What was the first book you read that inspired you to become a writer? Though I have never written in the traditional crime genre, as a young teen, I used to devour Agatha Christie books and think wow, wish I could write like that! I did attempt a murder story at the age of nineteen, but that will remain buried, forever! Following the Agatha Christie phase, I became interested in the Gothic classics, and my early writing was definitely influenced by those.
Did you try the traditional publishing route before going indie and if so, what was that experience like? I’ve had some success with the publication of several of my short stories in magazines and literary journals, but I have not tried the traditional publishing route…yet!
Besides the genre you currently write in, what other genre would you like to try? I have already written in the genres of horror, drama, and children’s fantasy, mostly in screenplay format. I’m having a go at a rom-com at the moment, so the outcome of that will be… interesting!
What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story? Strong characterization and relatable themes; great stories are emotive, and arouse the reader’s empathy and curiosity.
What discipline do you impose on yourself regarding schedules, goals, etc.? I go through phases of being extremely disciplined, writing every day, and making great progress, to periods of procrastination when very little actual writing gets done. However, I have come to understand that during these latter periods of faffing around, my imagination is generally percolating, and some gem of an idea will usually emerge from the process of seemingly doing nothing!
Dogs or cats? Dogs, most definitely; wonderful, intelligent and loving creatures.
Do you think people DO judge books by their cover? Well, I do anyway. First impressions count, although page one counts even more.
What’s the best and worst things about being an author? The best – sleeping well because you know you’ve achieved in your writing time what you set out to do. The worst – not sleeping well because you know you have not achieved in your writing time what you had set out to do!
What are you working on right now? A novel titled Lady Beth, a dark drama, and a rather macabre rom com script, titled Three Versions.
Besides writing, what other hobbies or interests do you have? I work full-time, so hobby time is limited between that and my writing. Reading, music, film, theatre and travel are essential pastimes, and all feed my creativity.
This entry was posted in Personal Interviews, She blogs on... and tagged Caroline Farrell, Indie Book Lounge.