Welcome to Readers Write to Know! I asked you, my readers, what questions they would ask their favorite authors if given the chance. This week, I’m pleased to introduce you to Carol Post. Carol’s interview makes me miss living in Florida. I can imagine sitting on the beach with my laptop and writing. She is a fellow Romance Writer of America member. Read on and see how you can enter to win a copy of her book, Shattered Haven!
Tell us about yourself. From medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, my resume reads as if I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. But one thing that has remained constant through the years is my love for writing. I started as a child writing poetry for family and friends, then graduated to articles and finally novels. In 2012, I got “the call” and have been writing for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line ever since. I live in sunshiny Central Florida with my husband of thirty-four years, who is my own real-life hero, and enjoy sailing, hiking, camping—almost anything outdoors. My two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for my liking, so I now pour all that nurturing into taking care of two fat and sassy cats and one highly spoiled dog.
Tell us about your current release. No Safe Harbor: Allison Winchester’s old Victorian house contains a valuable secret code, one that someone is dead set on uncovering. After her house is ransacked and her life is threatened, she has no choice but to accept the protection of injured ex-cop Blake Townsend. Allison never thought she’d trust a man with secrets again—and Blake is as much a mystery as the man who is stalking her. The lawman vows to shield her from the dangerous criminal. But can Blake and Allison decipher the mysterious code before their island safe haven becomes their ultimate resting place?
Who was your first Screen/Musical Crush? My very first screen crush was Jack Wild on H.R. Pufnstuf. After that was Gilligan. I’m serious! I know, pathetic, huh? In my defense, I was in elementary school at the time. When I grew up, it was Kevin Sorbo from the Hercules series. Long hair and muscles, along with a sense of humor – what’s not to love?
Do you have your plotline and character development already laid out before you begin writing a book, or do they develop as you write? I’m an extreme plotter. I start with a story idea, come up with my major plot points and then plan the book scene by scene, trying to do a short paragraph for each scene. Then I finish developing my characters. Finally, I sit down and start writing the book. I find that having that paragraph to tell me where I’m going for each scene, I never face 
Welcome to Readers Write to Know! I asked you, my readers, what questions they would ask their favorite authors if given the chance. This week, I’m pleased to introduce you to Carol Post. Carol’s interview makes me miss living in Florida. I can imagine sitting on the beach with my laptop and writing. She is a fellow Romance Writer of America member. Read on and see how you can enter to win a copy of her book, Shattered Haven!writer’s block.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers? My biggest piece of advice for aspiring writers is to join a writers’ group. Many offer great workshops, which really help you learn the craft. They are also good sources of encouragement. Writing is very much a solitary activity, and it’s easy to get discouraged. Making the journey with a bunch of other like-minded people is much easier than doing it alone. Workshops and conferences are also great opportunities to get your work in front of agents and editors.
What is your preferred method of writing? (computer, pen & paper, etc.) I always write on my laptop. It goes with me pretty much everywhere I go. I use a writing program that I love called Scrivener. I can split the screen and while I’m writing my scenes on one side of the screen, on the other side I can have character sketches, the plot plan, note cards, the romance arc, or any of the other things I like to refer to as I write.
What were some of your major roadblocks and how did you overcome them? My biggest roadblock to getting published was discouragement. I started writing in the late 1990s, but got discouraged and quit several times. I didn’t realize that the road to publication is usually paved with lots and lots of rejection and had a hard time handling what I thought of as failure. When I went back to it in 2009, I decided I was going to stick with it all the way through publication, no matter how long it took. That was when I learned about Romance Writers of America and my local chapter. There I found the encouragement and support I needed to keep pushing forward and not give up.
What is your inspiration for writing? I always feel most inspired when I’m outdoors. When I’m at home, I sit at the table in the screen room. I’ve also been known to write on the beach, on the boat, in the woods and beside a river. I find nature, especially water, very soothing. Fortunately, I live in Florida, so I get to enjoy the outdoors pretty much all year long.
What do you do when you hit a roadblock and have NO idea what to write? Since I plot so thoroughly before I start the actual writing process, I don’t usually hit roadblocks during a book. But I sometimes do during the plotting process. Whenever I’m stuck, I email what I have to my critique partners, and they help me brainstorm it. I have three awesome critique partners who have bailed me out more than once.
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I’m so grateful for your visit, today.
You would bless me if you added me to your feed reader or subscribed via email. You can also become a fan on Facebook or follow me on Twitter. I would love to see more of you!