An Interview with L. Thorsrud

At age eleven, I began exploring different brainwave states—what felt like a normal activity for a kid who had their first existential crisis at six. In my twenties, I teamed up with a doctor and quantitative electroencephalography (imagine nineteen electrodes glued to your head) to document my brain experiments. Unbiased computer systems interpreting the results fueled my curiosity, leading to further collaborations with scientists across the five countries I’ve lived in.

I currently live in Ohio with my husband, son, and two cats. A wonderful day includes nurturing my writing and sipping a cup of Earl Grey tea…and a piece or two of dark chocolate (it’s good for the brain).

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

I started writing when I was in grade school. It was a way for me to express myself without speaking. Mostly, I wrote papers on topics I’d been researching on my own. However, once a year I would enter a writing fair with my existential prose. My heart melted whenever I saw a blue ribbon displayed with my prose because it meant someone had truly seen me.

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

I’ve spent most of my life in the corporate world across different industries from consultancy work to developing leaders in a global engineering company.

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

The book title, Quantum Seed, took me a few hours to invent. “Quantum” had to be in the title because so much happens on a quantum level in the novel. “Seed” is the name of the team tasked with saving Earth. It is an acronym for Society for Earth’s Evolutionary Development.

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

Scary! Seeing the book cover meant I was one step closer to sharing a big part of myself.

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

I have a Spotify playlist of nine songs for the novel. Some of the songs are: “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls, “Why Does It Always Rain On Me?” by Travis, “Divenire” by Ludovico Einaudi, and “How to Save a Life” by The Fray.

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

I hope readers are entertained by the story and enjoy reading new ideas about the brain’s capacities. An important theme that I hope readers connect with is how the team’s diversity is what gives them a fighting chance to save the world.

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

The most rewarding part of publishing my novel has been connecting with readers. There’s nothing more meaningful than discovering people who share my excitement for what I’ve written or for neuroscience in general.

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

I am currently writing the sequel—Quantum Seed, Book Two. Once the sequel is complete, I will write a non-fiction series of short books on how understanding our brains can help us in our everyday lives. It’s in the development stages, but there will be books for teenagers, commuters, corporate managers, seniors, etc… Of course, there will also be a book for writers.

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