next year. It’s another story I wrote years ago that I’m re-writing: with plenty of emotional intensity and tension.