Welcome to the Strength Book Tour and Giveaway featuring an interview with paranormal romance author, Carrie Butler.
In celebration of her new release Strength, she is giving away several awesome prizes so be sure to enter below!
About Strength
Where to Buy Strength
Meet Author Carrie Butler
Connect with Carrie Butler
Interview with Carrie Butler
When did you first realize you
wanted to be a writer?
Writing is
something I've always enjoyed, but I didn't realize I wanted to pursue it as a
career until January of 2011.
As a child, what did you want to do
when you grew up?
I
wanted to be a secret agent, undercover as an artist. Seriously. LOL
How long does it take you to write a
book?
It took me three months to draft Strength, but I was able to give that
manuscript my undivided attention. The sequel is proving to be a little more
difficult...
What is your work schedule like when
you're writing?
Oh my goodness. I work at the most ridiculous
hours. Sometimes, I get a good pace going after midnight, and I keep writing until
I crash—which could five or six in the morning.
(Thankfully,
the fatigue makes for fewer inhibitions!)
My days are usually dedicated to blogging, freelance projects, marketing, etc. They're not nearly as exciting.
My days are usually dedicated to blogging, freelance projects, marketing, etc. They're not nearly as exciting.
Do you stick with a schedule or just
write when you feel like it?
I
used to keep a loose schedule, but things are a bit hectic at the moment.
What do you like to do when you're
not writing?
I love to watch hockey, create
digital paintings, and go to the shooting range. :)
What was one of the most surprising
things you learned in creating your books?
How
easy it is to get wrapped up in a story! Sometimes it's hard for me to come out
of the writing zone, especially if there's a sudden interruption. I have that
moment of disorientation before I can process the reality around me—almost like
I've been woken from a dream.
What do you think makes a good
story?
I think a good story is felt by both
the author and the reader. They might feel it on different wavelengths, and
they might relate it to different experiences, but a good story will touch them
both.
What inspired you to write
paranormal romances instead of another genre?
I like to think of paranormal romances as "supernaturally-charged love
stories". They blend the uncertainty of a budding relationship with the notion
of things beyond our explanation. There's just something about them...
I
think that's why I struggle so much when I try to write contemporary. I always
end up giving someone superpowers!
Did you have any
goals for Strength when you wrote it
— to get published, or just to finish, etc?
My
main goal for Strength was definitely
publication. I had already written a few "shelved" stories by then,
so I knew I could finish it. The thing was, with this manuscript, I took the time
to really learn the craft and the industry. That made all the difference in the
world.
What inspired to you write the Mark
of Nexus Series?
(This is kind of my boilerplate answer for this question, but
it's the best way to describe it.)
Strength—and ultimately, the whole Mark of Nexus series—started as a "what
if" scenario. What if a unique,
supernatural race lived among us? What if there was more than one? How would
the world stay in balance?
I listened to music while I plotted out a few points, and the 2005 Five
for Five cover of "All I Know" came on. Oh my goodness. The lyrics—the first few lines about bruising
each other—really struck me.
As I considered them, the figurative meaning morphed
into a more literal scenario. How
tortured a man with uncontrollable strength must be... falling in love for the
first time... unable to touch the woman he loves without hurting her...
That's how the romance element fell into place. ;)
Did you originally plan to have the
series Mark of Nexus or did the idea of a series occur after you started
writing strength?
The
plot always felt a bit too complex for one book, but I didn't get a clear
number until I sat down to write a loose outline.
Do you have a specific
number of books in mind for Mark of Nexus or are you planning to write until
your _______________?
I think
three should do it, but I'm not absolutely certain. I'd love to do a few
novellas that focus on secondary characters, like Cole's story.
If you could tell your
fans anything, what would it be?
That I love them. Seriously. They're allowing me to live my dream, and
for that, I'll be forever grateful. <3
Strength Tour Giveaway
