Interview with Carrie Green

It doesn't have to be Halloween to cuddle up with a good horror book. I'm pretty sure Stephen King proved that. Today we're chatting with horror, suspense, and thriller writer Carrie Green.

Carrie is the author of ROSES ARE RED, VIOLETS ARE BLUE, and SUGAR IS SWEET. Let's get to know her a little better.

Welcome, Carrie! How long have you been writing?

I've been writing nearly my entire life, as soon as I could form the letters of the alphabet. My grandmother was a published author and poet. My grandfather was a columnist for a major Chicago newspaper. It was expected that I would write and like most children, I rose to my parents' expectations. I was given a diary, when I was five, and I wrote my first stories in there (with illustrations, even).

What drew you to write horror?

It's the genre that I love the most, mainly because it can be any genre. I often cite Stephen King's Misery, as an example of this claim, since it's a horror story as well as a darn good historical romance. I firmly believe that horror offers the greatest freedom of expression for writers. Readers will find elements of mystery, science fiction, women's lit, action adventure, romance, etc. in what I write!

What are you working on now?

Right now I'm in the middle of final edits for my full length novel, set in Chicago, Walk A Lonely Street, which will be published in 2012. It opens with the death of a jazz nightclub owner which the police are writing off as a suicide, but his wife and best friend believe otherwise, and they investigate on their own.

Intriguing! Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

All authors self-edit, it's part of creating a final, polished, product. I've just learned to not write and edit on the same days, in order to prevent writer's block. Writing and editing are completely different and opposing processes; trying to be critical, while writing, will only inhibit your creativity. As a PR professional, I always follow the rule of thumb that three sets of eyes should look at any document before it goes public. I do the same for my books, but I'm realistic that some typos will slip through, given the greater length of a novel as compared to a standard two page press release.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

The isolation is probably the hardest part of writing. I have to sit in front a computer without any distractions in order to write. Unlike many authors, I'm unable to listen to music. I even close the curtains, so that I don't gaze out the windows. A closed door is also helpful. A completely empty house is best.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

A giant computer screen is the main must-have for me. My eyes are going, so that the bigger the screen, the better; my husband just recently upgraded my screen for my birthday. I now have a monster screen!

Monster screens are best for writing horror, I'm told. ;) If you could have any super power, what would it be?

I think that being invisible would be cool. It's a classic horror super power!

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: ponytail, calculator, and windshield wipers.

Oh, it's horror Improv! Here you go:

Like a calculator, his brain tracked the flip-flap rate of the windshield wipers—one, two, three seconds, until he could shove her head back and entangle her ponytail in the plastic blades.

Evil! Hehehe. Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Readers, of course, then my family and friends, and last, but not least, the super supportive community of authors that promote each other online. While I may write in isolation, marketing is definitely a joyful group activity—the WoMen's Literary Café, http://www.WoMensLitCafe.com, has, especially, been a terrific resource!

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

Visit my Amazon page for all three books: http://www.amazon.com/Carrie-Green/e/B005L3U1SW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0. 


And congrats on ROSES ARE RED becoming an Amazon bestseller, hitting the top 100 in Kindle eBook Horror Occult. Thanks so much for chatting with us, Carrie, and I wish you continued success.


Thanks!