Saturday 16 February 2013

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - NELL CARSON

 
      What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now? 
My name is Nell Carson. I was born in Philadelphia but now live in Denver with my husband, Ben, and our beautiful baby boy, Cole.
Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
In high school I wanted to be a newspaper reporter but I quickly realized I didn’t like being confined by all those pesky facts! I wanted to be more creative in my writing.  
 
Did it take a long time to get your first book published?  
Only 20 years! Clearly I was doing something wrong. What finally worked: I pitched the idea for my novel, Tell-All, to an editor at a conference and six months later got The Call from her saying she’d like to publish it.
Do you work another job as well as your writing work?
I work in the accounting department of a commercial real estate office in Denver, Colorado. It works for me because I can write in the morning using the right side of my brain then switch to the other side when I get to work.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
My latest book is called ‘Undercover Heir’ and it’s about a CEO’s playboy son who goes to work in his dad’s company incognito for the TV show, ‘Average Joe’.
 Who is your publisher?  Avalon Books published my first two books, Tell-All and The Gingerbread House. Since then, Avalon was sold to Amazon Publishing. I was sad to see them go!
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
It varies a lot. My first book, Ravenna, took several years to write while The Gingerbread House took only six months. I think the difference was the amount of research. Ravenna was a historical romance which took place in medieval Tuscany. Not knowing much about either medieval times or Tuscany I had to study up quite a bit on both to make it believable.
Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
I outline meticulously! Before I even start the first chapter I know exactly how the last chapter is going to end. The thing I try to avoid most is working on a scene that eventually needs to be cut. It almost physically hurts after lovingly choosing each word!
What do you do to unwind and relax?Do you have a hobby? My husband and I are the happy parents of a ten-month old baby boy named Cole so I guess you could say he’s our main ‘hobby’ these days! After working all day at my day job it’s nice to come home to Cole’s adorable smiling face. I love playing with him for a little while before starting his bedtime routine.
Is there a certain Author that influenced you in writing?
Jane Austen is probably my biggest influence. My goal in writing is to try to match the timelessness of her stories.

        

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