Ask the Author: Carla René
Answered Questions (4)
Carla René
Hi, Gordon,
Apologies--I don't think I'm getting these notifications!
Favourite book? Well, that's hard. I guess I have favourite books, or even scenes from books for different reasons.
I love The Gaslight Journal because it lived in my mind so vividly as I was writing it. And since it's set primarily at Christmas, and that's my favourite time of year, each time I would sit down to write in the evenings, I would enhance the mood; light candles, lower the lights, and burn my favourite Christmas scent, Nöel, by Crabtree & Evelyn. I'd also put on some of my favourite classical music Christmas CDs, and then just go to it. If it wasn't snowing outside (and it was rare to get it in Nashville until at least January), at least lowering the lights and setting the mood inside would make it easier to picture the heavy, wet snow as it drifted slowly by my window outside.
Writing the scenes with snow were definitely the most fun because I grew up in the mountains of West Virginia so can easily picture myself immersed in the white stuff, but also loved seeing how the book was finally going to end. I had worked on this off-and-on for over ten years; at one point I even stopped working on it, certain it would never see the light of day. Then about a month after I found a temporary living situation when I was homeless, my landlady strongly encouraged me to pick it back up again and see what I could do. I had no car and she didn't live too close to places where I could find work, so that's exactly what I did. I went from having 3 full chapters done when I started, to a full, completed book with seventeen editorial passes and comments/changes from a team of Beta readers in just two months, letting me publish it on Thanksgiving Day, 2010.
Gaslight was definitely harder in some ways, because I crafted each word, being influenced heavily by Jane Austen, and wanted to walk that fine line every Historical Fiction author must walk: do we pay homage to the actual language, or remember that we have modern readers?
I had to compromise, and I think I did that well by shortening scenes and paragraphs, where normally those would languish and be intensely descriptive. I had to keep in mind that while *I* adore every word that dripped from Austen's pen, not everyone appreciates her, so thus came the compromise. Since today's readers generally can't read above a fifth-grade reading level, and her vocabulary choice would challenge a college professor, and readers won't tolerate sitting through a Nathaniel Hawthorne-type longish descriptive text, even my dialogue pace had to be quick and short, almost like JA Konrath's procedural style.
HOWEVER, I guess my favourite things to write would definitely be comedy. Being a stand-up comedienne and studying with Second City in Chicago to learn long-form improvisation, means I have a good base for comedy. As a comedic stage actor, I was even nominated for two awards for best leading lady in a comedy my first year. And improv and stand-up are INVALUABLE skills to have as a comedy writer. Character creation is nearly impossible without using the ability to simply get into that emotional state and then riff into a recorder. Because merely writing from your chair is okay, but "writing on your feet" (a phrase that I think Viola Spolin [she founded Second City] coined to describe improvisation) really ramps up the emotional fuel behind your dialogue, and THAT is what makes dialogue great and realistic. Combine that foot-writing with all kinds of ridiculous conflict, and you've got a recipe for an amazing book.
I have two comedy collections, but I had five short-story pieces accepted for national comedy magazine publication within a six-month-period in 2011 when I began writing. So, it comes easily to me. NOW. Even though I already had an established background of comedy performing and writing my own stand-up material, it still took me a good while to develop my comedic voice in the form of fiction.
Phew! Way more information than what you wanted, I'm sure, but it was a great question no one's ever asked, and I was honoured to be able to give you a thorough answer.
Once again, my apologies on just now seeing this. I'm missing a lot of questions from folks so will have to see if my settings need changed.
Thank-you again!
Apologies--I don't think I'm getting these notifications!
Favourite book? Well, that's hard. I guess I have favourite books, or even scenes from books for different reasons.
I love The Gaslight Journal because it lived in my mind so vividly as I was writing it. And since it's set primarily at Christmas, and that's my favourite time of year, each time I would sit down to write in the evenings, I would enhance the mood; light candles, lower the lights, and burn my favourite Christmas scent, Nöel, by Crabtree & Evelyn. I'd also put on some of my favourite classical music Christmas CDs, and then just go to it. If it wasn't snowing outside (and it was rare to get it in Nashville until at least January), at least lowering the lights and setting the mood inside would make it easier to picture the heavy, wet snow as it drifted slowly by my window outside.
Writing the scenes with snow were definitely the most fun because I grew up in the mountains of West Virginia so can easily picture myself immersed in the white stuff, but also loved seeing how the book was finally going to end. I had worked on this off-and-on for over ten years; at one point I even stopped working on it, certain it would never see the light of day. Then about a month after I found a temporary living situation when I was homeless, my landlady strongly encouraged me to pick it back up again and see what I could do. I had no car and she didn't live too close to places where I could find work, so that's exactly what I did. I went from having 3 full chapters done when I started, to a full, completed book with seventeen editorial passes and comments/changes from a team of Beta readers in just two months, letting me publish it on Thanksgiving Day, 2010.
Gaslight was definitely harder in some ways, because I crafted each word, being influenced heavily by Jane Austen, and wanted to walk that fine line every Historical Fiction author must walk: do we pay homage to the actual language, or remember that we have modern readers?
I had to compromise, and I think I did that well by shortening scenes and paragraphs, where normally those would languish and be intensely descriptive. I had to keep in mind that while *I* adore every word that dripped from Austen's pen, not everyone appreciates her, so thus came the compromise. Since today's readers generally can't read above a fifth-grade reading level, and her vocabulary choice would challenge a college professor, and readers won't tolerate sitting through a Nathaniel Hawthorne-type longish descriptive text, even my dialogue pace had to be quick and short, almost like JA Konrath's procedural style.
HOWEVER, I guess my favourite things to write would definitely be comedy. Being a stand-up comedienne and studying with Second City in Chicago to learn long-form improvisation, means I have a good base for comedy. As a comedic stage actor, I was even nominated for two awards for best leading lady in a comedy my first year. And improv and stand-up are INVALUABLE skills to have as a comedy writer. Character creation is nearly impossible without using the ability to simply get into that emotional state and then riff into a recorder. Because merely writing from your chair is okay, but "writing on your feet" (a phrase that I think Viola Spolin [she founded Second City] coined to describe improvisation) really ramps up the emotional fuel behind your dialogue, and THAT is what makes dialogue great and realistic. Combine that foot-writing with all kinds of ridiculous conflict, and you've got a recipe for an amazing book.
I have two comedy collections, but I had five short-story pieces accepted for national comedy magazine publication within a six-month-period in 2011 when I began writing. So, it comes easily to me. NOW. Even though I already had an established background of comedy performing and writing my own stand-up material, it still took me a good while to develop my comedic voice in the form of fiction.
Phew! Way more information than what you wanted, I'm sure, but it was a great question no one's ever asked, and I was honoured to be able to give you a thorough answer.
Once again, my apologies on just now seeing this. I'm missing a lot of questions from folks so will have to see if my settings need changed.
Thank-you again!
Carla René
Hi, James,
Forgive me for just now seeing this! I don't think their notifications for this feature are working.
Since you're a Goodreads author, you must then join the Librarians Group. Once you're a member, you must then request that those moderators either separate or combine certain editions of your books. It's a gigantic pain in the butt, I know, but sadly, since I've joined in 2011, it's the only way you can get this task accomplished.
Cheers.
Forgive me for just now seeing this! I don't think their notifications for this feature are working.
Since you're a Goodreads author, you must then join the Librarians Group. Once you're a member, you must then request that those moderators either separate or combine certain editions of your books. It's a gigantic pain in the butt, I know, but sadly, since I've joined in 2011, it's the only way you can get this task accomplished.
Cheers.
Carla René
Hi, Tom,
I'm not sure I understand your question. If you write, then you need to be involved in the process of critiquing. I've set part of the group up for discussions of various genres that pertain to historical fiction resources, submissions, and resources for educators.
But there's also a folder for posting the early draft of a WIP you have. Please go to the critique folder and read the "READ ME FIRST!" discussion that I've set up just to see why this process is so integral to the success of the author who's both giving and receiving the critiques. I've had a VERY difficult time in getting folks to understand the process and necessity, but I've had a few very brave folks jump in, and it's been wonderful.
Thanks so much, and srry I'm just now seeing this!
I'm not sure I understand your question. If you write, then you need to be involved in the process of critiquing. I've set part of the group up for discussions of various genres that pertain to historical fiction resources, submissions, and resources for educators.
But there's also a folder for posting the early draft of a WIP you have. Please go to the critique folder and read the "READ ME FIRST!" discussion that I've set up just to see why this process is so integral to the success of the author who's both giving and receiving the critiques. I've had a VERY difficult time in getting folks to understand the process and necessity, but I've had a few very brave folks jump in, and it's been wonderful.
Thanks so much, and srry I'm just now seeing this!
Carla René
I hope you're talking about Writing Historical Fiction, because I also moderate another group about comedy-writing. THIS page, where you've landed, is my personal author page where I answer questions regarding my books.
But yes, absolutely.
I am pursuing double doctorates in Astrophysics and Applied Mathematics, so I've tried to set up the group to be self-sustaining. Just read the "READ ME FIRST!" discussion in each separate folder to see the specific rules, and then jump in and have fun! I poke my head in from time-to-time.
So, if you're new here, please post your introduction, and then jump in by posting an excerpt from a new WIP and let the community offer critiques, that you then return with another member.
I've tried to stress the importance of how critiquing very early in the process is crucial for writers at any level; the more we do it, the less work our editors end up doing.
But yes, absolutely.
I am pursuing double doctorates in Astrophysics and Applied Mathematics, so I've tried to set up the group to be self-sustaining. Just read the "READ ME FIRST!" discussion in each separate folder to see the specific rules, and then jump in and have fun! I poke my head in from time-to-time.
So, if you're new here, please post your introduction, and then jump in by posting an excerpt from a new WIP and let the community offer critiques, that you then return with another member.
I've tried to stress the importance of how critiquing very early in the process is crucial for writers at any level; the more we do it, the less work our editors end up doing.
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