Spotlight: Carolyn Crane

As promised, we have a treat for you today -- that's right, we're bringing Spotlight, and sexy, back! Awesome author Carolyn Crane is here today to talk about her newest release, Mr. Real, Code of Shadows #1, AND do a giveaway! I know, it's too happy to be true!

For those who may not know, Carolyn Crane is the author of the Disillusionists trilogy and assorted novellas. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two cats, and works a day job as a freelance writer. During rare moments when she’s not at her computer, she can be found reading in bed, running, or helping animals. She's also hella fun. So, welcome, Carolyn, and thanks for taking the Spotlight!

CC: Hey, thanks so, so much for having me here!! 

GK: What prompted you to become a writer? Was it voices in your head, a burning desire to tell a story, or just too creative for your own bad self? 

CC: You know, I just love working on stories, and kind of wrestling and tussling with them. Sometimes I hate it, or I’m not in the mood, but when I don’t do it, I feel all sludgy and barely human. So I keep on. 

GK: What was the first book or piece that you wrote and why? Is it published, being shopped, on the shelf waiting for you to get back to it, or in a heap of ashes at the bottom of the fireplace? 

CC: My first book, a full novel written entirely in seven super gossipy letters from seven officemates to be placed in a time capsule, will never see the light of day. I know that must be so shocking. Please, take a moment to recover!! 

GK: No way. I can't believe it. At all. That never happens to any of us, ever. ;-D 

CC: The second or third books I wrote will also never see the light of day. They live in my computer in a dark, dark hole!! 

GK: So, so far, you're a normal writer. Well, as normal as we get. Give us a funny story about writing your latest release. It’s okay if your funny story involves a nervous breakdown as the deadline loomed, btw. I like to relate to my guests. 

CC: OMG, doing a full book on my own was completely harrowing. I had ten nervous breakdowns, seriously. The learning curve was so intense. I made so many mistakes. I had three different covers made! I think my husband nearly had me committed by the third one. Okay, funny, funny. Here’s one thing: I got to use this punctuation?!  I so always wanted to. Would that ever be allowed in a NY pubbed book? No. But I find it a very meaningful form of punctuation. 

GK: It's the little things you treasure. What’s your most and least favorite things about being an author? 

CC: I really love when a story is coming together, sort of hitting its stride and it feels suddenly like its own awesome and fiery little universe of characters. Usually on a later draft. My least favorite thing is how organized and detail oriented you have to be about the business and promo side of it. I was that kid with mismatched socks and dirt in her desk, staring out the window. I so suck at details. 

GK: Aww, you weren't alone, trust me. What’s one fact about you that someone who didn’t know you well or hasn’t read this blog wouldn’t know? Make it juicy -- my readers expect. 

CC: I am frequently wracked by guilt. I think everybody has their go-to bad emotion, and I’m totally in the guilt camp. I can be wracked by guilt for days for wronging a person. It really affects me poorly when people are mad at me over the Internet. I can easily let myself get haunted by things I’ve done. When the Disillusionist trilogy was coming out, I was petrified that there would be this whole subset of people who’d lost loved ones to aneurysms, or like, Lou Gehrig’s disease, and think I was making fun of them with my fake diseases, and making light of disease. This had occurred to me only after I wrote it, and it sort of haunted me. Okay, now I probably sound crazy! Stop this interview! Gini! You stop laughing! Put away the popcorn!!   

GK: Not to worry. My go-to emotion IS worry, so you don't have to. Believe me, I can relate to taking an emotion to ridiculous heights for no good reason at all, and welcome to the Writer Girls Neuroses Club! We have cookies! And booze. So, while you're getting a drink and a box of Thin Mints, can we get a description of and a short excerpt from Mr. Real? 

CC: Sure!

From the back cover:

The woman of his dreams…with the secret agent of his nightmares

Alix Gordon is a woman who doesn’t take life too seriously. What’s the fun in that? So when she stumbles across occult software that can bring any computer image to life, she conjures up lots of awesome outfits and accessories. And then, on one drunken, horny night, she conjures up Sir Kendall, the sexy TV ad spy . . . who looks exactly like Paul Reinhardt, the hot martial arts teacher who kicked her out of class a few years ago.

Fighter Paul Reinhardt has good reason to hate Sir Kendall, the character he brought to life to land a part in a TV ad; he’d do anything to forget him. A cross country road trip seems just the thing . . . until Paul finds himself inexplicably drawn to Minnesota and is shocked to discover Sir Kendall – in the flesh – with the girl he’d once loved from afar. He barges into Alix and Sir Kendall’s love nest, determined to stop the madness – somehow.

But is super spy Sir Kendall transforming into something more dangerous anyone can imagine? And what will Sir Kendall do when Paul and Alix finally give into their mad lust for each other?

Excerpt from Mr. Real

Sir Kendall was so much more than a TV spy, so much more than the Denali man. He was the ultimate dark stranger in a tuxedo, a magnificent male animal whose blue eyes twinkled with secrets as he lingered in dark doorways, always just back from some exotic place. Sir Kendall exuded a predatory charm; his sense of entitlement was arrogant, and slightly humorous—you would give him exactly what he wanted, and you would give it breathlessly. And you knew that giving Sir Kendall exactly what he wanted would be an unforgettable experience.
 

And that’s when it hit her: A sexy visit from Sir Kendall…it was totally within her reach now!

GK: I've had the pleasure of reading Mr. Real, and I can tell you, it's totally fun and totally sexy. And one of you gets to totally win a copy! Check it out below. Carolyn, thanks so much for being here and relaunching Spotlight! Anything you want to say to the readers? 

CC: Hey, thanks so much for stopping by! And Gini, thanks for having me. Leave it to another writer to ask the crazy questions. 

GK: Hmmm...I may have to TAKE OFFENSE at that. (Heh. She's gonna be sending me chocolate for DAYS now. ;-D) So, while I haze the newest member of the Writer Girls Neuroses Club, let's find out what all y'all need to do to win.

Carolyn is giving away one (1) ebook copy of Mr. Real, to one (1) commenter chosen by the Gods of Random. Yes, this is open internationally. You have until Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, to comment in order to be entered to win. Winner will be announced the week of Nov. 19th; winner will have a week to reply before the Gods of Random demand a new sacrifice and that a new winner be chosen.

In order to actually GET the prize, you must: 1) Leave a name by which we may call you and to which you will answer; 2) Provide a working email address that we can send the prize to; and 3) Answer this question -- If YOU had the power, what character would you choose to make come to life?