Bitten by Paranormal Romance: Guest author Sela Carsen and giveaway

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Monday, November 29, 2010

Guest author Sela Carsen and giveaway

Posted by Laurie (BittenbyParanormalRomance) |

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Please welcome author Sela Carsen!

Introducing yourself to people who only know you through what you write is always a little difficult. If you met me in person, you'd think, "There goes another mom."
And you'd be right. I'm mostly another mom. One of the many millions out there. We all have common experiences. We make sure the kids get to school and activities and dentist appointments. We make sure there's dinner on the table every night and that the homework gets done. We make sure the bathrooms get cleaned on at least a semi-regular basis. We have our own styles and schedules, but daily life is daily life.
But during the day when I should probably be folding laundry, I'm writing. Putting pieces of myself on the page not just to get the voices out of my head, but to give other people a smile during their day.
People assume that they know who writers are because they've read our words. They project about what our lives must be like. And to a certain extent, that's true for me.
You'd probably be able to decipher that I'm Southern. A Texan, to be specific, but I've not written a specifically Texan heroine.
You'd probably figure out that I like to eat. I like sushi and Sonic drive-ins. I drink wine and have been known to bake muffins by the hundredweight. All of my characters eat what sounds good to me when I'm writing. Pizza, pasta, steak, creamed spinach and sweet potato fries have all made appearances. (This close after Thanksgiving, though, I'm still too full to read that sentence without a stomachache.)
It would be a no-brainer for you to assume I like to read, based on some of my books. One of my heroines nearly swooned when she walked into the hero's library. In my head, it was like the library in "Beauty and the Beast," or more accurately, like the one in Robin McKinley's glorious book, "Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast." In another book, my heroine was a librarian.
All of these things are true, yet I work to make sure that my heroines really aren't that much like me at all. I mean, if I met a werewolf in the dark, I'd probably pee myself and faint. If I turned into a Selkie, I'd sink. If a vampire chased me through a graveyard at midnight, I'd be exsanguinated in the time it would take me to spell "exsanginuated."
But not my gals! They're not just little bits and pieces of my experiences. They start out as a few words on a page or as faint images or sounds in my head, but by the end, they've become so much more. They've become fully realized individuals, separate and distinct from each other and very definitely distinct from myself.
So sure, they may read the same books I read and they may like sweet potato fries as much as I do, but they are entirely themselves -- and fun to get to know on their own!

Carolina Pearl is second in the Carolina Wolf series. Ok, so there are really only two books total. There might be a third someday if I can get it to come out right.
The truth is, I never set out to write a series. I always thought a series had to be something that was planned and plotted and outlines and...I don't. At all. The very thought gives me hives.
I wrote Carolina Wolf for a call for submission that Samhain was doing for paranormal romantic comedies. I'd already written two para-rom-coms (it takes a while to write it all out), so it was right up my alley.
It ended up in an anthology called Tickle My Fantasy and people seemed to like it. After a few months, my fellow anthology-buddies came up with the idea that it might be fun to try it again. Since I'd never planned for there to be another story, I struggled with writing Carolina Pearl.
I knew I wanted to keep the town a central part of the story. There were secondary characters who needed to make more appearances, and there was more life in this little town than could be contained in just one novella.
So I did a Google map search of the real-life Congaree Swamp in South Carolina. And there's a house there, just on the edge of the swamp. All by itself. The satellite image shows it to be pretty old and run-down, but the idea of it was all I needed.
Now, my husband is a real DIY kind of guy. I've spent more hours watching HGTV and Bob Vila and "Holmes on Homes" with him than I can count. I've lived through one major kitchen gutting, one minor kitchen remodel, and at least three entire bathroom re-dos since we've been married.
Now I had my town and I had my house. I closed my eyes and saw a man replacing siding by himself, standing on a scaffold and cussing in frustration. Voila! A hero is born! Ok, so maybe not too heroic, but he only needed the right woman.
I saw an opportunity for tying this story in with Carolina Wolf right off the bat, though. I loved writing the prologue for Wolf -- it encompassed so much sensory detail and really dropped people smack into the setting. So I used some parallels and my heroine appeared.
It sounds almost hokey when I write it out like that, but those were the sparks I needed to get the story going. Now it's the in the hands of the readers to decide if I did it right!

Sela is giving away a PDF copy of Carolina Pearl, to enter please leave a comment or question for Sela along with your email.

Thanks Sela!!

Labels: author interview, guest author

25 comments:

Leilani @Leilani Loves Books said...: Loved the review! Really want this one!!

Leilani
Leilani @ leilanilovesbooks.com; Nov 29, 2010 12:16:00 AM
Ammy Belle said...: Hm, I like this inspiration story - for me, I get a flash of ... something, then it fades into the tangled web of ideas that comprises my brain, and is forgotten. I think it's commendable that you make something out of your flashes of inspirations - kudos! :)

Please enter me in the contest - anyone who makes me muse like this, is worth a read! :)

apereiraorama @ gmail.com; Nov 29, 2010 12:42:00 AM
emmad said...: Ohh I'll have to go looking for Carolina Wolf Is it available for the Kindle?; Nov 29, 2010 2:20:00 AM
emmad said...: Found it for the kindle and purchased. Carolina Wolf that is. Will then look at this one :); Nov 29, 2010 2:23:00 AM
stacey said...: Did you say the first one was in a Book Called Tickle my Fantasy
sasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com; Nov 29, 2010 2:30:00 AM
Sela Carsen said...: Good morning, everyone! So glad you're enjoying the blog post!

Stacey, Carolina Wolf is available on its own in e-format, and it's also out in print in the Tickle My Fantasy anthology with 3 other para-rom-coms. It's been out for over a year, so it's off the shelves, but you can order it from your favorite bookstore.; Nov 29, 2010 7:31:00 AM
katcantrell said...: Hi Sela! I could have written your post, but I didn't realize I did that stuff too (so I guess I really couldn't have!). I infuse small details about myself as well into my books but I never would have said the heroines were like me. I don't think I'm that interesting...congrats on the release!; Nov 29, 2010 8:12:00 AM
Leslie said...: Love the fact that you write the books with keeping it "real" in mind. It makes the characters much more lovable
Definetly be adding ot the to-read list; Nov 29, 2010 8:16:00 AM
Lacy said...: Great review! This book has definitely caught my interest and will be put on my to be read list immediately. Thank you!

lb3553@gmail.com; Nov 29, 2010 9:37:00 AM
rayleewilliams said...: I really enjoyed reading this, Sela--especially how your southern lifestyle influences your writing.; Nov 29, 2010 12:59:00 PM
Diana (Book of Secrets) said...: "...I'd be exsanguinated in the time it would take me to spell "exsanginuated."

Haha! Too funny! I'm just an average mom too, but probably spend too much time reading steamy paranormal romances when I should be cleaning.

I loved Laurie's review of Carolina Pearl. Please count me in the giveaway!

Diana @ Book of Secrets
bookofsecrets(at)yahoo(dot)com; Nov 29, 2010 2:12:00 PM
Crystal said...: I really enjoyed reading this. I really want to read this book now.

crystal_reaper@hotmail.com; Nov 29, 2010 2:37:00 PM
Stephanie said...: I love sequels. I know you did not plan one, but I always love when I can find out more about background or other characters.

smccar1 at hotmail dot com; Nov 29, 2010 4:23:00 PM
Susan R. Edgerton said...: Sela, it was great getting to learn a bit more about you and your writing techniques.

I look forward to reading Carolina Wolf as well as this new book, Carolina Pearl. Such a talented writer you are!

Best wishes,
Susan; Nov 29, 2010 6:00:00 PM
mrsjksimmons said...: I liked learning a lot more about you. I like learning about authors because it makes them feel less like they are a million miles away and unreachable. This just shows that you are just like the rest of us. :); Nov 29, 2010 6:33:00 PM
darkreader said...: Really enjoyed getting to know you more and I really love the wolf on the cover!

Please count me in also - I would love to read this book!; Nov 29, 2010 6:34:00 PM
HighlandHussy said...: I loved seeing your thought process :); Nov 29, 2010 9:33:00 PM
Vicky CK said...: I like that you admit that some of you is in your heroine. Of course they are not you. We all want to be more (even the perfect people are always reaching for better...) and we read fiction for the fun and imposiblities we would love to have/be (I would never be able to live up to MY imaganation either!)

Thanks for the giveaway!

vickykerr[at]sbcglobal.net; Nov 29, 2010 11:48:00 PM
Cecile Smutty Hussy said...: Omg are you kidding me!!! Please enter me!!! I absolutely loved Caroline Wolf!!! Ms Sela is an awesome writer!!!! Please please!!!
Alliwantandmorebooks@gmail.com; Nov 30, 2010 12:08:00 AM
JenM said...: I love your description of how you came up with your hero. My hubster is a serious do-it-yourselfer also and there's nothing sexier than a guy who actually knows how to use all those power tools. I'm off to check out your books.
jen(at)delux(dot)com; Nov 30, 2010 1:10:00 AM
Pink Panther said...: Sounds great! Thanks for the lovely post! You can reach me at luvpinkpanther@gmail.com; Nov 30, 2010 8:48:00 AM
PinkStuff28 said...: What is your favourite author ?

raluk.93 at gmail (dot) com; Nov 30, 2010 2:58:00 PM
Sela Carsen said...: Hey everyone! I'm sorry I wasn't able to get back here yesterday, but wanted to let you all know that RAYLEE WILLIAMS is our winner!

Thank you all so much for coming by and commenting. I really appreciate your participation!

As to the last question, by PinkStuff -- I honestly can't say who my favorite author is. I have at least a dozen auto-buy authors, plus new ones and classics that I discover all the time. It's too hard to narrow it down to just one!; Dec 1, 2010 8:01:00 AM
jmspettoli said...: Awesome post! I can see that you absolutely love you jobs (writer and mom) and the characters you create. I haven't read anything by you before but I'll be definitely picking up the books in the Carolina Wolf series.

spettolij AT gmail DOT com; Dec 1, 2010 11:58:00 PM
Taking it One Book at a Time said...: Can't wait to read this one! So winning it would be awesome! I was actually looking for a new author to start reading & stumlbed upon your site, then here. Congrats on the newest book!

Jessica

takingitonebookatatime@yahoo.com; Dec 13, 2010 1:36:00 PM