Meet G.Lawrence
My hearts, today I’m thrilled to introduce you to G. Lawrence, an indie author of historical fiction and fantasy whose work is rooted in deep love for story, history, and the quiet, life-saving power of books. Gemma writes across eras and genres—from the Tudors to fairy-tale reimaginings—and brings a thoughtful, grounded perspective to her creative life.
This interview is also a bit of a creative full-circle moment: Gemma recently interviewed me, and our conversation was so fun that returning the favor felt not just right—but necessary. In this interview, she shares her path to publishing, the themes that keep calling her back, and what it really looks like to build a writing life that lasts.
JEN: Gemma, hi! For readers meeting you for the first time—who are you as a writer? What’s your story?
GEMMA: I'm an indie author of historical fiction and fantasy, writing because I love to write and hopefully entertaining people along the way! Books are important to me, they've saved me and been a place of sanctuary for me many times. If I can offer that to others, through my works, then I feel my purpose in life has been achieved.
JEN: What genres have your heart as a reader—and which ones do you most love creating in?
GEMMA: To read, I would say anything gothic tends to appeal first. I adore books like the Gormenghast series by Mervyn Peake, and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a more recent favorite, but I also adore historical fiction, fantasy, thriller, horror, contemporary, romance, humor (Terry Pratchett is another favorite author). I read all genres. Really, I think if you're an author you have to. I write mainly historical fiction, and mainly about the Tudor era, but I spill into medieval and the ancients too. I also write fantasy, some retellings of fairy-tales and my own ideas too.
JEN: What does your writing soundtrack look like—are you a music-on or total-silence kind of creator?
GEMMA: I can’t write with music. I'm actually quite jealous of those who can, but I find it distracting. I tried in the past but found that if there are lyrics in the music, I end up writing them into my books! Even just instrumental music distracts me, so no, no music for me. I think I need silence for the voices in my head to be heard!
JEN: What’s on your desk when you’re deep in a writing session? Any must-have snacks or drinks?
GEMMA: I just drink water or Earl Grey tea if I'm working, rather plain!
JEN: We love a purist! I am an Earl Grey lover myself.
Where in the world do you call home—and how does place shape your creative life?
GEMMA: I live now in Pembrokeshire in Wales, United Kingdom, but I've lived in quite a few places in the UK, Croydon, Kingston, Cornwall, Shropshire... I’m settled where I am now, but I admit I do harbor dreams of living in Scotland in the Highlands. I go there most years and it’s such a beautiful place.
JEN: Are you a morning writer or a night owl? When does the magic happen for you?
GEMMA: I am a 9-5 writer and I write best in the mornings. I have more energy then. By the evening I'm tired and my brain needs to shut down. That's reading time!
JEN: When you’re not writing, how do you refill your creative well?
GEMMA: A whole host of things! I volunteer for three charities, do archery, kung fu, sea swimming and running. I have found, as I’ve reached my 40s, that I need to keep moving or all those hours in the writing chair tend to make me stiff and achy.
JEN: Truth!
How would you describe your publishing path—indie, traditional, or somewhere in between?
GEMMA: I'm mostly self-published although I do have some audiobooks published through Tantor Media, so I guess I'm a hybrid.
JEN: Take us back to the beginning—what first made you want to tell stories?
GEMMA: I started writing stories when I was little but really started in a serious way in my late 20s. I started out writing for free and posting online, then just decided to go for it and started publishing. The encouragement of other indie authors (Terry Tyler in particular) was key to me having the confidence to go ahead. Without them, I wouldn't be a full-time author now.
JEN: What themes keep calling you back in your work—and why do they matter to you?
GEMMA: I write entire life stories about women in history I think are remarkable, so I cover a lot of ground, generally, but grief and death certainly tend to be subjects I tackle a great deal. In writing about grief, all its many incarnations and paths, I try to understand losses which have happened in my own life.
JEN: I can relate—my novels all touch on grief. I find it healing but also devastating.
What’s next on the horizon? Any upcoming releases or projects you’re especially excited about?
GEMMA: I have a book about to come out, an imagining of the early life of Cleopatra, which I've been working on for years. I always have more than one project on the go, however, so I'm also writing the second book in my "A Succession of Chaos" series, which started with "All the King's Bastards" and is a speculative historical fiction series dealing with the idea of what would have happened if Henry VIII had died in his jousting accident of 1536. This has been quite a feat of mental gymnastics, but a very satisfying one!
JEN: At the risk of spoilers, the romance writer and reader in me must ask: Do your books end with a “happily ever after”?
GEMMA: My books usually end in death, because I follow characters from the start to the end of their lives. Sometimes this is a state of acceptance and peace, sometimes it is more tragic.
JEN: Fair enough!
Finally—what advice would you give to aspiring writers? And if you could whisper something to your younger self, what would it be?
GEMMA: Read. Read everything you can get your hands on. The more you read, and the wider you reach in terms of genre, the more you will find the words flow when the time comes for you to write. And never expect the first draft to be amazing! It just has to exist. Once the story is there, the words are on the page, you can adapt and work on it.
Huge thanks to Gemma for taking the time to share her story so generously. I loved learning more about her creative process, her love of history, and the ways movement, silence, and reading fuel her work. If you’re curious about historical fiction that centers remarkable women—or speculative takes on history that ask big “what if?” questions—Gemma is absolutely an author to keep on your radar.
You can find Gemma online and at
Bluesky: @glawrence.bsky.social
Insta: tudorgram1500
Twitter: @TudorTweep
Facebook: https://facebook.com/G.LawrenceAuthor
Are you a human author? A human who narrates audiobooks? A human who designs book covers? Or a human who does PR and promotion for other authors? I'd love to interview you, too. Let me know when you’re ready!
