Author: ADDISON CARMICHAEL
Book: CRIMSON MOON (Book #1 – Red Moon Prophecy)
What is something unique/quirky about you?
I am a people-watcher, and many times that makes strangers notice, grab their children, then quickly walk away. It’s not that I’m some creepazoid stalker. I just find people fascinating, interesting, and they often spill over into my stories at later times. I’m a student of human nature.
What are you passionate about these days?
Writing stories that will outlive me. I try to make sure every book and character and HEA is polished to shine long after I leave this world to inspire and give hope to others for a better love and life for themselves.
What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?
Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis), Twilight (Stephanie Meyers), Outlander (Diana Gabaldon),
Pride & Prejudice (Jane Austen), Christine (Stephen King), Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare),
Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery), The Witness (Sandra Brown), Dark series (Christine Feehan)
What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
Traveled to London and visited several castles, pubs and museums where many of my favorite literary writers frequented.
What inspired you to write this book?
I wanted to write an entire series that features vampires, werewolves and mages, but in such a way that you see both the good and bad of them all. So it was perfect to have a werewolf/mage mother and vampire father (the prequel HUNTER’S MOON) to give birth to three daughters (CRIMSON MOON, WOLF MOON, CRYSTAL MOON) each in a dormant human state, then each decide which love interest and ultimate direction they would go.
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
I have partial reigns of the story, at least at first. Then when my muse takes over and new characters and plot lines and mysteries pop out, I sit back and enjoy the wild ride!
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Typically I’ve been writing mainly shifters, so this was my first opportunity to dig into the vampire and sorcerer worlds, and it’s been thrilling! I like to take the actual mythology, play on the typical PNR tropes, then develop my own. Hopefully this lends to a more realistic new world that I can transport my reader to.
What can we expect from you in the future?
I already have two shifter series—SONS OF THE ALPHA and BLACK SKY DRAGONS. After Red Moon Prophecy, I plan to write and release another 4-book wolf shifter series DAUGHTERS OF THE ALPHA, in the same world as SOA. Like SONS, they each will be based on fairytale themes with a very interesting wolfy twist!
Why do you feel the RED MOON PROPHECY is a must read series?
If you enjoy the PNR genre, this series gives all the delicious tropes of vampires, shifters and mages. You’ll get to jeer and cheer and swoon and love every species in their own unique way, and hopefully be as indecisive and grateful which world each heroine should choose to love and land in for their own HEA.
What makes a good story?
There is always the basic story structure every writer MUST adhere to: hero-villain-mentor-problem-conflict/solution-battle-resolution. If your story doesn’t contain these, it’s just some personal diary entry that no other reader would be interested in. To make a good story and especially a great one, the writer must take themselves out of the equation and remember who it is they are truly writing for (hint—it isn’t you, dear writer. You should only be a scribe to the muse in charge.)
Do you see writing as a career?
Writing stories is more of a calling and need, than a career. Gratefully, I’m able to make my passion into a fulltime career.
What made you want to become an author and do you feel it was the right decision?
See answer above. It was a need, not a want or even a decision.
What do you think about the current publishing market?
Indie writers and published books have now officially exceeded the BIG 5 pub houses. I’m glad, since it has personally allowed me much more control over my content and marketing efforts. It has also allowed so many more talented authors’ stories to be read that would have otherwise been silenced, since they weren’t personally able to “grab the brass Trad House ring”.
Advice you would give new authors?
Remember this is a lifelong journey, not a “get rich quick” sprint. Don’t be too impatient with yourself or lack of fast success. They only person you really have to compete with is yourself.
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
To believe there is an actual place to aspire to. You will never, ever say “there, I’ve finally made it.” It will never happen. Sure, you see a few phenoms who write one book that becomes a mega-bestseller, but that’s the exception, not the norm. Don’t compare your own writing career to theirs. It’s not an even exchange.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
“Never give up! Never surrender!” (Buzz Lightyear)
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