Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Nicole MacCarron, and I’m an elementary school teacher in BC, Canada. I am extremely accident-prone. As an adult alone I have broken my cheekbone in two places and nearly broken my neck, in separate incidences. I lived in Ireland for a while, and eventually returned to get married. That’s also where I broke my face, but that happened years before my wedding day! Phew!
I have written six books if you count my “practice novels.” If not, I am publishing my first one at the end of March! I have wanted to be an author since I was about six, so I have been honing my skills all this time and am finally ready.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is called Hazel’s Shadow, which is about a 17 year-old who experiences a zombie attack at school and unknowingly locks herself in a haunted house for protection. It was inspired by a school lockdown when I was in high school. Lucky for me, the lockdown was a false alarm, but I never forgot how I wondered what would happen to my sister in the classroom across the hall. Hazel has the same experience, knowing her sister Kelly is so close but so far.
As a teacher, I now have to do these lockdown drills with children, and there’s always a part of me that ventures down that “what if” path. My novel deals with zombies rather than a dangerous person, so it was far enough from reality to be cathartic for me. I was able to exorcise some possibilities out of my imagination. Plus, it quickly moves to the central problem, that Hazel is stuck between zombies outside and an evil shadow inside.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I find I am most successful with a deadline, so I like to do National Novel Writing Month. The NaNoWriMo website has this lovely chart of your progress that shows your word count per day, and I tend to update it every few minutes when I’m struggling to stay focused. I just love to see that I’m getting somewhere even in the midst of frustration!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are different authors who stand out at different times in my life. As a kid I got so much out of Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain Chronicles, Kenneth Oppel’s Silerwing, J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings, and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. I also had a soft spot for R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps! I think the books we read as kids and teens have a profound impact on who we become. Later, I leaned towards classics like Jane Austen, and on the other end of the spectrum, Edgar Allan Poe. I continue to reread my old favourites, which has improved my writing and increased my understanding of my preferred genre. Although sometimes I’m just being nostalgic.
What are you working on now?
I want to offer subscribers to my mailing list a free excerpt from Hazel’s journal, so I am currently working on that. I’m also toying with the idea of writing a prequel that delves more into Hazel’s earlier years as a medium.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As this is my first book, I’m experimenting a little. So far I’m finding interest on Instagram and Goodreads. Goodreads is providing me with opportunities to do interviews and get my name out there, while Instagram is helping me connect to my target audience. I plan to go exclusive with Kindle as I get established. I have heard some good things about their advertising. I also have my author website up and running, so we’ll see how that helps!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I definitely believe in the adage, “Write for yourself first.” If you get caught up in thinking about who is going to read it, you can also get stuck worrying about judgement and success. The first draft should be about getting lost in the flow and excitement of your story. Editing can come later. I highly recommend NaNoWriMo for the same reason. Just get it on paper (or a computer).
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Good enough is good enough.” I am a recovering perfectionist, and I’ve come to realize that perfectionism is more about fear of failure than doing an excellent job. When you finally step back to look at your work (after the edits, after the rewrites) you have to trust that your hard work has paid off. Then you have to back off and take a risk by putting it out there into the world. I repeat that line, “Good enough is good enough,” as many times as needed to silence the inner critic.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading Stephen King’s Misery. I have been meaning to read it for a while, so I’m happy to have finally started. I love a book with suspense!
What’s next for you as a writer?
First, I will publish Hazel’s Shadow at the end of March. After, I will definitely be writing a new novel. NaNoWriMo offers some set-your-own goal months before their official November event, so I will likely join one of those to get moving on my first draft. In the meantime I’m toying with a few ideas, trying to find the right spark.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The dreaded question! I change my answer all the time. In this moment, a chunky Harry Potter book would keep me occupied for a good long second. Let’s say The Order of the Phoenix. Then I think I’ll be a big ol’ cheater and take my gigantic book of the collected works of Jane Austen, and while I’m at it I’ll take my Collection of Classic Horror Stories too. It has Frankenstein, Dracula, etc. I can’t make up my mind for the last one, so maybe I better leave off with my cheating while I’m ahead! I wonder if there’s a collected edition of Harry Potter out there somewhere…
Author Websites and Profiles
Nicole MacCarron Website
Nicole MacCarron Amazon Profile
Nicole MacCarron’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
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