Friday's 5 with Carmen Stevens

Carmen Gross, pen name Carmen Stevens, was born in Fargo, ND, March 1992. She currently resides in Detroit Lakes, MN, where she works and attends college full time. Carmen published her novel "Anne" in July 2013-an exciting, richly-written historical work about a young English girl who makes many bad choices throughout her life and then struggles to find redemption.

When I take part in author interviews, a question that keeps coming up in those interviews is what inspired me to write "Anne". I've always loved writing, but just before I started to write this story, I was taking a break from it. I think I might've had writer's block. But two of my sisters were avid writers as well, and they inspired me to get back to writing. I thought that I wanted to write a big project like a novel, so I started brainstorming ideas for such a novel.

I've always loved historical fiction, and the country of England as well. I decided to write something that took place in old England, and then I created a female protagonist whose personality, I think, stems from my dark side. Then I thought about the themes I wanted to portray throughout my story. Just before writing this story, my eyes had begun to open to the kind of world we were really living in. I'm sure there's more good in the world than bad, but I had begun to notice the bad, too. So then I thought of things like love and its power, hope, faith, and happiness. I decided to incorporate all of these things, and more, into my book.

In my novel, you will find that there is no such thing as fate, that we are the authors of our own destinies. You will also read about how powerful an element love really is, never giving up in life, always moving forward into the future, having hope and faith, and making the world the best that it can be by loving and respecting one another. These are the things I hope to depict through the story of my historical fiction novel, and I hope that I've covered these subjects in detail throughout my story. Now, to everyone who took the time to read this biography in its entirety, I want to say thank you, and I want to dedicate my novel to all of you.

1.) When did you first get serious about writing?

A.) I've always loved writing, but some years ago, I decided to use my love of writing to write a novel that focused on themes of love, life, happiness, and treating each other with respect, a novel that hopefully readers wouldn't soon forget.

2.) What is the hardest part for you about writing?

A.) Keeping my characters in character, I think.



3.) How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?

A.) I felt triumphant, but I knew that I still had plenty of work to do. I had to get the word out about my book so people would want to check it out.

4.) What is more important to you, story, or character? Why?

A.) I think both are equally important to me. When I first start writing a story, I focus more on the characters, but as the story unfolds, I find myself focusing more on the plot.

5.) What is a typical day like in your world?

A.)  I get up, promote my book, go to work part-time, take my daily walk, do my homework (I'm a paralegal student at a community college, but my classes are online), and perform what other obligations I have for that particular day.


Links:

Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Carmen-Stevens/e/B00E543702/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Anne: http://www.amazon.com/Anne-Carmen-Stevens-ebook/dp/B00E4D3HY0
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/372253
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18245315-anne
Blog: https://bubblymissy16.wordpress.com/

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