Spotlight Interview: Carrie Carr

Today we have the pleasure to learn a bit more about Carrie Carr, author of several amazing books.  My personal favorite of hers is Something To Be Thankful For.
However, she’s best known for her Lex and Amanda series; wonderful books indeed.

So, let’s start with some warm-up questions first:

Coffee or tea?
Coffee in the morning, iced tea the rest of the time.

What puts you in a bad mood?
Rude people.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I’d love to fly, or maybe understand what my dogs try to say.

Where is your favorite place you’ve ever traveled to?
Probably Toronto, Ontario. But maybe that’s because I married my wife there.

Fav chocolate?
Is there any chocolate that isn’t a favorite? I really enjoy any chocolate with peanut butter. Especially Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

What would you do if you won the lottery?
Pay off our bills, my family & close friend’s bills, then donate to animal charities.

And now on to the writing-related stuff:

For how many years have you been writing now, and how did you come to it?
I’ve been writing, one way or another, since I was about ten. But I really started enjoying the process more when I was in high school. I had a really great teacher who encouraged me.

Why do you write? What does it mean to you?
Writing is how I like to express myself, since I tend to be rather introverted. It’s always been a way for me to escape into a world of my own making, where I can control things.

How long does it take you to write a novel?
Anywhere from 6 months to a year, depending on how much research I have to do. Or how well I can stay focused on the task. I tend to find really good reasons to procrastinate.

How much time per week do you spend writing?
Not as much as I’d like – I really would like to get at least 3-4 hours a day, but that rarely happens.

When and where do you write the most?
The best writing time for me tends to be in the middle of the night – crazy, since I’d rather be sleeping. But I usually sit at my desk in our home office and type away.

How would you describe yourself?
Introverted, with a dash of smart ass.

How much of yourself is in your characters?
Lex Walters is a LOT of me. She tends to get into as much trouble as I do.

What do you find the most challenging part of writing?
Not getting sidetracked, either by another story wanting to be told, or new characters jumping up out of nowhere.

What are you reading right now?
Nothing, at the moment. I’m gearing up to write a sequel to Heart’s Resolve, and I don’t read while I’m writing – it’s that distraction thing, again.

What do you think makes a good romance novel?
Believable characters and a happy ending. And good secondary characters.

What advice would you give new authors?
Never give up, and always listen to constructive criticism. But don’t allow the haters to get under your skin.

What are you working on right now?
I’m about to start on the sequel to Heart’s Resolve, if I can quit getting sidetracked.

What future writing projects can we look forward to?
I’m hoping to not only get the sequel finished, but I’d like to write a story based in Texas, back in the 1820’s-30’s. I’ve already started some of the research. I’d also like to get a sequel to Diving Into the Turn, and probably at least one more book for the Lex & Amanda series. Wow – I need to get busy!

Thanks for answering our questions.

Astrid Ohletz
Publisher