The Inside Scoop with Carla Laureano

Today Carla Laureano is  graciously answering questions about her writing life. Carla writes contemporary inspirational romance novels, and her new novella, Jilted, is available now–for free!! Don’t worry, I have all the links and book info below!

Let’s get to it.

THE INSIDE SCOOP WITH CARLA LAUREANO

 

1. How did you know you wanted to be a writer?

 

I’m not sure I could pinpoint the exact moment. I’ve always been a reader (and a very early one at that) so I think it was a natural extension of my interest in stories to start writing my own. The first short story I can really remember writing was when I was six or seven, and I simply never stopped—though I’ll admit I’ve gone through various genres over the years.

 

2. What is unique about your process?

 

I think every writer’s process is different, but I suppose what’s unique about mine is that every book demands a slightly different process. Some of my books, I’ve sat down and written from start to finish in a few weeks. Others have been subjected to fits and starts, where I got 25% into the book and decided to start over from scratch. Some of them get plotted ahead of time, and others are written completely by the seat of my pants. I think the only consistent factor across all of them is that I enter the writing phase with a full biographical background and character sketch for each character. Once I know how the character will react to any situation, it’s much easier to make sure their actions and reactions feel authentic.

 

3. What inspired your book?

 

Jilted came from a random idea I’d jotted down in Evernote over a year ago, originally intending it to be the first book in a category length series. When I came back to it, I decided it wasn’t a topic that I wanted to explore over the course of fifty or sixty thousand words, but it would make a perfect novella. As far as the tropical setting, when I began to write, Colorado had been subjected to a cold and gloomy stretch of weather—I must have been mentally ready for a sunny vacation, virtual or otherwise!

 

4. What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Believe it or not, it was to study something other than creative writing! In college, my favorite professor and faculty advisor, knowing I wanted to be a professional writer, recommended that I study English literature instead of creative writing. He suggested that I develop my own voice first, while learning the principles of storytelling and characterization from great writers past and present. Then I could go back and learn to be an effective self-editor. I think it was good advice, because when I look back on my college writings, my voice is recognizably the same, even though I’ve much improved in my craft. Learning to look at my own work with a critical eye as an editor rather than a writer is probably the greatest skill I’ve acquired.

 

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Carla, I’m fascinated that you have such different writing processes with each book. I’m guessing it makes writing an adventure! It’s taken me years to develop my critical self-editing eye, so I agree with you about it being a great skill. Now I’m curious…who are your favorite English Literature authors? Thanks so much for being my guest today!

 

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About Jilted

 

Three days. Two jaded hearts. One unexpected love.

Bethany Hall is hiding out on a remote private island off the coast of Belize, creating romantic meals for the rich and the privileged. But when her client Derek Moretti’s bride jilts him at the altar, he’s left with a bitter view on love, a $30,000 a week bungalow, and for the first time in his life, nowhere else to be.

After Derek overhears his beautiful personal chef talking about how he dodged a bullet when his bridezilla left him, he begins to think that maybe she’s right. He convinces Bethany to act as his personal tour guide for the remainder of his trip, but neither expect that their purely platonic arrangement could shake their preconceptions about love.

Could Derek have been in the right place at the right time…just with the wrong woman?

 

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About Carla

 

Carla Laureano is the RITA Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons.

Connect with her: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest

Subscribe to Carla’s newsletter and download Jilted for free! Click HERE for more details.

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The cover of Jilted makes me want to fly to Aruba and spend the week at the beach! If you could go anywhere right now, where would you go?

Have a fabulous day!