An Interview with E.A. Loghry

E.A. Loghry grew up as an avid reader, and the stories she read illustrated many important truths about life and her place in the world. Her passion is to share those truths in her own stories, and her hope is that her writing will change lives just as the stories she read changed hers. When she isn’t working as an aircraft mechanic in Dallas, Texas, she enjoys painting, writing, and reading.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title of my novel, Son Ward, came about pretty naturally, since it is the name of my main character’s legal title. It started as just the manuscript name, and when I started thinking about what to call the novel, it seemed like the most obvious choice.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

I was pretty excited. The book cover turned out so much better than I expected, and I still can’t get over seeing it on my shelf and laying around my relatives’ houses. It still gets me every time.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I always loved J.R.R Tolkien’s writing, and C.S Lewis. They really were a large part of my growing up, and I wanted to be able to inspire people and encourage them through story. When I read Harry Potter as an older teenager, I got even more excited about the amazing privilege of inspiring young people through the medium of story. I think that’s when I first started writing, and then it just grew from there. It also gave me a good creative outlet that I feel is significant and can make a difference.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I have worked in landscaping, a print shop, and currently as an aircraft mechanic. My passion is using aviation as a tool to help people, and I recently started flight lessons.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

Probably hearing how people were encouraged by what they read. When I wrote the book, the idea of just one person being encouraged to go on was what kept me excited about the project even when it was a lot of hard work, so watching that result in my readers has been mind-blowing.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

One of my favorite songs while I was writing the book was “Not Home Yet” by The Gray Havens. That was always sort of the theme song for that particular novel.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I think the main thing I want readers to see is that no matter how unqualified or imperfect, they too are chosen by God. My journey of learning who I am as a child of God has been long and difficult, and my hope is that someone else will be helped along the way by this story.

I think my perfect reader would be an imperfect church kid. The ones who grew up in church and know all the lingo—until all their imperfections and problems catch up with them and they feel lost. That is my ideal reader, because that was me.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I always have projects going! I’m currently writing another novel that is similar to Son Ward, but occurs in a different setting and an entirely different social structure. I’m excited about it!

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

Working with Atmosphere Press was one of the most educational things that I’ve done outside of school. I learned so much from each of the editors and designers that I worked with, and their help with every single step was invaluable. It was a huge experience of growth as an author, and I am so glad that we were able to work together.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.