Never Too Old For Y.A. & N.A. Books discussion
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Cora Carmack
Author Interview of the Month
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Author Interview with Cora Carmack
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So stinkin' cool. Thanks for your time Cora. Losing It had me laughing so hard I almost wet myself! Lol I can never look at a cat without giggling, which is new, because I am not a fan of cats. :)
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Thank you, Cora, for your interview. Now I just have to read your book!
Thank you for a great interview! Losing It was such a great book, I can't wait to see what's in store for Cade
I didn't know you had a companion in Cade's pov coming out - exciting! Loved Losing It. Th for the interview.
Awesome interview, Cora, thank you so much. I really love Losing it, made me laugh and dream!
Great interview. Thanks. Cora, your suggestions are inspiring.
Thank you Cora, I can't wait for Faking it!
Thank you all! You're all so sweet! I'm glad you liked LOSING IT (and that some of you are planning to read it still). And I really hope you all enjoy FAKING IT as much. :)
Thanks for the interview and answers Cora, and great questions ladies!!! I must read Losing it now! <3
Great interview! I have Losing It as an e-book. I read the first chapter of, but I really feel like getting back to it now...
Great interview. I first heard of Losing it on US book blogs. I was gutted when I realised that we would have to wait until the summer for the UK release. I literally whooped when I spotted that it was available now on ebook.Caroline x
Ps. I just noticed that Losing It is currently available on amazon.co.uk for just £2.84! Surely its a sign that you are supposed to buy it?! :P
Thanks for sharing. It amazes me how much the world is changing due to technology. I love the fact that you were determined enough to take matters into your own hands and self-publish and now look at you. you inspire me.
Cora wrote: "Thank you all! You're all so sweet! I'm glad you liked LOSING IT (and that some of you are planning to read it still). And I really hope you all enjoy FAKING IT as much. :)"ohh, we'll love it for sure, Cora!
Great interview Cora! Looking forward to your future books!
Never Too Old For Y.A. & N.A. Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Losing It (other topics)Faking It (other topics)
1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
From a really, really young age. I’m not sure exactly when, but I do know when I graduated Kindergarten, my gifted and talented teacher had us write down what we wanted to be when we grew up. She gave us those slips of paper later when we graduated high school.
Mine said that I wanted to be a writer. (Granted, it also said I wanted to be a ballerina, actor, teacher, archaeologist, the President of the United States, and have 200 children, but never get married and live in my parents’ backyard. Clearly, my imagination was wild even back then).
2. How long does it take you to write a book?
Oh, man, it varies A LOT. The first book I ever wrote was a YA fantasy (which is rotting away in a trunk), and it took me almost three years from conception to finish. After that, I started several more YA Fantasies (just like my childhood self, I can’t seem to choose one thing and go with it). About 8 months into writing one of those, I was stuck and needed a break. So, I wrote the first chapter of LOSING IT. It was fun and freeing, so I kept writing. Three weeks later I had a first draft. I just finished a first draft of another book in about 5 weeks. Every book is different for me.
3. What do you think makes a great story?I love the way you phrased that question because I think great stories and good books can be two different things. I think great stories are books that strike a personal cord within a reader. That means what is great for me might not be great for anyone else. To me, a great story is one that moves you. It can move you to tears or to laughter or to action. The point is that it changes you in some small way.
4. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I wish it were more organized, but I’m a bit of a binge writer. I’ll write all day for several days in a row, and then not write for a day or two. But even when I’m not writing, it’s on my mind. I jot things down constantly.
5. How do you balance family and writing?
Poorly. Lol. Luckily, I’m young and single, so there are no neglected children in my house. But I do tend to disappear for days on end, and my friends and family will text or call to see if I’m still alive.
6. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
From all over the place, sometimes the inspiration just pops into my head, or it might come from something I see or have experienced. When I’m actually writing the book, I do a lot of research.
7. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
The most surprising thing was writing them. There’s this point in the middle of every book when I start to think that I’m crazy and have no business writing a book. Everything in me tells me that it won’t work, that I should put it aside and write a different book or find a different career, but then I push through. Each time I finish a book, I’m still left a little in shock that I managed it.
8. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I’ve completed three manuscripts. And I have about 4 WIPs that vary from 50 pages written to 250 pages.
9. Are your characters based on anyone you know?
Not usually, but some characters will have one aspect of their personality that is similar to me or to someone I know. It’s never the full character, just a small piece.
10. Do you have a favorite place you love to write?
I don’t. I write just about anywhere. Strangely enough, I tend to write a lot of my books while traveling.
11. How hard is it to get published?
It’s incredibly hard, but it’s worth it. I started seriously pursuing writing in 2008. It’s 2013 now. I, of course, went about it in an unconventional way. I self-published LOSING IT because I knew other New Adult books had done well with that method. Now, a few months later, my book is about to make it’s way into bookstores. Traditionally, publishing moves nowhere near that fast. Even if I had sold my book to a publisher originally, instead of doing it on my own, I would likely be waiting another year to get to this point.
12. What do your family and friends think about your books?
My friends are ecstatic. A few days ago, they dubbed themselves my official fan club, called CarmackAttack! So much of LOSING IT was a celebration of what my college years meant to me, and my friends, of course, are a big part of that.
My family is extremely supportive as well. My oldest sister and my mother both proof-read the novel for me before I published it. My father isn’t allowed to read the books, but he’s really happy for me too. Lol.
13. What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Oh, gosh, a little bit of everything. I love theatre, music, movies, painting, just about anything artistic. I like to get out and have adventures. I especially love to travel (which is why Kelsey’s companion novel is about her adventures backpacking overseas). But I also like to stay at home and relax.
14. Do you have any suggestions to help aspiring writers better themselves and their craft? If so, what are they?
Stay determined.
Work at it constantly. Take classes, go to conferences, read craft books.
Write what you love, so that it won’t feel like work.
Read insatiably.
Live passionately, so that you’ll have something to write about.
15. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I think I already answered this question, but to recap I wanted to be a….
BalleTeachArchaoloPresidActoBabyhavingWriter.
☺
16. What are your favorite books and which authors inspire you?
Well, I owe all my interest in writing to J.K. Rowling. I always liked reading as a child, but Harry Potter took it from a hobby to a lifestyle. I also adore all things John Green.
I also really love The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and North of Beautiful by Justin Chen Headley.
17. For an aspiring writer what do you feel are certain do's and don’ts for getting their material published?
The number one thing you have to do is do your research. There is so much information on the Internet available for free. There are so many quality books on both writing and publishing. As much as writing is about love, it’s also about business. If I wasn’t constantly researching the publishing market (and a member of Publisher’s Marketplace), I might not have ever known that self-publishing was a really smart option for my particular kind of book.
18. What are you working on now?
Well, I’m working on edits for Cade’s companion novel, which you all should be hearing more about VERY soon. I’m just starting Kelsey’s companion novel. I’ve also started an unrelated New Adult romance that may give LOSING IT a run for its money in the humor department. ☺