Any adult who can relate to experiencing trauma and the dynamics of power between lovers will relate to my stories.
Lailo Lema – 5 February 2026
The Back Flap
“Saniyah didn’t want to attend Lucas’ party, and she sure as hell didn’t want to get chosen for a kiss. But Lucas doesn’t want to stop there, he wants to give her some ”juice” and bring her upstairs. His friends won’t let her leave, and he assures her that the screams she hears upstairs from the other girls, is nothing more than sexy fun. She’s forced to drink the “juice” and she’s dragged upstairs with him, afraid of what she’ll find out is wrong about his party.
A sensual horror story that will make you feel the peer pressure you did when you were young, and the sick aftermath.”
About the book
What is the book about?
Juice is about a girl named Saniyah who is pressured into kissing Lucas at a party. But he doesn’t want to stop there, he wants to bring her upstairs and give her some “juice.” It is a horror story intended to make you feel the peer pressure you did when you were young and the sick aftermath.
When did you start writing the book?
I started writing Juice sometime around March 2025 but it was a completely different story then. It was titled, Blood Party, a paranormal romance that has since morphed into a horror story.
How long did it take you to write it?
I had abandoned the story for a while, but once I regained a spark and revisited it, Juice, was completed over the course of three months.
Where did you get the idea from?
Strangely enough, this story was the result of a writing exercise in which I was brainstorming ways to create tension in a story. It was only meant to be a sample of my work. I had an itch to explore with parasitic creatures when I noticed a trend in the popularity on booktok.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Retelling the story was a challenge as it was originally written as a paranormal romance. I had to get creative to make the story darker and horrifying.
What came easily?
One of my best skills is creating evocative writing. From the very first sentence of the story, it is layered with a rich tone and mood.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
This story was entirely fictitious, which is pretty uncommon for what I mostly write, but it was nice to build my own characters.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I’ve been influenced by authors like Jenika Snow who writes creatively sultry works, as well as Al Sarrantonio. His story, Children of Cain, was a masterclass for me on building psychological tension.
Do you have a target reader?
Any adult who can relate to experiencing trauma and the dynamics of power between lovers will relate to my stories.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
When I write I isolate every fundamental and work on each individually, starting with establishing a goal, then writing the conflict and tension. Then I go in with worldbuilding and so on…
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I am more of a pantser so I don’t outline my stories at all. I try to focus on a singular goal that I want the character to achieve in the scene and allow my imagination to get them there. After which I do heavy editing.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I wait until I have finished the story to edit it otherwise the story would never get done.
Did you hire a professional editor?
I am the editor of Juice.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Yes, I love to listen to dark and moody ambience to set the vibe. Especially, celtic humming.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I self published Juice after submitting it to a few magazines and receiving great feedback.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I decided to self publish Juice because I knew that I could create a good launch for the story.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I created my own book cover and am very proud of it. This cover happens to be one of my favorites that I’ve done.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Every book I write, I set aside time to ensure that I find press, reviews, features, and so on for it. This particular story is a small short story release relative to my other works.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
My advice would be to come up with a system that keeps your writing as productive as possible but that works for you as well. When I first started, I tried to force myself to be a heavier plotter and to write long works. Turns out pantsing, and writing vignettes highlights my skills much better.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Nashville TN.
What would you like readers to know about you?
Despite writing very dark stories, I am actually a quite bubbly person. I am young at heart and have many hobbies some may say are childish. But in a whimsical, good way.
What are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on my debut novel, Sick Punt. It is a gothic fairytale meets erotic horror. I am super excited for its launch!
End of Interview:
For more from Lailo Lema visit her website, and follow her on TikTok and Instagram.
Visit this page on her website to see the places where you can obtain a copy of Juice.
