Interview with Rachel Dawn Carrington

We have the opportunity to talk with Rachel Dawn Carrington this month.  To discuss her past and future writings experiences.  Thank you Rachel!

How did the idea of the witchcraft theme come about. Did you have to research or is it mainly fiction?

I did a lot of research on witchcraft, especially the athame which Arista uses in this book.  While I will use my imagination and creative license for some things, I try to throw in a touch of reality as much as possible.  As far as how the idea came about, well, I had been working on the wizards’ series and of course, there are witches in those books.  Then my brain started turning and I said, what if there were people whose sole purpose was to protect their city against witches.  And then my imagination took it from there.

At what point did you know when to start the book, and when to end it?

Well, I usually have a basic outline of a book before I even start it.  I know how I want the book to end, but not all the twists and turns I’ll take the characters through before I do end it.  I start books at different times.  There is no set rhyme or reason for me.  I can be two chapters away from wrapping up one and then I’ll start another.  I just knew I wanted to do this one and I got it started.

I absolutely loved the title, Hell Hath No Fury. Was this the first choice for the title, or where there others?

Thanks.  Hell Hath No Fury was the first choice for the title.  I have to have a strong working title before I begin the book.  Some people can start a book without a title or they can simply go by the characters’ names until they finish the book or reach a point where the title comes to them.  I’m not one of those people.  Once I have the outline, I have to know what the title is before I even start Chapter One.

How long does it usually take to write a book of approximately 200 pages?

I would say this depends on my schedule.  Some weeks I can write more than others.  If I were to write consistently every day, I could write a 50,000 word manuscript in about three weeks (as I’ve done this).  Hell Hath No Fury took me about two months to write.  The other book we’re going to talk about, Thirty Days Late, took me less than three weeks as it’s only 35,000 words.

When you have an idea of a book, do you approach the publishers and say I have this, or do you have to wait until it is finished?

I usually wait until the book is finished although, I have approached my publishers with, hey, I have this book I’m working on.  They’ll tell me if they want to see if when I’m done, but for the most part, I prefer to wait until I’m finished.  I will still send out queries when I’m only half-way through a book if I’m targeting a publisher I’ve never sent to before.  That way, I have two-three weeks to finish the book before that publisher makes a decision as to whether they want to see it.  It’s a challenge thing.

Dare we hope that there is a story to come with Finley as the main character?

Actually, Finley’s story is the premise for the book “To Hell and Back,” which is the sequel to “Hell Hath No Fury.”  I’m working on that one now and you won’t believe the hero she ends up with.

I noticed you used two author names, Rachel Carrington and Dawn Rachel Carrington. Do use any other alias?

Actually, my official name is Dawn Rachel Carrington.  I will write under both names and once upon a time, I wrote under my former name, Dawn Whitmire.   But those days are over.  From here on in, it will either be Rachel Carrington or Dawn Rachel Carrington, depending on what I’m writing.  I like to be able to separate the books I’m writing.  For instance, if it’s a softer book, not as sensual, then I’m going to write under Dawn Rachel Carrington.  Anything else will be written under Rachel Carrington.  It helps me to keep them straight, too!

As a writer, you are fairly versatile with your writing. Out of the three categories, (fantasy, paranormal, contemporary) which is your favorite style? Do you intend to explore in different avenues, for example, horror or science fiction.

I do explore different avenues of writing, but I do prefer the fantasy genre of romance.  I like being able to give my imagination permission to run wild.  I know I’ll never write horror.  I can’t even watch a horror movie!  As for science fiction, I’m not sure.  I’ve always been a fan of Star Trek and all its spin-offs and movies like Independence Day and Contact really intrigue me, but I’m not sure I could do the genre justice.  I recognize my own limitations and while I believe writing outside the box is a good thing, I’m also a firm believer in “if it
ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

I enjoyed your book, Thirty Day’s Late. It was really a sweet, old fashioned book to read. At certain times, I had the impression that it was more a historical than contemporary. Was this intentional?

Thank you.  Thirty Days Late is an historical romance set in 1933.  It was meant to be more historical than contemporary as it was written for Vintage Romance Publishing.  I really enjoyed writing this one as it made me rein in my natural tendency to write steamy romances.  I wanted to create a love story that anyone could read and I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it.

Do you write one book a time. Or do you have ideas coming in and you just take notes as you go along? At times, would this be confusing?

Oh, no.  I can’t write only one book at a time.  My brain stays way too busy for that. LOL.  I’m constantly jotting down ideas and plotting out books and I’m usually writing on at least three books at one time.  I try to write at least 2,000 words per day on each manuscript and go from there.  Fortunately, I don’t get confused, possibly because I take notes and have a list of what I need to do each day.

With regards to your family life, does your writing career disrupt any routines in which others may have? Would writing affect your social life?

My family understands my desire and need to write.  I’m not married and I have no children, so I have a lot more free time than a lot of authors.  And honestly, I don’t know how those writers do it!  Writing only affects my social life if I’m on a deadline.  Usually, I can work around anything I want to do away from my computer.

Do you have anything else that you would like to add for our readers?  What is your web site address?

If they haven’t already signed up for my newsletter, now is the time to do it.  I’m giving away a $20 Macy’s New York gift card this month and there will be plenty of other prizes in the upcoming months.  I have something special planned for December.  Readers can find me on the web at www.dawnrachel.com and while there, please sign my guest book.   Occasionally, I give away free stuff just to thank those people who’ve taken the time to sign it!  Thanks so much!  This has been a great experience!

Thank you, Rachel, for taking the time to answer a few of our questions.  We look forward to reading more of your work in the future.  Don’t forget to check out the review of Hell Hath No Fury

Interviewed by Suz
Coffee Time Romance