How much of yourself is hidden in the characters in your book? I have to say that a lot of me is poured into the characters that I create; even the rude, annoying, and what could be perceived as the evil ones. Everyone has flaws, no one is perfect. In my opinion, it’s impossible not to leave a personal imprint on a book when you’re the one writing it. It can be as simple as integrating one of your secret insecurities, to a personal saying, just like it can be an annoying habit. All my characters are inspired by me as well as others in my life. Then again, a lot of what I come up with is also from daydreaming which means the reader will have fun guessing which bits are me, which ones pertain to others in my life, which ones are imagined, or if I do my job right, they won’t and just simply fall for the characters and the overall book.
How much of a story did you have in mind before you started writing? It starts off with an idea, merges with a few others that are usually rolling about in my mind and then, just like magic, I have the premise for the beginning, ideas, not usually set in stone for the middle and an inkling for the end.
I don’t write out plots often. If I feel overwhelmed with a sudden surge of ideas, I write them down in a notebook but that’s the extent. I’m more the fly by the seat of my pants kind of writer. It’s more fun for me that way. Much like a reader picking up a book for the first time, eager to set their eyes on it, I tackle each story the same way. I start with those main ideas, start writing and the rest just comes. It can make editing a total nightmare however.
Can you tell us what genre you write? I write Contemporary Erotic Romances exclusively but I’ve also dabbled in Romantic Mystery/Suspense as well as Paranormal Romance and Thrillers which all hold some erotic nuances.
How do you cope with writer's block? I’ve been blessed with an abundance of ideas and never have had the misfortune of suffering a severe bout of WB. When the ideas don’t flow, I’ve discovered that the wrong thing to do is to force creativity. The block usually lasts longer and frustrates me. Instead, I’ll pick up a book and read, I’ll hang out with friends and family. In those instances, the less I think about writing, the better. When the creative juices start up again, well…game on!
How do you develop and differentiate your characters? I usually have an idea of who my main characters are right from the beginning. Sometimes I want a spunky, self-assured and pain in your bottom kind of woman opposite a cocky, stubborn and self-assured man. Other times, I want someone that’s more meek and demure, borderline door-mat personality. It varies depending on what kind of a tone I want to set for my stories or if I want someone’s character already established or one that grows into their person as the story progresses.
More often than not, I like a strong character; whether it’s emotional, physical or a combination of the two. I like my characters realistic. Although head-strong, no one is 100% certain of what they want in their life so as sure as they may come off, they always have that certain degree of uncertainty and hesitance engrained.
Although my characters have a lot of similarities, if you read my work, you’ll notice that each and every one of them are vastly different. Main personality traits make you detest one in a way you want to smack them upside the head one minute, while you simply want to kiss the hero or heroine in the next. They are all a key element of what makes my stories work.
Do you have specific techniques you use to develop the plot and stay on track? When I get into writing a book (I’m not kidding when I say this), I go into some kind of a mode where I live and breathe the story. It’s very rare that it takes me more than a month or two, at the most, to complete a book from start to finish (that’s without edits).
I rarely need a notebook but it does come in handy when I’m writing such things like my Broken Men Chronicles series since, let’s face it, in five books, there are a lot of details that come back from characters crossing over. Needless to say, I rely on my trusty ol’ notebook to help out, whether it’s to remember a full character’s name, bringing back a memory or character’s experience from the past and so on.
Because I don’t write with a plot that’s set in stone, there’s less pressure and it’s like writing without rules. There’s no pressure and so it makes things easier if I decide to deviate from my original plan. Usually, that means I’ve added more substance to the book.
How (or when) do you decide that you are finished writing a story? My stories are born with ideas for the beginning, middle and end. Nothing is ever set in stone. Ultimately, I get this feeling, as I’m writing. It’s some kind of indicator I’ve grown to trust. It tells me if I need to elaborate to clear things up, delete a particular scene that isn’t necessary, or to keep going because there’s too many unanswered questions. Often times, my characters take me into a journey all of their own accord. It’s how one book (Once Written, Twice Shy) eventually evolved into my Broken Men Chronicles series.
Also, I don’t always strive for a HEA but I do strive to end things where there’s just the right amount of questions left and a satisfactory amount of answers for the reader to be pleased with the read.
Is there a message in your writing you want readers to grasp? There’s always some sort of message in my writing. It can be as simple as learning to appreciate the smaller things in life, just like it could be that life is short, nurse it for all it’s worth and don’t take anything for granted. Some of my works would even hint to inspire being a stronger version of yourself, to go and seek a happier life, to do what you need to survive. There are so many messages in my stories since they could all be perceived as being the life of someone you know, if not your own.
What are you working on right now? I’m working on a variety of projects right now. Since writing Once Written, Twice Shy, the Broken Men Chronicles series was born. I’m currently editing the second book to that series as well as finishing up with writing it’s fifth and beginning to mess around with an already written paranormal thriller that is bound to make anyone’s head spin. If you want a strong female character, now that one will be one read that could just very well suck the life out of you (nope, it’s not vampires)! I’m aiming for at least two new books to be released in the next year, if not more.
Have you always wanted to be a writer? I’ve always been taught to chase my dreams. I’m sure I could have been an astronaut, had I had the notion. Instead, I studied Respiratory Therapy in college, ended up working in a lobbying office for nearly a decade and now, I’m writing and looking forward to new work-related adventures in addition to my writing.
Writing has always been a hobby. It wasn’t until my husband, along with other friends and family, started telling me that maybe my pastime was worth exploring and seeing if something could be made of it and so I’ve tried. The sky’s the limit!
When did you discover your love of writing? I’ve loved writing for as long as I remember. My first story was written in the fourth grade for a school project. In my teens, I preferred poems and short stories to anything lengthy. As an adult, I prefer the longer works, integrating life experience, personal accounts from friends and family and twisting some ideas together to create an emotional, heated, sometimes thrilling and suspense-filled work of art. I have a wild imagination and always have and as much as it’s got me into trouble as a kid, it certainly is fun when you have a four-year-old in the house and story-time rolls around the corner at night.
What was the first story that you wrote? The first story I wrote, once I was serious about writing, was a short entitled Scarred for Love. It was a story of an unfortunate young woman who had to make her way in the world after a disastrous relationship. She no longer trusted men with the exclusion of her father and that is putting things mildly. She shies away from any physical contact with the opposite sex, creeps seem to always be lurking around as if she’s a magnet. Since it is a romance, well, I think it’s safe to say that someone does officially warm up to her.
When were you first published? How were you discovered? I’m strictly self-published…for now.
I made the decision of putting my work and myself out there based on an online site I discovered a few years back that is designed to read and write. I was inspired and thus returned to my writing after more than a decade hiatus. Needless to say, this site in question was a useful soundboard and I decided to try the self-publishing route.
What is the most difficult part of the whole writing process? Since I’m a one woman writing operation these days, I have to say that writing is by far the easiest part. I love constructing something out of nothing—a blank screen being filled with words that plunge the reader into a new world, granting them an escape.
The hardest is the editing, the book covers, the promoting and all the in-betweens that come with doing it all. It’s not for everyone but it does enlighten one as to how much work goes on behind the scenes just to get a book on the market and get it to sell. I can tell you this much, there’s no such thing as millions overnight!
What do you like to read? I may write contemporary erotic romance predominantly but I enjoy reading mystery/suspense, thrillers and the occasional horror. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll pick up and read Cherise Sinclair, Nora Roberts along with James Patterson or John Saul and let’s not forget some of the classics like Poe or Shakespeare, better yet, a Canadian classic, Lucy Maud Montgomery or some Margaret Attwood. I’m not big on sci-fi but I do like to give anything and everything a try before truly dismissing it. You never know what you can be missing out on.
What writer influences you the most? I don’t have a particular writer that influences me more than any other. I have to say that they are all great influences in the sense that it takes courage to put your work out there.
As a writer, your blood, sweat and tears (sometimes) is poured into your story. I initially started to write for myself and thus never shared anything unless it was a poem or a short story written for a school project. For me, personally, it was a combination of seeing amateurs put their stuff out there and realizing that I could do it too. Trust me, it was easier doing that than showing my works to my folks and the rest of the family and friends. Then again, not everyone writes erotic novels or would want their grandmother or mother-in-law reading what kind of grand sexual scheme you might have come up with next.
If your book was made into a TV series or movie, which actors would you like to see playing your characters? That’s a tough one. I can’t really pin-point a specific male or female lead for Once Written, Twice Shy but I do have one grouping I can share. Beyond his Magic Mike days and White House Down, I think Channing Tatum would be a great fit for Paxton. As to the female lead, Alissa…I’d go with someone like Julianne Hough, but dark blonde hair, please and none of that bleach!
Where can people learn more about you? Website: http://careydecevito.wordpress.com/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/carey.writes
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ItalRT4u
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/ItalRT4u
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Carey-Decevito/e/B0092HWSDY
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About The Author
Born and raised in small town Northern Ontario, Canada, Carey Decevito has always had a penchant for reading and writing.
More than a decade later, with weeks of sleepless nights, where exhaustion settled into her everyday existence, she finally gave and put pen to paper (more like fingers to keyboard). She submitted to the dreams that plagued her. And the rest, as they say, is history!
Carey Decevito enjoys spending time with family and friends, the outdoors, travelling, and playing tourist in Canada’s National Capital region. When life gets crazy, she seeks respite through her writing and reading. If all else fails, she knows there’s never a dull moment with her prolific story-teller of a four-year-old daughter, her goofy husband and their two cats who she swears are out to get her.
With two published works under her belt, Once Written, Twice Shy is her second and the first book which is part of a five-book series entitled The Broken Men Chronicles.
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About the Book
After a bitter marriage, Paxton seeks respite from his loss. Rediscovering his writing, he never expected creating a piece worthy of reading nor for two unsuspecting paths to cross in the most unconventional of ways.
Thousands of miles separated them, yet he’d never felt closer to anyone. Finding out that happiness and love was attainable again, was one thing. Having Alissa, was another.
When the two meet, sparks fly, chemistry is beyond explosive, and emotions reach a boiling point. Their brief love affair ignited the fuse but what Paxton neglected to anticipate was that his son would fall for the sweet, meek demurred woman in Alissa or the fact the woman would be their salvation; in more ways than one.
This giveaway is international
For a chance to win one of five e-books of Once Written, Twice Shy
The winners will be announced at the end of the tour.
Thanks for your continued support Annette :)
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