Blog Tour, Author Interview, & Giveaway: Mayhem by Estelle Laure

Crushed on by Christy Jane, on July 9, 2020, in Author Interview, Blog Tour, Giveaways, New Releases / 0 Comments

Blog Tour, Author Interview, & Giveaway: Mayhem by Estelle Laure

I absolutely adored Estelle’s This Raging Light series for its depth and completely engaging story and can’t wait for Mayhem! We checked in with Estelle on setting, who this story is for, and how it was to write this vs her other stories. Check out our interview below and grab Mayhem, out July 14th!

Mayhem

by Estelle Laure
on July 14, 2020
Audiobook through LibroFM, Audible
Goodreads

Mayhem Brayburn and her mother are on the run, not away from home, but back to it: Santa Maria, California, a beach town that looks like paradise, like carnival rides and street food and bikinis under the hot sun.
It’s where Mayhem has always wanted to be. It’s where generations of Brayburns have lived and thrived, and she has never understood what made her mother leave Santa Maria in favor of the arms of her abusive stepfather.
But when she befriends her aunt’s foster kids and they take her to their hideout, decades of secrets unravel, and Mayhem is thrust into a world of chaotic magic, a serial killer’s mind, and finally, even the answers to her own past.
Set in 1987, MAYHEM is a mashup of The Lost Boys and The Craft with a bit of the Manson family thrown in for good measure. It’s original, compelling, and a little bit rock-’n’-roll, and reading it will leave you feeling deliciously wicked.

Interview with Estelle Laure

With the setting in the 80s, what research was important to get the tone right?

Well, let me start by saying I was alive in the 80s and in fact remember what it was like and the feeling of it, which was part of why I wanted to write about it (it was fun and a little bit dangerous, so…). But I did go back and do a lot of listening to 80s songs and especially the ones that made #1 in 1987. I also went back and talked through some things with my brother. “I remember it like this, do you remember that?” And I did a lot of research about all the things that were popular at the time, like Rubik’s Cubes and Bain de Soleil tanning oil. I also did even more research about the other time periods and about what was going on in California historically during all those times. I love researching and actually have to be careful because I have a hard time pulling myself out once I start to delve.

Who do you hope will find this story?

First of all, I hope anyone who likes mischief and books with groups of teenagers who are all trying to find themselves and who don’t fit into the idea society has in mind for them will see themselves in it. Also, anyone who likes paranormal elements will hopefully enjoy it. Last but not least, I hope this book appeals to people who love naughty fun, because I think in spite of its heavier elements that it is fun, or at the very least extremely satisfying.

What was different about writing Mayhem versus writing your previous stories?

This story very much has its roots in my imperfect childhood and the fear I felt never knowing what was coming next. It wasn’t pleasant getting into those feelings, and although all characters are fictional I did have to really tap into that. As a result, I also got to experience a tremendous catharsis because I also got to fight back in the book in a way that was very different from the way I fought back IRL (no magical powers as of yet). This is the first book I’ve written where I got ready to write by punching the air or listening to a super aggressive playlist. This book was a fight for me and I loved every second of it. Nothing wrong with revisiting pain when you know you’re going to win.