#AuthorInterviewTour ~ A Carrows Murder by Annabelle Lewis @alewisauthor @iReadBookTours

Interview With Annabelle

Talk about how you outline a book

The process can vary, but I always have a broad outline in my head of what the book is about. It’s the ‘elevator pitch’ I would present if given 10 seconds to explain the synopsis while trapped in an elevator with an agent. Then I layer the story with characters, and timelines, and events. Then I build a storyboard with a short explanation of what happens in each chapter. Often, however, the characters come alive during this process, just dying to speak, so I’ll listen to them and write the scene. Consequently, the characters often screw up my outline, but I have to follow them where they take me. The story will often change, but the overall idea will not.

Where and when do you write?

I recently saw an Instagram reel from an author friend of mine who was showing off her writing workspace. And it was cute. But it didn’t seem realistic to me. I sent her a text, ribbing her, asking where the piles of files were, the 3-ring binders, the corkboard with colored string linking plotlines constructed after waking in the middle of the night with a hot idea. I also didn’t see any writing implements or multiple computer monitors or books and magazines on research or Post-its randomly attached to walls or shelves. Where’s the discarded bra on the floor, Leah? The candy wrappers, multiple reading glasses, coffee mugs, or half full glasses of wine? And why are you wearing that sweet dress accessorized with adorable jewelry? Is that makeup on your face? When did you have time for that? I think you’re getting the idea of what my desk and writing area look like. And my writing takes place at all hours, whenever and as often as I can carve out the time from the rest of my life.

Do you snack while writing?

Random but awesome question! I don’t snack too much while I’m in the zone and writing. In fact, I’ve been surprised many times upon discovering hours have gone by while I’m lost in my worlds. That said, I snack hard while I’m going through the edits presented to me by my editor. I pace, gobble popcorn, put my hair up and down, and look into the fridge and pantry about a hundred times trolling for guilt-free and yummy options. Both editing and snacking are anxiety-filled exercises and so much work goes into every decision!

Talk about how you come up with character names

For the main characters, I sometimes do research, possibly making sure the ethnicity or heritage of the name might suit them. There’s also a fun site called name generator that comes up with random names. Sometimes I use my family and friend’s names. My friend, Cheryl, loves that that I named a returning character who is a stripper with a heart of gold after her. Sometimes when I realize that a particular character will be recurring and so needs a name—I look around my desk and plop a placeholder moniker on them like Mr. Stapler or Mr. Notepad. I leave it there until I have time to find a suitable alias. My character list from all my novels is very long now!

What is your favorite dessert?

Another random question, but since I’m a foodie, I love it! I can tell you that there is a plotline in Carrows Justice, Book 3 of the Carrows Family Chronicles, where I did a lot of research on desserts. And this may seem wrong, but in the book I used world-class desserts as a torture vehicle for a woman who lived an on overly strict diet regimen in order to break her down. I can’t say for spoilers, but the climax of that story plotline was oh so satisfying. (And almost any dessert with lemons makes me swoon).