Hello, friends! Today I have the pleasure of interviewing author Carrie Whitethorne. Carrie is a bestselling author with several published works under her belt and more on the way. Originally from a small town in South Yorkshire, Carrie now lives with her husband and two children. She enjoys incorporating British folklore into her works, and is a fan of fantasy and dystopian novels.
If you’d like to check her out on social media or learn more about her works, you can do so through these sites:
You can check out her first novel, Riftkeepers: Prime, at http://mybook.to/Prime, which is available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.
Alright! So let’s get started with the interview!
1) Were there any particular books/events that inspired you to start writing?
I’ve always been a fan of fantasy novels. I was introduced to Tolkien when I was eight, and that began a lifelong love of all things fantasy.
2) What is your writing background?
I used to write a lot as a child, then abandoned the practice for social pursuits in my teens. I didn’t pick it back up until I was in my thirties when I began writing my Riftkeepers Series.
3) What is your writing process? Is it a set process or more fluid? What inspires you?
My first book was written, so to speak. No thought, no planning, I just wrote it. I try to plan the story out, however loosely, then build on that. I do give my characters biographies, I detail places and their descriptions in a separate document for reference. The character biography is always stuck to, but the outline of the plot is often strayed from. I allow my characters to lead the way, and if they take an unexpected turn, I let them.
4) What advice do you have for new/aspiring writers?
Write. Every chance you get, write. It doesn’t really matter what you write, but the habit of sitting down and creating something from whatever is going through your mind is always a good practice.
5) Do you draw inspiration from pop culture (TV Shows, Video Games, Movies, etc), and if so, which ones?
I got a lot of my magical ideas from playing World of Warcraft, an MMORPG. I used to play a warlock and magical powers have been a big influence in my Riftkeepers series.
6) You’re trapped on an island, but are allowed to bring one person, one food item, and one object. What are your choices?
My husband, a cake, and a bottle of gin. If we’re stuck there, we may as well enjoy ourselves.
7) What drew you to your genres in general?
It was inevitable that I would write fantasy and paranormal romance. I am a romantic, I’ve been with my husband since we were teens, and my love of fairy tales, folk lore and fantasy tv, film and books made them the perfect genres for me.
8) What project have you enjoyed working on the most?
I co-wrote a book with another author earlier this year, that was a lot of fun. Bouncing ideas back and forth, really working as a team to create new people and a new world. I really did enjoy that.
9) What is the deciding factor on whether or not to pursue a project?
If it’s worth pursuing, the whole story will unfold in my head and I can get the basics down on paper. If this doesn’t happen, there is little point in chasing the idea. I make the notes, save them on the laptop, and revisit them if something else comes to mind, but I never force it.
Thank you for the lovely interview, Carrie! It was interesting to learn how Carrie sticks to her character biographies, but is fluid with the plot’s outline. It was also to learn about her enjoyment in co-writing projects. Having worked with co-authors on a few projects myself, I can attest to the fact that there are definitely aspects of collaboration that are enjoyable!
I hope you all enjoyed learning about Carrie as much as I did. I am excited to see where her Riftkeeper series will go from here!
-Ammar
Ammar Habib's Blog 