Local author discusses new book Sounds Like Love during “Sip and Sign” in SJC on Thursday

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Laguna resident Laura Ford, whose new YA novel Sounds Like Love has garnered glowing reviews from several well-known publications, will be discussing her book and signing copies this coming Thursday.

“I will be hosting a book reading Tea Party at the Tea House on Los Rios in San Juan Capistrano on September 23rd at 6:30 p.m.,” says Ford. “I hope to bring people together in a beautiful outdoor setting where they can relax and hear some readings from my new book.” 

Sounds Like Love is a YA novel about generational guides and the different forms they can take, positivity in the face of adversity, and positive attitudes towards those who are differently abled. 

Readers are introduced to protagonist Wendy, a bright spark who wants to find love and travel the world, but she questions how her dreams can become a reality as her world changes around her. 

When Wendy arrives at her beloved grandmother’s house to collect a box of keepsakes, she picks up more than she bargained for in a cat with amazing qualities. 

With star-crossed love in the cards and the possibility of a true friendship, the bright new horizons Wendy dreams of are just a whisker away…if only she’ll give the cat a chance. 

Author

 Ford writes novels, short stories, and poems across a wide range of human and animal experiences. Since Ford is an avid cat lover, a number of special felines tend to find their way into her stories as well. 

“Together with writing, I love to travel and seek out new experiences and adventures to enrich my life and inspire my stories,” says Ford. 

Click on photo for a larger image

Submitted photo

The cats in Ford’s life inspired her characters

Her journey started with a scholarship to attend law school at 18. 

“I had never studied law before, but I thought that I could achieve anything if I put my mind to it. I was interested in society, people’s stories, justice – and from my point of view as a student – how the law may be able to help protect vulnerable people and the environment. 

“I specialized in environmental law and found that was easy for me to study and put hours into as I love the natural world. I would write long essays and spend hours studying.” 

After graduating at 21, Ford worked in Los Angeles for a while. 

“I then returned to London and studied at the London Film Academy and wrote a short film in a week called ‘Sounds Like Love,’” she says. “My screenplay reached the top ten percent of the Blue Cat International Screenplay Competition, and the story would not leave my mind.” 

Ford later immigrated to the U.S., where she performed stand-up comedy at the Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles and appeared in comedy sketches for the Jimmy Kimmel show. 

She admits, “I enjoyed writing my comedy routines so much that I decided to write Sounds Like Love as a novel.” 

Since then, she has had short stories published in publications in the U.S., UK, and Canada and recently had a piece translated into Japanese. 

“Writing is fulfilling for me on a soul level,” Ford says. 

Inspiration for novel

Not surprisingly, Ford notes that cats in her past played an important role in her book.

“My novel Sounds Like Love was written from the heart and inspired by the different cats I shared my life with,” she says. “One cat in particular – a kitten that I rescued from the street while on holiday in Greece – was an inspiration for one of the characters in my book.   

Click on photo for a larger image

Submitted photo

Hope has been Ford’s guiding emotion

“When I wrote Sounds Like Love, it was important for me to create a relatable protagonist. I wanted my protagonist to be a seemingly ordinary girl who is extraordinary on the inside. You don›t need to know Kung Fu or be a rocket scientist to be extraordinary! 

“People have immeasurable strength and resilience inside of them, which I wanted to focus upon in my story. The extraordinary hope, strength, and resilience that lies within people – but cannot be seen by passersby.”

Sounds Like Love has a message for all ages. 

Ford explains the reason and sentiment behind this endeavor – as well as the others in her life. “I think that hope is a guiding emotion for me and the grit to keep going. I have found that if you need to diversify or change your path because something isn’t working – don’t give up on yourself or happiness. A change made from the heart can often lead you to where you are meant to be. Be brave and have faith in yourself. That’s what my protagonist Wendy is all about – having strength in the face of adversity.” 

Reviews

San Francisco Book Review says, ‘A wonderful story . . .  Author Laura Ford does a fantastic job of creating a story that flows well and keeps the reader captivated from beginning to end.’ 

“A tender, engaging narrative intended to inspire positivity in the face of adversity,” says Kirkus reviews.

Midwest Book Review - “Sounds Like Love offers readers an engaging story of a cat that holds unexpectedly special abilities, a grandchild learning to care for a pet while missing a significant person in her life, and an emotional roller coaster of love, empathy, and revised connections that stem from their relationship.” 

It was awarded the ‘Indy Books We Love’ badge by youth readers from Lovereading.co.uk, the UK’s leading book recommendation website.

Sounds Like Love is available in paperback and hardcover at www.barnesandnoble.com, Amazon, and in ebook on Kindle, Google Books, and iTunes Book Store.

The Tea House is located at 31731 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano

For the Sip and Sign, space is limited, please RSVP by email to; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..