Interview with Carey Decevito

 

Biography

Born and raised in small town Northern Ontario, Canada, award-winning author, Carey Decevito has had a penchant for reading and writing for as long as she can remember.

As an adult however, more than a decade had come to pass before sleepless nights plagued her with exhaustion, demanding that she put pen to paper (more like fingers to keyboard) and start writing again.

And the rest, as they say, is history!

A writer of erotic romance, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense, this lover of food will throw in a bit of heat, a dash of sass, a pinch of comedy, and a dollop of real-life experience in order to provide her readers with a story that will mess with their emotions from start to finish.

Family and friends are her lifeblood but Carey also enjoys conquering the outdoors, sports, traveling, and playing tourist in Canada’s National Capital region. When life gets crazy, she seeks respite through her writing and submersing herself in the latest addition to her library. If all else fails, she knows there’s never a dull moment with her two daughters, her goofy husband and their dog who she swears is out to get her.

Credit : https://careydecevitobooks.com/

Questions

Which of your novels do you recommend to a new reader and why?

I would highly recommend Once Written, Twice Shy. Paxton and Alissa’s story will have you laughing, crying, cursing a blue streak a mile wide, and hit you in the ‘feels’. All of my books, with the exception of the Essence Extracted Trilogy, can be read as standalones, but I’d still recommend starting at the beginning as you’ll catch cameos and mentions of characters that have been featured before.

You write different type of romances novels, which one was the most difficult to write and why?

The most difficult novel that I’ve written so far is Night Hack. I had begun its writing process just as my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After a hard-fought battle, for nearly a year and a half, we lost him. The grieving process messed with my muse. Where I could find the words, I had numbed myself emotionally. It took me a number of years—nearly three to be exact—to ‘feel’ my characters. It’s an odd conundrum really, knowing what you’re writing, but being unable to add the emotion.

Did you decided to self-publish before you finish your first novel and why?

I’ve written a multitude of novels, short stories, and some poetry over the years. I’ve written for as long as I can remember, but it was only for myself. In 2012, I started to post some of my new work to an online venue, and then I realized I could do this. I’ve queried with publishers and agents a few times, but after a lot of researching, having numerous heart-to-hearts with myself, I opted to self-publish. I like the creative control that comes with it, but self-publishing is a tedious endeavor. You’re not just an author--you’re a marketing specialist, you’re the deep pockets, you control everyone you work with from photographers, to cover designers, to editors and proofreaders. It’s a lot, but I love it—I get to feed my other creative beasts with assorted tasks.

What are your inspirations?

I get my inspiration from everywhere. It can be in the source of a news article or clip online or on TV, it can come to me in a dream, or daydream. Heck, sometimes an idea pops up just from a conversation with a relative, friend or colleague. I might get an idea from a book, from personal experience, or an acquaintance’s experience. Ultimately, those may bring ideas, but my inspiration truly rests in the support of those I surround myself with, and my enormous love for the written word.

Do you read other genres than romance?

I’m known to pick up a good mystery-thriller when I’m not actively writing. Reading outside of any form of romance when I’m writing messes with my mojo and next thing I know, I have something pretty dark. However, I can get away with it when I’m writing romantic suspense! I also love non-fiction works, usually biographies.

What advice would you give to a new author?

My biggest piece of advice would be to make sure that before you hit that publish button, that you’ve ensured quality workmanship. Hire an editor, a proof-reader, get a list of trusted beta readers, and a formatter. Outsiders are distanced from your manuscript, and they can pick up on potential issues, mistakes, and gaps in your storyline that you can’t because you’re too close to the story. Take their criticism constructively, and make that book shine!

What are your next projects?

My next project is to finish the Nightshade series with first, Night Vengeance, and then a cross-over novel yet to be titled, which will mark the kickoff of my Magnolia Lane series, a small-town contemporary romance/romantic comedy series.