AN INTERVIEW WITH CALLIE CARMEN THE AUTHOR OF OUR LATEST BOOK PATRICK.

I’d like to mention that the paperback is due out by June 1st. I am so excited that I got to chat with the author Callie Carmen. Her Patrick went live last weekend! The e-book is available to pre-order now at the sale price of $2.99 until the release date May 25th. The story is a romantic thriller, and I think you are going to love it as much as I do. Here is a taste of the story Chapter One.

My chat with Author Callie Carmen

Do you consider being a writer a gift or a curse?

No, not a curse; I love writing. Especially, when I’m writing about things that have happened to me in my past. If there is any curse involved, I have put on a bit of weight from the long hours of sitting at the computer writing or working on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t you hate it when that happens!

What is something you are good at that only a few people to know about?

I’d have to say I’m good at cooking Italian food. It’s all about the homemade sauce. I cook mine for at least five hours. My mother taught me, and my father’s mom taught my mom. My grandmother was married to my Italian grandfather right from Italy, so it had to be a good sauce, or else. Three of my favorite dishes are my lasagna with meatballs, eggplant parmesan, and chicken parmesan. I make a huge pot of sauce and use it for three different meals.

What is the best compliment you have received about your writing?

Not that romance novels are all about the lovemaking scenes, but it was what I was most worried about. I strong-armed my husband, with guilt trips, into reading the first book in my Risking Love series. He plays a lead role in that story. After reading my lovemaking scenes, he said, “I don’t smoke, but I sure need a cigarette after reading that sex scene you wrote.” At the time I couldn’t imagine a better motivation to keep writing.

But then I had to turn my book into my male publisher. He had no choice but to read the book. So I asked him what he thought of my lovemaking scenes? To which he replied, “They had the desired effect.” He couldn’t see my reaction because he lives in the UK and I’m in the US. Thank goodness, because he would have seen my happy dance and it’s pretty lame.

What is your most favorite line you’ve ever written and why?

That is an easy one. It is the very end of book one of the Risking Love series. It is something that was said by my mother when I was a child, and I continued the tradition with my family. You’ll have to read that book to find out what it is. And no skipping to the end to see. It drives me crazy knowing the ending of a book that I am reading or about to read.

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

Five finished and two half books which are books five and six in my Risking Love series. I need to get better at continuing my writing of the unfinished books while doing social media, and in edits for my next upcoming published book. If you know any tricks for that, I’d love to hear them.

Do you google yourself?

I did once to see if my website came up when I keyed my name in. It did, and I was happy about that. I also found out that there was a stripper or hooker with the name Carmen Callie. I was so thankful to see that the name was reversed. Hopefully, by now she’s changed her name to something like Bambi.

What is your favorite childhood book?

As a young child, it would have to be Babar books. I used to sit on my mother’s, lap and she would read them to me. After that, the first favorite that I re-read so many times that it finally fell apart on me was Black Beauty the same thing happened with Bridge To Terabithia. Both of those novels made me tear up. But my favorite series was the Gregor the Overlander and Harry Potter books.

What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?

Don’t judge. I suppose if I knew it would help my writing I would give up my TV shows. They are all seasonal shows. Let me preface my answer by saying I grew up with parents that never missed the Lawrence Welk Show, Hee Haw, or the Ed Sullivan Show. All of which mostly revolved around singing. So that is my defense why I love, The Voice, America’s Got Talent, and American Idol. I might as well embarrass myself further I also watch the Bachelor and Bachelorette. What can I say; I’m a sap for people finding love.

Is there one subject that you would never write about? What is it?

Yes, that would have to be anything to do with a child being hurt like rape. I’m a big fan of the John Grisham novels, but when I picked up A Time to Kill and found myself reading a violent rape of a ten-year-old girl by not one but two men I had to put the book down. I couldn’t finish it. I went on to read so many more of his books and years later I got brave enough to go back and finish A Time to Kill. I am so glad I did because I think it was one of his best books.

What’s the sexiest accent? And have you included a reference to it in your books?

That would have to be a clear Irish accent. And I love the word lass. I think the movie The Quiet Man sealed the deal for me. Yes, in Patrick in the first book in my Risking Love series Patrick is of Irish descent and belongs to an Irish Club, but he was raised in the US so he doesn’t have the accent.

Do you have a day job? If so, what do you do?

At present, I don’t work outside the home. I used to. I had a dream job as a senior book buyer for one of the large bookstore chains in their corporate office. After raising my three children during their younger years I went to work for our local school district running their Community Education Department. It was lots of fun because it was all about finding ways to entertain children and adults with sports, art, languages, cooking classes, computer classes, robotics, you name it if it made people happy or educated them in a fun way I had it in the community program.

Did you choose the genre you write in or did it choose you?

Both the Risking Love series and my first book The Enemy I Know chose me. Another author saw the request for writers to submit their books for the Craving Loyalty Anthology which had a romance theme with mafia and gangsters. She thought I’d be a good fit for that type of romance. Since my grandfather ran the Siena Tavern during the Korean War period, and some of the mafia gangsters used to often stop by his club in New England, I decided that she was right. I used my grandfather’s daughter as my muse in that setting. In no time, I had my first short story published. Patrick, my first book in the Risking Love series, just poured out of me because while it was fiction, it also had pieces of my own love story in it.

What are your favorite types of characters to write?

That is an easy one. I love to write about men that have a wonderful sense of humor, that are motivated, hardworking individuals, that are strong, confident, and hot as a habanero in and out of the bedroom. Women that work hard and become successful that can laugh at themselves, that are light-hearted, kind, and know what they want in a man.

Have you got any writing tips that you would like to share?

This might not be advice that newer writers want to hear, but it is essential for you to be as successful as possible. Set up your social media sites right away that means before you even finish your first book. That is not to say that it is ever too late to do this just that it has to be done. If you don’t advertise to let people know about your book how will they know that it exists? Once they are set up advertise your books on a regular basis. Set up social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Tumblr, Instagram, MeWe, Website, and Goodreads to name a few. Pick three to start and master those before moving on to others or you will be too overwhelmed.
Read the genre you want to write in. This is important so you can understand what works and doesn’t work in that genre. Of course, keep reading other types that you enjoy too.
Write about things you know, you like, and the words will come to you more easily. If you write about something that you are not familiar with be sure to do plenty of research, so your story is believable.
Do yourself a favor don’t have several named characters in your book because as soon as the editor gets their hands on it, you will be editing a lot of them back out again.

If you have anything you would like to add or share, I’d love to hear your comments here on the blog, the BVS Facebook page, or my Facebook page. We have a twitter page too, and we are always happy to follow people that follow us.