About Julie Carobini:
Julie Carobini is the award-winning author of the Chocolate Series, as well as the Otter Bay Novels: Sweet Waters, A Shore Thing, and Fade to Blue. She has won numerous awards from The National League of American Pen Women and ACFW, and RT Book Reviews says, “Carobini has a talent for creating characters that come alive.” Julie lives with her family in California and loves all things coastal (except sharks). Visit her at: juliecarobini.com.
What inspires you to write?
I’m inspired by life, specifically quirky people and their stranger-than-fiction stories. I’m also inspired by the beach and romance and the layers of secrets we all keep from each other. As a writer, I want to expose those, haha. So fun!
Tell us about your writing process.
I used to be a pantser, but it gave me anxiety not to at least have a plan. So what I do is start as a pantser, and then I stop and figure out where I’m going with the story. Who are these characters? What makes them tick? I’ve used Angela Hunt’s Plot Skeleton very successfully (you can find it online). Basically it’s a plan to come up with the “bare bones” of a story. That way I don’t over-outline and get bored, BUT I don’t end up down too many rabbit trails either. Win-win.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Um, yes. And then I throw a look over one shoulder to make sure that no one saw that …
What advice would you give other writers?
If you love it, do it. Find a few readers to give you honest feedback, but don’t rely on just one. Yes, learn the craft (be willing to edit!), but don’t kill your voice because of a little negative feedback. I’m so grateful to some of my favorite authors who faced rejection and never gave up. They’ve given me hours of entertainment!
How did you decide how to publish your books?
My first five novels were traditionally published. After that I worked inside a publishing house for a year until our division was sold … such is the world of publishing these days. Always changing! Anyway, I do have an agent who is currently shopping additional projects; however, I didn’t want to wait. And so I published Mocha Sunrise under my own imprint (Dolphin Gate Books). A ton of readers had been asking for a third book in the Chocolate Series (Chocolate Beach, Truffles by the Sea), and so after the publishing house layoff, I wrote Mocha Sunrise. Thankfully, I’d learned a ton about production when working in-house. That helped. I guess you could say I’m a hybrid author now … and I love it.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Publishing will keep changing; I don’t really have a problem with that … as long as I can keep up with it. My only worry is that people will lose the love of reading. I have no idea what I would have done without my corner library while I was growing up. I read during every spare moment! On the plus side, media can help spur reading among younger readers. Just look at what happened with The Fault in Our Stars? When my youngest wanted to read it prior to the movie’s release, I read it too. Great book! And I loved that my kiddo was actually reading something that had not been assigned. So if writers continue to write, and the stories shine, there is hope :).
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Romance, Christian Fiction
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Julie Carobini Home Page Link
Link To Julie Carobini Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on other site
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