Here is the link to Gwen’s site: http://www.indieauthornetwork.weebly.com/index.html G.D. Steel's blog is free promoting of your arts. As I am wont to say {as does Facebook} our site is free to comment and share and always will be free.
For the rest of the month of January and possibly into February of 2012,we will be interviewing new and seasoned authors, first at Gwen's and then over here.
Carolann Keiser AKA paigecarter, is here with us today, January 30th. I have had the pleasure of being one of the seven authors featured in her collection of social injustice short stories. The book is called Sandcastles and can be found on Amazon. I am so happy to have Carolann with us, today ~
What inspired you to write?
I’ve always written, in one form or another. I used to love writing essays at school, and then later, I would write diaries and poetry and little anecdotes about life and my children. I didn’t take it seriously, it was for me, and only me. And that part, at least, has never changed.
If we’re talking about what inspired me to write properly, then that’s a different story. I’m an artist, have always been an artist, and usually my paintings have a story woven into them. I used to write a little synopsis or a poem and have them tucked in the frame behind the painting. Weird feeling, now: All those paintings hanging in private collections with my rough stories where no one will ever find them unless they’re re-framed.
One day, around three years ago, whilst waiting for paint to dry, I tried to write, properly, the whole story of a group of women in Burlesque costume. Whores, I guessed they were, and they each must have a tale to tell. A few weeks later, I took a deep breath and put my writing on a [now defunct] writing site, turned off my computer, and went to bed. The next morning I woke up to the most scathing words I’d ever read. I was mortified.
The note at the bottom of the page, from the reviewer, is the reason I’m still writing. He wrote: I am angry to think that someone with such a great story has never learned to write properly. That was my inspiration.
Do you have anyone you show manuscripts to and get advice from or are you a loner doing it all yourself?
At first, practically every sentence I wrote I needed checked, and this same reviewer obliged. For the next year he read everything and corrected every other word. I learned very quickly how not to make ‘amateur’ mistakes. Nowadays, I write with confidence. It’s nice to have someone read through, and it’s great when someone picks up a mistake, but I don’t have anyone special reading for me. The first time any of my writing is shown to anyone is usually if I put something on Bookrix.
What genre do you normally write in? Also, is there a genre you've always wanted to write in, but don't feel you could pull it off?
I love psychological mystery, and I try to get inside the mind of my characters. That for me, is the biggest thrill of writing. My passion is children. I worked with children and their innocence and honesty always takes my breath away. They are our future, and they can be damaged so easily by others who are not so honest. My stories often involve a child, and the affect an adult or adults can have on them. I suppose I write my ‘message’ to all who can make a difference to a child’s future life.
I love ghost stories, too, and in fact am in the middle of writing a novel about this. I still don’t know if I can pull of the realism. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, the writer has to keep the story real. Our readers are an intelligent breed.
Do you ever base your characters on people you know?
I don’t think I do, but of course my characters are based on what I know. They could be made up from several different parts of several different people, but always unique in my mind. I don’t think I’ve ever met these characters before they develop on the pages and in the confines of my imagination.
What advice would you give to someone who was just starting off in writing?
Don’t write for anyone else, just write for yourself. See what happens. Then, and only then, show it to someone who knows what they’re talking about. Listen. Hang on to every word they say, and then go off and take what you want from it. Sooner or later, some will make sense to you, even the parts you dismiss. But always listen first. And then? Don’t write for anyone else, just write for yourself.
Do your stories tend to have morals, or special messages, included within them?
Morals? No. I don’t do morals. Not even in the loosest way. Although, I remember at school my teacher used to ask the question: And what is the moral to the story? I always had a problem with that. I don’t do cryptic. I don’t deliberately write messages either, but most stories have some kind of message, I guess. It’s a little like a painting. You can interpret it any way you choose.
This question was posed by a fellow author and I loved it so much I decided to throw it into the mix ~ Oh no! One of your characters has escaped. Luckily, I have caught them! I will interrogate them with the help of a lie detector. Welcome!Take a seat, make yourself comfortable. You will be returning to your book once this is over. What's your name, where are you from and what is your role in the book?
This is an easy one for me, and I’m delighted by the question. Jules is the unreliable narrator of my latest novel. The Soul Stealers: Paula is her new friend. [No, it’s okay, it’s not you, Paula. This is a character invention.]
Jules: London England. 2005
I find it hard to reveal things straight off. I need to get to know a person before I can start sharing secrets. It’s like Paula, the girl who I met at my daughter’s school. I mean, she has so many problems, mine pale into insignificance compared to hers, and I’d rather talk about those, than about mine. I’ve been a bit low lately. I don’t understand it. It could be because Sienna has just started school, and of course, the house move didn’t help. According to a magazine article I read the other day, both those events are in the top ten stress bracket. Paula is trying to get to the bottom of it, but I’m not giving anything away. She’s the one who needs help, for goodness sakes. She has no husband, and an adorable little boy who I’m sure is being abused by her; mentally, if not physically. I know something she doesn’t know I know. Oh my! She would be horrified if she realised what I was thinking when she rambles on about what a happy little boy her son is. The trouble is, I have no proof, and I’m not sure what to do about my suspicions.
Tell us why we would enjoy reading your books?
I usually write devastating endings, so I’d say, if you like happy endings, then my books are not for you. However, I like to think that the realism I try to maintain for stories of mostly, ordinary lives, keeps readers turning pages. Usually, I am forgiven for any dark turn of events.
Thank you, Paula, that was fun!
Thank you, for coming..
Carolann Kaiser can be found at the following links:
email carann74@yahoo.com
bookrix http://bookrix.com/-paigecarter
website http://ck-artblog.blogspot.com
What inspired you to write?
I’ve always written, in one form or another. I used to love writing essays at school, and then later, I would write diaries and poetry and little anecdotes about life and my children. I didn’t take it seriously, it was for me, and only me. And that part, at least, has never changed.
If we’re talking about what inspired me to write properly, then that’s a different story. I’m an artist, have always been an artist, and usually my paintings have a story woven into them. I used to write a little synopsis or a poem and have them tucked in the frame behind the painting. Weird feeling, now: All those paintings hanging in private collections with my rough stories where no one will ever find them unless they’re re-framed.
One day, around three years ago, whilst waiting for paint to dry, I tried to write, properly, the whole story of a group of women in Burlesque costume. Whores, I guessed they were, and they each must have a tale to tell. A few weeks later, I took a deep breath and put my writing on a [now defunct] writing site, turned off my computer, and went to bed. The next morning I woke up to the most scathing words I’d ever read. I was mortified.
The note at the bottom of the page, from the reviewer, is the reason I’m still writing. He wrote: I am angry to think that someone with such a great story has never learned to write properly. That was my inspiration.
Do you have anyone you show manuscripts to and get advice from or are you a loner doing it all yourself?
At first, practically every sentence I wrote I needed checked, and this same reviewer obliged. For the next year he read everything and corrected every other word. I learned very quickly how not to make ‘amateur’ mistakes. Nowadays, I write with confidence. It’s nice to have someone read through, and it’s great when someone picks up a mistake, but I don’t have anyone special reading for me. The first time any of my writing is shown to anyone is usually if I put something on Bookrix.
What genre do you normally write in? Also, is there a genre you've always wanted to write in, but don't feel you could pull it off?
I love psychological mystery, and I try to get inside the mind of my characters. That for me, is the biggest thrill of writing. My passion is children. I worked with children and their innocence and honesty always takes my breath away. They are our future, and they can be damaged so easily by others who are not so honest. My stories often involve a child, and the affect an adult or adults can have on them. I suppose I write my ‘message’ to all who can make a difference to a child’s future life.
I love ghost stories, too, and in fact am in the middle of writing a novel about this. I still don’t know if I can pull of the realism. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, the writer has to keep the story real. Our readers are an intelligent breed.
Do you ever base your characters on people you know?
I don’t think I do, but of course my characters are based on what I know. They could be made up from several different parts of several different people, but always unique in my mind. I don’t think I’ve ever met these characters before they develop on the pages and in the confines of my imagination.
What advice would you give to someone who was just starting off in writing?
Don’t write for anyone else, just write for yourself. See what happens. Then, and only then, show it to someone who knows what they’re talking about. Listen. Hang on to every word they say, and then go off and take what you want from it. Sooner or later, some will make sense to you, even the parts you dismiss. But always listen first. And then? Don’t write for anyone else, just write for yourself.
Do your stories tend to have morals, or special messages, included within them?
Morals? No. I don’t do morals. Not even in the loosest way. Although, I remember at school my teacher used to ask the question: And what is the moral to the story? I always had a problem with that. I don’t do cryptic. I don’t deliberately write messages either, but most stories have some kind of message, I guess. It’s a little like a painting. You can interpret it any way you choose.
This question was posed by a fellow author and I loved it so much I decided to throw it into the mix ~ Oh no! One of your characters has escaped. Luckily, I have caught them! I will interrogate them with the help of a lie detector. Welcome!Take a seat, make yourself comfortable. You will be returning to your book once this is over. What's your name, where are you from and what is your role in the book?
This is an easy one for me, and I’m delighted by the question. Jules is the unreliable narrator of my latest novel. The Soul Stealers: Paula is her new friend. [No, it’s okay, it’s not you, Paula. This is a character invention.]
Jules: London England. 2005
I find it hard to reveal things straight off. I need to get to know a person before I can start sharing secrets. It’s like Paula, the girl who I met at my daughter’s school. I mean, she has so many problems, mine pale into insignificance compared to hers, and I’d rather talk about those, than about mine. I’ve been a bit low lately. I don’t understand it. It could be because Sienna has just started school, and of course, the house move didn’t help. According to a magazine article I read the other day, both those events are in the top ten stress bracket. Paula is trying to get to the bottom of it, but I’m not giving anything away. She’s the one who needs help, for goodness sakes. She has no husband, and an adorable little boy who I’m sure is being abused by her; mentally, if not physically. I know something she doesn’t know I know. Oh my! She would be horrified if she realised what I was thinking when she rambles on about what a happy little boy her son is. The trouble is, I have no proof, and I’m not sure what to do about my suspicions.
Tell us why we would enjoy reading your books?
I usually write devastating endings, so I’d say, if you like happy endings, then my books are not for you. However, I like to think that the realism I try to maintain for stories of mostly, ordinary lives, keeps readers turning pages. Usually, I am forgiven for any dark turn of events.
Thank you, Paula, that was fun!
Thank you, for coming..
Carolann Kaiser can be found at the following links:
email carann74@yahoo.com
bookrix http://bookrix.com/-paigecarter
website http://ck-artblog.blogspot.com
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