Lauren Gilley Weaves Compelling Stories With Characters You Can’t Help But Love

Photo: Lauren Gilley, author of over 40 novels, expertly balances writing with life on her Southern farm alongside horses, dogs, and chickens.

Exploring Family, Redemption, and Romance Across Genres

Lauren Gilley discusses creating captivating characters, blending genres, maintaining continuity across series, and offers insights into her upcoming books and future writing aspirations, including dreams of crafting a ghost story.

Lauren Gilley has masterfully carved out her place in the literary world with an impressive portfolio of more than 40 novels—and counting—that span genres like romance, crime, and fantasy. Her work resonates deeply with readers who find themselves swept away by the sorts of characters they shouldn’t like but can’t help but love. With her roots firmly planted in the American South, where she balances writing with caretaking duties for horses, dogs, and chickens, Lauren crafts stories that explore the messy beauty of human relationships, family dynamics, and redemption arcs that stick with readers long after the final page.

Her stories, including pivotal series like Dartmoor, The Walker Family, and Sons of Rome, epitomize multifaceted storytelling that blends the intensity of familial drama with gripping action and deeply satisfying romances. Her richly layered characters and nuanced narratives offer both escapism and emotional catharsis, wrapped up in strikingly vivid prose. It’s no surprise that she counts literary giants like Washington Irving, Anne Rice, and Stephen King among her influences—each of whom left an indelible mark on her creative journey.

Lauren’s ability to balance sprawling worlds and intricate character arcs has made her a beloved name in contemporary and genre fiction. Whether she’s writing motorcycle club family sagas, paranormal vampire adventures, or touching age-gap romances, Lauren never fails to deliver authenticity and emotional depth. In this interview, she offers readers a glimpse into her creative process, her inspirations, and exciting teasers about what’s next for some of her most beloved series.

At Mosaic Digest, we pride ourselves on shining a light on authors who challenge conventions and spark meaningful conversations with their work. Lauren Gilley perfectly embodies this spirit, and we’re honored to share her thoughts and insights with our readers. So, dive in and enjoy this fascinating discussion with one of the most prolific and imaginative authors of our time!

Your books often feature complex characters that readers can’t help but love, even when they shouldn’t. How do you approach character development, and what inspires your characters’ backstories?

Character development is the most important aspect of any story for me. Their individual personalities are what sell any story, no matter how wild or fantastical. I always ask myself two things about my characters: 1) What do they want? 2) What are they afraid of? If I know those two things, motivation and hesitation, then I can make that character compelling, regardless of their sins.

“Character development is the most important aspect of any story for me.” –Lauren Gilley

You write across various genres, including romance, crime, and fantasy. How do you balance these elements in your stories, and do you have a preferred genre to write in?

I like writing complex interpersonal dramas featuring families, and I think that’s a niche that speaks across all genres. Contemporary fiction comes easiest to me, but I love writing my paranormal vampire saga; that’s a favorite genre for me as a reader. My main goal is to write about complicated families that also feature compelling romances.

With multiple series such as the Walker Family, Dartmoor, and Sons of Rome, how do you maintain consistency and continuity across your different storylines and characters?

My stories have always felt like movies that I’ve watched, and then I’m simply writing down the details of them. That’s to say: the characters, and their world, become very distinct, and I always know how a certain character would react to a certain situation. That said: I usually juggle multiple projects across various series up until I pass the fifty-thousand-word mark on a project; then I single in on one, write it to completion, and take a day or two afterward to listen to music, read, garden, and relax before diving back into a different series.

Who are some of your literary influences, and how have they shaped your writing style or the themes you explore in your novels?

My all-time favorite story is “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving. It has been since I was a young girl, and it’s part of a pattern. My other favorite authors are Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Tana French. I tend to most love, and draw upon, horror and mystery with strong literary, lyrical prose. I want to live in a fictional world, and am never bored by the little details and idiosyncrasies. The richer the better. I especially love stories that focus on characters battling darker impulses and finding peace, love, inspiration, or personal answers within their circumstances.

You mentioned you’re currently working on new installments for the Dartmoor, Drake Chronicles, and Sons of Rome series. Can you share any teasers or insights about what readers can expect in these upcoming books?

The Drake Chronicles and Sons of Rome are both series with ongoing, overarching dramatic plots, so readers should expect things to become more stressful and dangerous before they get better! But I ALWAYS write happy endings, so never fear. With regard to Sons of Rome, specifically, we have several more important historical figures to meet, including Richard I of England, and an ally of Julius Caesar from Rome. I consider the main Dartmoor series to be completed as of the publication of Lord Have Mercy, but am working on a tie-in novel about Walsh’s sister Cassandra called Beware of Dog, a fun and sweet age-gap romance.

Can you walk us through your typical writing process? Do you have specific rituals or routines that help you get into the writing zone?

The daily process is powered by three things: coffee; long walks while listening to inspiring music; and spending time outside in general, especially mucking stalls. I currently have three horses, and have been an equestrian since I was nine. Most of my characters have been inspired by my animals, so a good morning at the barn, shoveling, gets me in the writing mood. I try to maintain a daily routine, with morning, afternoon, and nighttime writing shifts, usually with a sitcom playing in the background.

How do you engage with your readers, and what is the importance of this connection for you as an author?

I’m admittedly a shy and anxious person, so fan interaction can be intimidating, especially when I first started. That said, my favorite ways to keep in touch with readers is via my blog, Instagram, and Facebook page. Currently, I’m conducting a once-a-week read-along of my book Fearless, in which I share my personal thoughts and creative ideals about each chapter of the book, and discuss with readers via a Facebook group. I like long-form communications like chat rooms and blog posts with comments enabled. I have so many thoughts about my characters that whittling things down to sound bites and memes is tricky!

After publishing over 35 novels, what are your future aspirations as a writer? Are there any new themes or genres you’re interested in exploring?

I would really love to write a ghost story of my own. Washington Irving and Stephen King’s early work shaped me as a writer, and I would love to write a truly scary ghost story, and a proper horror novel. I’ve loved exploring vampires, but I’m still itching to write a haunted house. I tend to swerve into the romantic lane, so if I did write that sort of novel, readers should be prepared for a love story, too!