Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Yvette Carol. I’m a full-time mum who has always written on the kitchen table, fitting in the stories around raising my three sons. I’m based in New Zealand and I write middle grade epic fantasy. I’ve just finished The Or’in of Tane, and The Sasori Empire, and The Last Tree in the trilogy, The Chronicles of Aden Weaver. I have also had an article published in the book, The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond for 2014, and a short story released in the 2015 children’s anthology, Kissed by an Angel.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Last Tree. It’s the third book in a trilogy which began when I took a “Writing for Children” course with Kate De Goldi in 2005. Kate taught us to do ten minutes “free writing” every day. She was big on character development and taught us to get to know our characters like old friends. We had to interview our cast of characters, keeping a notebook on everything about them from their appearance to their family history, questioning them about what they like, what they hate, their strengths, their flaws, and so on. When I started the discipline of daily free writing, armed with my character development, the characters told me the story, a little at a time over the course of five years.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a pantser. I write the rough draft then take literally years to craft the plot for each story and figure out all the intricate details like character arcs and story lines long after the fact. I end up like a mad scientist or inventor cooped away in my tower, hammering and welding pieces together from here, there and everywhere, then messing with my creation endlessly until somehow out of the chaos arises a phoenix.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a child, I loved The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis because of his fabulous imagination. New worlds and concepts always drew me to fantasy fiction. My mother and sisters were fans of the Moomintroll series of books by Tove Jansson, and I would take out one of the Moomin books from the school library at a time and savour them. Tove was inspirational with her masterful world building and nonhuman cast. She deeply influenced my thinking about creative fiction. Tove offered glimpses, sneak peeks beyond the fetters of this life, and that is the secret message that is so beautiful and empowering to pass onto children. There is more. Open your hearts and minds and expand the possibilities.
I love the empowerment that forms the core of children’s literature.
What are you working on now?
I’m about to start work on the next book for the next series, which will be linked to the world of Chiron already created in my first series.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
www.kiwikidsreadkiwibooks.nz
https://www.amazon.com/author/yvettecarol
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day in the same place at the same time. Set aside time when you can’t be interrupted. Turn your phone off. Read read read. Write write write.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.
What are you reading now?
I am partway through reading The Phantom Tollbooth.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a number of interviews lined up to promote my trilogy. I have more marketing to do. Then I must brainstorm and make a “mind map” of the next book!
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?
Stuck on a stranded island I’d need to take my big illustrated books of mythology as they would be endlessly interesting. And I would sneak in my set of all Jansson’s Moonintroll books because I can read those again and again.
Author Websites and Profiles
Yvette Carol Website
Yvette Carol Amazon Profile
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