Ask the Author: Cara Malone
Answered Questions (8)
Cara Malone
I would have loved to book club this novel... I have so many thoughts and feelings about this book.
The style was definitely interesting - I was so confused by the nightmarish quality of the opening chapter in the department store, until I did a little digging into Highsmith's other works and discovered that this book is the exception rather than the rule when it comes to her genre and style preferences. I enjoyed the Kerouac-meets-Lovecraft vibe, but on the other hand I must confess I also found it tedious at times - I like the beat generation but I also sometimes wish they wouldn't meander as much as they do!
As for the story and the ending, again, mixed feelings. I can't discount the historical significance of a happy ending for Carol and Therese, but I also can't help thinking that their relationship is probably not going to be the most healthy thing in the world. Carol has so much on her plate throughout this story, and Therese is just discovering who she is. Neither of those point to a solid foundation on which to build a relationship, but I guess we can extrapolate out to a time when Carol's demons are slain and Therese is confident in her identity, and the two of them are happy together.
Thanks for asking, Sophie :)
The style was definitely interesting - I was so confused by the nightmarish quality of the opening chapter in the department store, until I did a little digging into Highsmith's other works and discovered that this book is the exception rather than the rule when it comes to her genre and style preferences. I enjoyed the Kerouac-meets-Lovecraft vibe, but on the other hand I must confess I also found it tedious at times - I like the beat generation but I also sometimes wish they wouldn't meander as much as they do!
As for the story and the ending, again, mixed feelings. I can't discount the historical significance of a happy ending for Carol and Therese, but I also can't help thinking that their relationship is probably not going to be the most healthy thing in the world. Carol has so much on her plate throughout this story, and Therese is just discovering who she is. Neither of those point to a solid foundation on which to build a relationship, but I guess we can extrapolate out to a time when Carol's demons are slain and Therese is confident in her identity, and the two of them are happy together.
Thanks for asking, Sophie :)
Cara Malone
Right now I'm finishing up the final draft of a medical romance called The Origins of Heartbreak. I've been fascinated with the intersection of lesfic and medical drama ever since Shonda Rhimes gave the world Calzona, so I wanted to bring my own set of sexy, smart doctors to the (operating) table :)
Cara Malone
That thing about your characters having a mind of their own? Yeah, that really does happen from time to time - usually in the form of unexpected dialog or backstory that comes out of nowhere. It's an incredible sensation to build a world and come to feel like your characters are real people.
Cara Malone
I still haven't gotten around to Patricia Highsmith's classic, "The Price of Salt," so that one's on the list. I also can't wait to dig into Jea Hawkins' Ashland Witches series and Clare Lydon's A Girl Called London.
Cara Malone
Very rarely do I begin with an idea for a story. Usually I start with a scene or a character based on a personal experience - that gets me thinking about how I want to build the story around that piece. It's not until I've been outlining for a few days that I really get to know all of the characters and the plot starts coming together.
Cara Malone
I'm currently writing a War of the Roses-style book and drawing a lot of the inspiration from my own experiences as the proud (somewhat scared) owner of a fixer upper. When we first moved in, some parts of the house were the stuff of nightmares!
Cara Malone
Read! If you want to improve your craft, the best thing you can do is read voraciously and learn from your idols. After that, just keep writing - never stop pursuing your passions.
Cara Malone
I just power through it! The longer I allow myself to go without writing, the less I feel like doing it. Creativity breeds further creativity, in my experience, and even if I sit down without a single idea in my head, if I keep my fingers moving on the keyboard something will come to me.
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Oct 23, 2017 09:10PM