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TRRC is happy to introduce Ms. Carly Phillips as one of
our authors of the month for July. A little over a year ago, my then
four-year-old daughter was throwing one of those unexpected,
short-lived fevers. I was
a little stressed out with the catering to her every whine, on top of
the typical motherly worries about having a sick child.
That day, I can’t remember why exactly, but I had to drop a
note to Carly Phillips. Now
whether she remembers it or not, she sent me back a note saying she
was a mom to two girls herself and knew exactly what I was going
through. It sounds silly,
but suddenly the “writer” became human in my mind, we all have a
tendency to put authors up on a different plateau, and learning Carly
was a stay home mom close to my age brought her more to my level.
Only she writes much, much faster than I could on my most
productive day! <G>
I am thrilled to introduce Carly Phillips to our
readers. If you have not
experienced any of her books, do so!
You are missing some fantastic romances! Be sure to visit
her website (www.carlyphillips.com) for a complete backlist, contests
and much more!
Tracy - THE BACHELOR marks your debut into
full-length romance. For
readers who are not familiar with series romance, and who may not have
read your previous books, can you tell us a little more about
yourself?
Carly - I'm a lawyer, turned stay at home
mom, turned romance writer. I've
been married for thirteen years this July to my husband.
We met in college and have two daughters, ages ten and six, and
a frisky Wheaton Terrier who's the baby boy in the family.
I've always been an avid reader and I love writing stories with
happy endings.
Tracy - THE BACHELOR, being a longer book,
must have been a thrill to write.
You were able to focus on developing the secondary characters
as well as the main romance between Roman and Charlotte.
Did you find it hard to adjust to the word length difference
and the opportunity to add many more sub-plots?
Carly - I loved writing THE BACHELOR.
Adding the panty thief subplot was a hoot and I had so much
fun. I thought I'd find
it difficult to adjust to the longer format.
Amazingly, THE BACHELOR wrote itself.
On the other hand, THE PLAYBOY was more character driven and I
had a harder time adjusting with the second story than with the first!
But in the end, I'm happy with all three Chandler brothers.
Tracy - Your December 2001 Blaze, EROTIC
INVITATION, was one of the more heavily discussed Blaze books on the
discussion boards. You
have a law degree as well, was there any part of you in Mallory’s
character?
Carly - That's so funny.
I think the only part of Mallory that I can relate to is the
environment in which she worked.
The mostly male, all boys network that excluded women or made
it more difficult for them to succeed - that's something I experienced
and could relate to. But
Mallory's drive and determination to prove herself there - that's not
me at all. I was so happy
to leave "lawyering" behind.
Writing romance is so much more me!
Tracy - One of the toughest and rewarding
jobs is being a stay home parent, which you do.
How do you balance your writing and the needs of your girls?
Carly - Not easily!
And not without a whole lot of guilt. Honestly
it's hard. Even now as
I'm answering these questions, they want me to do things and I'm
putting them off a few minutes. It's
not easy at all. I try to
find that balance and give them enough of "me" while still
teaching them to respect my work time.
It isn't an easy job but as you said, it's so rewarding.
I have the greatest kids and I adore them.
Tracy - Along those lines, you have three
books out this year and five in 2003 if I am not mistaken.
How do you schedule your time?
Four books in one year is a lot of writing!! (Not to mention
having Janelle Denison for a critique partner, I would get lost in her
books and never get anything done!)
Carly - LOL!
I always get lost in Janelle's books.
Awed is more like it too.
I have found that I can't plan to write.
If I look at the calendar for the week and see an entire day
free, inevitably one of the girls gets sick and no work gets done, yet
if I see an entire day booked up at school or with appointments, but I
find one hour free for myself, I can write more pages than if I stare
at a screen for hours at a time.
So generally I wake up, check email, wake the girls and once
they're out of the house, I try to write.
My goal is always 25 pages a week (I don't always accomplish it
and sometimes I do more) but if I can think, 5 pages a day, 5 days a
week, that's "doable" for me.
Then if it turns out to be ten one day and two another, that's
okay. I'm not regimented
or tied to a writing schedule. With
a family, I find I can't be.
Tracy - Your original books were released
under your real name – Karen Drogin.
What led to the pseudonym?
Carly - Actually my first book sold was a
Temptation under Carly Phillips.
Harlequin wanted a "hip" with-it name and I wanted a
tie to my real life. "Phillip"
is my husband's name, someone recommended Phillips as a last name for
that reason. So somehow,
Carly Phillips was born. :) The
second book I sold was a Zebra Bouquet.
I wrote three of those under my real name, Karen Drogin.
But as you know, Bouquet didn't last, and my audience follows
Carly Phillips and my hotter books.
So that's the only name I write under now.
Much simpler to have one name to promote.
Tracy - I hear you are an SEP fan.
Have you started BREATHING ROOM yet?
Carly - Not yet! I bought it the day it
came out and it's sitting on my nightstand.
It's a treat for when I really feel I've gotten far into my
current work in progress. Then
I'll let myself start it!
Tracy - What are some of your favorite
books? Did any of these
authors shape your desire to become a writer?
Carly - The two main authors who shaped my
desire to write were LaVyrle Spencer and Catherine Coulter.
LaVyrle Spencer - I was reading her hardcovers and somehow
backtracked into her older books, specifically SEPARATE BEDS.
I was hooked. That
somehow led me to Harlequins and I found this whole world of happily
ever after. I couldn't
imagine anything better and I decided to try my hand at writing.
I never thought, nor do I now think, I can write better than
the authors I love. I'm
just grateful to be writing and selling!
I adored Catherine Coulter's oldest historicals (Sherbrooke
trilogy, etc.) but I don't want to write historical.
Today I devour anything by Susan Andersen or Rachel Gibson,
too.
Tracy - I must comment on your favorite
song – “Another Auld Lang Syne” which I believe is Dan
Fogelberg’s “Same Auld Lang Syne”
(I have seen it titled both ways, but on his album it is the
latter.) Any story behind
this song being your favorite? I
have reasons for asking <g> it was the song playing on the radio
when my husband proposed to me on Christmas morning.
Carly - Oh that's so romantic!
There is something in that song that calls to me.
It just hits me in my heart.
When I started writing, I played that song over and over and
over as inspiration as I plugged on, not really knowing what I was
doing, but feeling that if I heard his music and that song, the
emotions would come.
Tracy - What’s up next for you?
Carly - I have a very full writing
schedule ahead of me. In
addition to THE PLAYBOY 12/02 and THE LONER 5/03, I have a Temptation
Heat called SIMPLY SEXY also out 12/02.
I'm finishing up THE LONER as we speak, move on to write a
story in a Blaze Anthology called INVITATIONS TO SEDUCTION, then
SIMPLY SULTRY, Harlequin 10/03, then a re-issue of the three original
SIMPLY books (Simply Sinful, Simply Scandalous, and Simply Sensual) in
one book called SIMPLY SEDUCTIVE, Carly Phillips by Request, 11/03 and
a Harlequin Anthology in 12/03 that will spin off into a three book
Carly Phillips Blaze/Temptation crossover series. I'm busy :)
Happily busy! For
a complete list of upcoming books, you can visit my website: www.carlyphillips.com.
Tracy - Thanks so much for your time!
I am forever a fan and can’t wait for THE PLAYBOY!
I have it noted on my memo board that I want to find it in my
stocking! If there is
anything else you would like to mention, please do not hesitate.
Carly - Thanks so much for talking with
me. I love your site and
I hope Santa puts THE PLAYBOY in your stocking!
I'd just like to invite readers to visit my website at: www.carlyphillips.com
where I have monthly contests, excerpts, and more.
Also I love to hear from readers so write me at: P.O. Box 483,
Dept. 1002, Purchase, NY 10577 or email at: carly@carlyphillips.com.
(Click
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