Carmen: Cocky, gorgeous, damaged, and a bit of a mess, really.
Michelle: SAMMY!!! He is the most adorable little guy. What ten words would he use to describe Elijah?
Carmen: I think Sammy would use just one word to sum up Elijah: AWESTHOME!
Michelle: What would be the name and flavour pie Ana could make for Sammy?
Carmen: His absolute favourite is the Chocolate Banana Cream Ana Cabana Surprise Pie and try as Ana might to get him to eat something other than this, he just won’t. And they wonder why he’s so hyper! ;)
Michelle: What ten words would Elijah use to describe Ana and Sammy?
Carmen: Ana - FUCKING PERFECT! THE FUCKING END!
Sammy - The coolest kid I know, who happens to have the worst timing ever!
Michelle: What ten words would Jackson use to describe Holly?
Carmen: Stubborn, annoying, pain in my arse but an incredible lay.
Michelle: What is your favourite quote out of the whole book and why?
Carmen: Don’t make me choose! *cries* Oh wait, now I sound conceited. Okay, I’m going with this:
“We can’t go five minutes without wanting to tear one another apart,” she whispers, and her eyes dare me to deny it. I don’t. It’s the truth.
“So we’ll tear one another apart and put each other back together, piece by piece.”
That pretty much sums up Ana and Elijah perfectly. They hurt one another constantly, they’re all wrong for one another and yet neither one can walk away.
Michelle: Where were you and what were you doing when you finally decided to pull on the big girl panties and start to write your own book?
Carmen: In my kitchen, about five years ago, ranting and raving to my partner about a rather popular Vampire series I’d just read. I went on and on about how I love this and that but how I wished the author had done some things differently. He suggested I write my own, to which of course, I replied, “No way, I could never do that!” He ended up giving me one of those looks (the ones that say, don’t be a freaking idiot) and an entire year later I’d churned out a story that I loved, but that will sadly probably never be fit for consumption.
Michelle: What has been the best advice you have received from anyone in regards to your writing?
Carmen: “Not everyone will love your book and that’s okay.” This came from a very good friend of mine when she read Welcome to Sugartown in its very early stages and she gently—and by gently I mean: she bitch slaps me upside the head with it— reminds me of this every time I start to freak out. It’s weird but for me there’s a heck of a lot of power in that sentence. You can’t please everyone and if you write to try to please everyone else you’re going to wind up with a book you hate.
Michelle: As bloggers we have read and reviewed a gazillion books. How does it feel being on the other side now?
Carmen: Great! Surreal! A little scary and sometimes downright weird! But mostly I think it’s just humbling to see that people are really enjoying something that I created.
Michelle: I know your book is only releasing today so it has only received ARC reviews. Do you think having been a reviewer yourself it prepared you more for the reality of the big global world of peoples opinions and thoughts?
Carmen: Ha! Not at all! ;) Actually, I’ve been really very lucky in that the people reading and reviewing Welcome to Sugartown so far are enjoying it. That being said, I’m sure WtS will have its fair share of bad reviews, just like every book, but I’ll more than likely buy shares in Cadbury, eat chocolate until I throw up and then pick my sooky la la butt up again.
Michelle: What have you learnt from the blogging world that came in very handy when you turned your hand to writing?
Carmen: I think the toughest part about being an indie author is the amount of time you have to spend promoting your work and your brand, and blogging completely prepared me for that. It also made me realise the importance of a well written, polite review request! You’d be amazed how many authors just write “Read my book! Please?” ;)
Michelle: OOo Yes! I get requests that are polite and some that I go hmmm and raise one eyebrow to. I am the busiest beaver behind the scenes and those requests I gotta say, don't endear me. LOL! I mean dudes, there are soooo many authors wanting their book reviewed. You gotta word it right! When you are requesting it with me, I already am jammed up for a few months. I slide people in when the request has had time spent on it. Hint! I am your free vessel for promotion. I am as busy as the next person. Reading a book takes hours and hours and lots of my sleep time away from me. So word it right. Word it polite! Oh, and another hint, don't badger the blogger for the review to be posted up. Truly , if we could we would. Sometimes we need some 'me' head space time. Bloggers work their butts off behind the scenes.
Michelle: If your life at this point in time could be described in a pie flavour, what flavour would it be and what would it be called?
Carmen: The name would more than likely be: Holy crap I’m about to release a book!!! Say Whaaaaaaaat?!!! and the flavour would be sheer terror with a dash of sweaty, day-old pyjamas.
Now doesn’t that just sound like something you want to put in your mouth? ;)
Michelle: What song did you listen to the most when writing Welcome To Sugartown? If you didn’t listen to one, then what song would describe your book or Elijah and Ana’s relationship the best.
Carmen: Yes. I had a whole playlist consisting of about seventy songs, but if I could pick a song that sums up Elijah and Ana perfectly it would be Gimme Love by Ed Sheeran.
I love the desperation in both the music and the vocal: he’s literally a man who is broken, who has just pulled his beating heart from his chest and is offering it up to the woman he loves though he knows he’s not really worthy of having her accept it. I don’t think there could be a more fitting song for their story.
Thank You Carmen J
xx
