About Caroline A. DeJong:
Caroline A. DeJong grew up in Kent, Washington. Determined to get out of the rainy weather, she moved to Los Angeles for college, attending Loyola Marymount University, graduating with a B.A. in Screenwriting. A lover of stories and books since early childhood, she proclaimed that she was going to be a writer at age 11; that dream hasn’t wavered since. DeJong also writes screenplays and short stories. In the time that she isn’t writing, she loves to watch television, cook new recipes, and dance. DeJong currently lives in Los Angeles.
What inspires you to write?
Honestly, I write because it’s like therapy. It’s a way to get all the angst out. It’s a way to share my thoughts and feelings that I normally wouldn’t share in real life. Sometimes it’s scary to share those things. Writing makes it just a bit less scary. And I love that. As an introvert, writing allows me to open up. There’s a strange kind of beauty in that.
Tell us about your writing process.
I am definitely an outliner! I outline each chapter before I start a book. Of course, things are fluid and change all the time, but it’s nice to have an outline to know where you’re going. I prefer structure to spontaneity.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I do listen to my characters. My characters have a lot to say! In fact, I’m thinking about changing a huge element to my first series, “These Four Years,” because I think my protagonist wants something different than I want. We’ll see 🙂
What advice would you give other writers?
NEVER EVER GIVE UP. Grow a thick skin and try again and again.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I tried over and over to find an agent and was rejected over and over. Sure, it bothered me, but I learned that writing is so subjective. It didn’t matter that they didn’t want me; someone would eventually. I decided to find a smaller publisher. Booktrope listened to my voice and I am very happy with where I landed. Everything happens for a reason!
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think book publishing is going more toward ebooks. That kind of scares me because I am super old-fashioned and love holding a physical book and going into a bookstore to find said book. I do hope that bookstores are in our future; I would miss that experience tremendously.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?: New Adult, Fiction, Romance
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Caroline A. DeJong Home Page Link
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
