Behind the Book with Laura Baggaley
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It’s a pleasure today to take you behind the scenes with my client, Laura Baggaley, author of Dirt which releases tomorrow, May 22!
Laura was one of my very first website clients and it’s been a delight to watch her work her way toward publication. In fact, she has both Dirt (a novella) and a novel, Enough, coming this year.
As you’ll read below, Laura has paced herself in building an online presence, starting far ahead of her book releases. She posts thoughtfully and consistently about issues that are both important to her, and are strong themes in her books: climate justice, renewable energy, and sustainable economies.
Since we worked together, Laura has done a first rate job of managing and updating her author website herself. I’ll talk more about that, after we hear from Laura.
Laura Baggaley
About the book
Dirt. Farm Girl. Town boy.
In the parched settlement of Newbeck, where every meal is a struggle and hope is rationed, life is dictated by the mysterious Green Cultivation Corporation and its grip on the land. When a girl with a sunhat as wide as a dream arrives out of the desert, her curiosity and secrets unsettle everything local boy Sam thought he knew. As Sam is drawn to her questions—and to her—he begins to wonder what else might grow in a world so barren.
Dirt is a gripping YA eco-dystopian romance about survival, trust, and the seeds of hope that can take root even in the harshest soil.
Release date is May 22, 2025.
Let’s dive in to my conversation with Laura:
This is a big time for you! Tell us about the release of Dirt?
I'm so excited to celebrate the publication of my novella, Dirt, on 22nd May! The book is a dystopian eco-romance for young adults, exploring first love and agriculture. It's been wonderful working with Habitat Press, a tiny publishing imprint who are passionate about the environment and producing fiction that explores positive climate solutions.
You have a second book coming this year, too. What inspired you to write Dirt and Enough?
Dirt was inspired by a newspaper article about soil! I was astounded to learn that soil is alive with billions of microorganisms that work symbiotically with plants. A story popped into my head about a community that was trying to feed themselves through farming but were being misled into damaging practices (growing monocrops, using pesticides etc.). I imagined an eccentric teenage girl riding into town - a bit like a Western, but on a bicycle! - and gradually introducing new ways of doing things.
Enough is set in a world where medicine has become too effective and people are trapped in endless old age; a medical breakthrough introduces a 'Switch', where if someone feels they've had enough of living they immediately die. The plot is driven by my anger about social inequality, and is an exploration of political corruption and the way those in power so often exploit the vulnerable. And of course, being my kind of YA story, it's also about two teenagers who fall for each other while changing the world for the better!
Which types of book marketing are working best for you? What are you enjoying?
I still feel like I'm at the start of the process! I love doing interviews like this, and I'm planning to do more (e.g. podcasts). When the book comes out, I'll be visiting schools and libraries, and I'm really looking forward to talking with young people about the novella.
Can you offer any advice to other authors about building an online presence?
I was very nervous about building an online presence, because I'm not a big fan of social media. However, once I had a great website (thank you, Pauline!) I started to feel more confident and actually wanted to show it off! I did a couple of useful online workshops which helped me identify my author brand, and decide what I will and won't share online (e.g. I post about books I've enjoyed, the environment and my cat; I don't post about my family!). I now post on Instagram and Facebook fairly regularly and am even starting to enjoy it! So I'm gradually building a presence - it's definitely an ongoing process.
What has surprised you in your journey to publish your books and reach readers?
The more you put yourself out there, the more connections you make and the more fun it becomes! I attended a networking event for writers interested in the environment, which led to the formation of a new writers' group, new friends and a Substack collaboration!
Bending the Arc on Substack
What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects, events, or goals?
As I mentioned, I'm working on an exciting Substack project! I'm part of the editorial team of an online magazine called Bending The Arc: A Thrutopia Magazine - publishing stories, poems and articles that bend the arc of the possible towards a thriving future on Earth. Each edition of this magazine explores ways through to positive futures, with a cycle of pieces in different genres and styles by writers from assorted backgrounds and writing traditions. The first edition came out in April, and all the pieces are available to read at the website.
There'll be another edition in October, so I hope people will subscribe if they like the look of it!
And of course, as always, I'm plugging away at my next novel...
How can readers find out more about you and connect?
My website is www.laurabaggaley.co.uk
I love making new connections! People can contact me through the website, or connect on Instagram.
Author website spotlight
I had the pleasure of working with Laura on her author website several years ago. It’s built using the Carrd platform, which is an excellent entry-level choice for writers who are getting started online, and/or only need simple features.
Laura has done an excellent job of updating and enhancing her website since then, and using it to build her email list. Take a look, and you’ll see how a debut author’s website doesn’t need to be complicated, to get the job done.
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