Inside the Writer's Mind - Carol Moreira Interview and Giveaway

I'm loving Inside the Writer's Mind so much. We get to learn about authors and what books they have coming out or have already published. We get to learn a little about their writing process, who's influenced them and any tips or advice they may have for other authors out there.

Here's another installment of Inside the Writer's Mind with Carol Moreira, author of Charged and Membrane. Along with this interview, Carol has graciously offered an ebook copy of her book, Membrane to one lucky reader. All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment on this blog post telling me what the main character's name in Membrane who comes from a parallel universe. The giveaway will run from August 14th to August 15th. I will let the winner know on August 16th. Good luck!

Well, enough chit chat. I know you're dying to read the interview and get your answer for the giveaway.

Welcome, Carol, to Inside the Writer's Mind.  I'll be asking you some questions, sort of picking your brain a little bit to get to know you as an author. Thank you for joining me. Ready? 

Same DiNamics: Writing can be a daunting prospect, what made you decide to share your story with the world? 

Carol Moreira: I think most writers write because they feel a strong need to – writers love writing (well, most of the time) and it’s how they make sense of the world. That’s probably my main motivation, but in the case of Membrane I believed the story was interesting and relevant to teens and stuck with it until it worked. 

SD: Who has influenced you as an author?

CM: Many, many writers, from dead greats like E.M. Forster and Jane Austen, to modern novelists like Alan Bradley, Yann Martel and non-fiction writer Susan Casey. I also gain a lot of influence and ideas from other art forms, nature and life in general.  

SD: What is your writing method? Do you outline first or do you purge your brain on paper until your story is told? 

CM: I purge my brain on paper! But I’m finding that method is as messy and time-consuming as it sounds, so I’m trying to plan a little more. It can be hard to get the balance between letting your mind be free and deciding what you’re trying to do with a particular story. I get my best ideas while walking my dog, Nikki then rush back to my computer to get things down. I think freeing the mind with other activities or a change of scene boosts creativity. I don’t believe in sweating it out at the screen all the time.

SD: How long does it take you to write your story, from getting it down on paper to publishing?

CM: There’s no set time. My first novel, Charged, was written and published in about 18 months. But my latest novel, Membrane, took far longer because it changed shape so much – it started off as a shorter novel for pre-teens and ended up as a full-length teen fantasy. Also, I tend to fall in love with my creations a bit too much, so the editors at Fierce Ink Press had me remove a universe and re-write the last section of Membrane in the interests of making the story more cohesive. So,Membrane was a lot of work, which doubtless explains my new-found interest in planning!    

SD: Can you tell me a little bit about Charged and Membrane without giving away too much? Why should I read them?

CM: Charged is a short novel set in Nova Scotia, Canada, and it’s basically about a romance that develops between two long-term guy/girl friends who are both having hard times at home. Membrane is about TOT, a girl from Nova Scotia, who passes through the membrane that separates our world from a parallel world where she meets P, her double who is far more confident, accomplished and attractive than TOT Is. TOT’s been bullied and suffers anxiety and she’s pretty intimidated by her double. The story is primarily about becoming happy in your own skin, but it’s also a fantasy with a fast-paced plot in which the girls, who become friends, have to resist threats from beings from several universes. I like to think the characters are engaging and the plot unusual.       

SD: How much of yourself is in your character(s)?

CM: I think when I start to write there’s quite a bit of me in many of my characters – at least in the early scenes when the kernel of the character is developing, but that diminishes as the characters and stories develop. 

SD: What advice would you give to an aspiring author? 

CM: Read and write as much and as widely as possible. Also, join a writers’ organization – these can be great sources of support and knowledge – and find a group of writing buddies so you can get in the habit of receiving and giving constructive criticism. 

SD: Is there anything else that you'd like to share? 

CM: I began writing Membrane after reading The Universe Next Door by Marcus Chown in which he writes that some physicists believe there may be an infinite number of parallel universes in which there are an infinite number of versions of each of us living out parallel lives. I found that a fascinating and slightly creepy idea. It’s interesting how real life, real news, real science, inspire us… Thanks for the chance to share my work!

~End Interview~

I enjoy reading books that have messages in them and leave us thinking afterwards about life and the wonderful mysteries of this amazing universe we live in. Stories like this tend to strike everyone differently and makes us think about things in different yet similar ways. 

*Don't forget to leave a comment telling me the main character's name in Membrane who comes from a parallel universe to enter the giveaway to win an ebook copy of Membrane.*

Thank you for joining us in Inside the Writer's Mind. 

About Carol: 

Carol Moreira is an award-winning journalist based in St. Margaret’s Bay, Nova Scotia. Her debut novel, the young adult book Charged, was published by James Lorimer in 2008. She is currently editor of the business news site www.entrevestor.com, run by her husband, as well as editor of Celtic Life International magazine.

You can find her on: Facebook; Twitter; and Goodreads.