We recently had the chance to connect with Laurisa Brandt and have shared our conversation below.
Laurisa, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: When was the last time you felt true joy?
The last time I felt true joy was the week I took off from social media. It didn’t require deleting apps. I just subconsciously “forgot” to tap in. I allowed boredom and self-reflection. I suddenly had time to do fun things I hadn’t been able to do in a long time. I took meandering nature walks. No pressure to create or perform or show up and grind the algorithm in hopes of selling a book. No guilt about not being productive, though I did enjoy puttering around my house and garden. I mostly allowed myself to just be. And for an entire week, I had peace and joy and more motivation to write than ever before.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a science fiction fantasy author who enjoys sprinkling in a little romance. My work is borderline raw/gritty and balanced with wholesome moments and spiritual themes. Creative writing allows me to explore and understand the world, express and discover deeper parts of myself, and connect with other like-minded readers. I love writing and publishing novels because it is fulfilling. I know that my stories can positively impact another person’s life and shape the next generation.
As a self-published author, quality of story and reader experience is my highest priority. I enjoy being self-published because I am able to have creative control and ensure the my books offer a magical reading experience that will reconnect adult readers with the love of reading they had in childhood.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Limiting beliefs and critical voices mostly came from within the home. Elementary school tried to tell me that I could be whatever I wanted to be, but life experience has proven that to come with a lot of asterisks. I’ve learned not to let outside voices define me, including those from home.
Before the outside voices started shouting my limitations or encouragement to be whatever I wanted, I was a free spirit with big creative dreams and a drive for self-expression. I wanted to be a writer and an artist. I was sensitive, emotional, anxious, eager to please, and soft-spoken. In my formative years from Kindergarten through Fifth grade, I was also judgmental, silently critical of others, and selfish. In my years, I’ve learned how much more important it is to be kind than to be nice. I’ve learned gratitude and acceptance of myself and others. I went from coloring within the lines to being open-minded and embracing new experiences. I’m still eager to please but I recognize that it is not my job to manage others’ emotions.
Today, I am a writer and an artist, just as my five year old self wanted. But I’ve learned that this career and my productivity do not define me either. Everyday I work toward being a more humble, kind, generous, and grateful person. If I ever tell a child that they can be anything they dream of being, I will not list the status trades for them, such as: Doctor, Lawyer, Judge, Politician, Fireman, Astronaut, etc. I will list qualities, because the world needs more good people.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Rejection and Abandonment. I’ve healed them through journaling childhood memories to reprocess them, recognizing my triggers in the moment and mindfully making corrections to learn new ways to cope. Writing novels has allowed me to process many things through my characters, but it’s also been a source of contention in my social circle as some people have been disappointed or angered about graphic content that is in my work, or is wrongfully assumed to be in my work. Negative reactions from different family members caused me to feel hurt and rejected and I realized it was a childhood wound affecting my adult relationships. As a child, if I had big emotions, I was either spanked or sent to my room. If I displeased someone, the same happened. Big positive emotions, such as excitement and joy about going somewhere or seeing a friend were also silenced. Everything had to be bottled up to prevent me from being sent away, including sharing my truest thoughts and opinions and feelings.
About a year ago, I was battling a rejection complex, feeling like everyone secretly disdained me. In the quiet of my vehicle, I called it out as false, and then asked myself what would happen if it were true. I laughed. And the laughter gave me power. I realized that it did not really matter if everyone rejected me over my writing because I had the power to find likeminded people, build new friendships, and most of all, I would never betray myself. Once I realized that I was my own best friend, the complex withered and many of my relationships in my social circle grew stronger.
It is ironic that writing has been the source of my healing as much as it was the cause for old wounds to become a major issue that forced me to approach healing. One could say, my “Birthright of Scars” duology was the inciting incident in my journey to finding and healing myself. And for that, it will always hold a special place in my heart.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
This one mostly comes from the traditional publishing houses. They tell authors that they are looking for fresh and new types of stories, when in reality, their need for sustainable income dictates that they follow the trends, taking only stories they can guarantee will sell. The market, or consumers consistently buy books that are very much like other books or media they loved. And novel trends follow the big film marketing. HBO launches a hit TV show on Vikings, and suddenly Viking romance and Viking-inspired adventure fantasy books are flying off the shelves. If you’re writing in any other genre, you may do reasonably well as there will always be a reader base into what you’re offering. But the financial success and “big break” will only be found in being able to predict and shoot for the peak of whatever the masses are loving.
If you’re looking for fresh and new stories, you’ll find those on self-published markets where writers are flexing creative muscles, despite also needing sustainable income.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
Endless potential to recreate myself in a new and exciting way! A game I love playing to rejuvenate my creativity is Minecraft. And while I like to keep a forever world, the most exciting part of this sandbox game is the fresh start. Ego is largely lost as I traverse the landscape and decide what to build or do next. And I suppose, even in the forever world, the desire to drop all of my treasures and start again from scratch is part of that confidence that no matter what happens, I have the ability to start over and succeed. And another chance at life, at experiencing a new role would be so exciting.
Sometimes, while travelling or seeing images of remote villages, I fantasize this fresh start in real life. The simple one room apartment in an Italian seaside loft. The Chilean mountain hut or life among the Amazon river basin peoples. I ask myself, who would I be then? How would I contribute to my new community? What if I arrived someplace new with nothing but the clothes on my back? I’d still be the same willing, creative, and driven person I am today, but with a different path before me to explore and build upon.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.laurisabrandt.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetourmalinerenegade
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61564183016297
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurisaBrandt
- Other: https://bookshop.org/shop/laurisabrandt
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
