We had the pleasure to sit down and talk with author Janine Carbone to discuss her debut novel Wildflower. She is an example of a superwoman balancing family and owner of small business to make her dreams come true as a published author.
Tell us about your debut novel, Wildflower.
Wildflower is a new adult psychological thriller that has a mixture of mystery, romance, and suspense. Since I got my Bachelor’s degree in psychology, I wanted to incorporate psychological themes in my writing. I found, the in-depth research and study of behavior and abnormal personalities in college never left me. Four to five years after graduating is when I began writing the childhood version of my main character, Faith. I explored her psyche by showing how it all began. The impact of her childhood had on shaping who she became as a young adult was central to my story. Several of my characters have different mental health struggles and it was interesting to see how they interact and played off one another.
Real world implications of my book? Unfortunately, there are far too many headlines of massive school shooting, celebrity psychotic breaks, and suicides. The people who are in the spotlight are reported on, but there are millions of people out there dealing with these similar issues on a daily basis. Since mental health does encompass our society in such a large way, why not write about? Not only was I looking to put the spotlight on it, but I also wanted to give relatable characters to other struggling with similar disorders that they could connect with. It may help them feel less alone, maybe open them up to obtaining support and help. Possibly see the hope of a light in a dark situation that they are in.
What inspires you to write?
Writing is the outlet I have in my overly hectic and stress filled life. I have a child with special needs and I am a small business owner, so I am always preoccupied with my family and business life. When I can sneak in a couple of hours to write, it’s the simple things around me I find inspirational. For example, I recently built my 6 year-old a loft bed that is tented off and high up. I find inspiration when climbing the ladder and closing off all the sides to write in there. It reminds me of my study abroad experience in Costa Rica when I camped out in bungalows in the rain forest during senior year of college.
What was the drive behind the theme for the book trailer to Wildflower?
I wanted to give a glimpse of the mystery and suspense found in my book without giving too much away. This is why you find the dark shadow and the streak of blood on the door. It was placed there to leave the viewer wondering and wanting to read to find out.
Who would you compare your writing style with?
I would like to think my style of writing is original to me. At least I see Wildflower as a completely original construct. In the world of publication, when querying for agents or publishers, many of them ask you to state other novels your work is similar to (for example, with a manuscript that is a fantasy with vampires and a love triangle, that writer may say their work is similar to Twilight). This is something I struggled with when trying to find a published piece that had similar themes in Wildflower. However, after having my editor and other publishers validate there really isn’t another book out there like it, I understood why I had such a hard time with the comparison.
What’s ahead for you in 2015?
In May 2015, I have a co-authored children’s book coming out called Bearly Different with my 13 year-old daughter. I am so proud she had the drive to be a young author and was able to fulfill her dreams. I am also working hard on my next novel that is going to be fantasy based and hopefully ready to hit the market sometime in 2016.
You can learn more about Janine Carbone by visiting her website at Links: www.authorjaninecarbone.com and her social media links are listed below for you to connect with her on www.facebook.com/authorjaninecarbone and www.twitter.com/JP_Carbone Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8202347.Janine_Carbone
Photo credits are Cosmo Carbone
Check out her Book trailer. It will make you want to purchase the book.