Forever Fudge and its the 6th in the series and my 28th Book.
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| Nancy Coco (photo credit Allison Page Photography) |
How did you develop your character and choose your location?
I grew up in Michigan and loved Mackinaw Island and the movie Somewhere in Time that was filmed there. So I wrote to the Mackinac Island bookstore - and we asked their readers what would a protagonist do for a living if they moved to Mackinac - the number one answer was fudge shop owner. Then Allie arrived in my head and we've had a blast together ever since.
What is a day in the life of an author like? Do you write a certain number of words, do you write in the morning or evening.
A day in my life - includes a day job. I'm up at 5:30 - get ready for work and take Little dog to the doggie daycare. Then I take a bus into the city and a streetcar to arrive at work by 8 am. I work until 5 pm - bus home. Then I walk Little dog, fix her dinner, do some social media and then I write. If I have revisions, I'll work on those after I get my word count usually 1,000 words to 2,000 words per day. On my weekends I walk Little dog, write, revise, and test new fudge recipes. Today, I tried apple cinnamon fudge - tasted great but it was a little soft. So next time I'll tweak it until it comes out just right. I also made dark chocolate lemon fudge and that came out great.
Do you belong to a writers group or are you in touch with other writers? How does that help your writing?
Oh gosh, yes, I talk to other writers daily. There are so many really great people out there. Sometimes we bounce ideas off each other. The Cozy community is the best. I also belong to writer's groups and get involved when I can.
Do you model your character after yourself or any one you know?
Oh my, there is some of me in all my characters. In my gluten free series, Grandma Ruth was as true to my actual Grandma Ruth as possible. She was a lot of fun to write. With Allie McMurphy, she started out sort of a female version of the lead character in the old TV series Northern Exposure and then she developed into her own self. I'm lucky in that my characters show up with a lot of back story and hopes and dreams and challenges. It's fun to watch them grow. I've enjoyed growing the "family" that Allie is building through friends and coworkers. I find I have a lot of "fish-out-of-water" characters. I moved a lot as a kid and I think I identify with the desire to belong and to fit in.
If your books were made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead character?
Wow, great question. I think Anna Kendrick would make a great Allie.
Who is your favorite author?
Oh dear, I always hate this question. I know so many wonderful authors- their stories inspire me and make me laugh and make me cry and make me wish I had written that... I can't pick just one. So, I guess I always go back to my childhood and Laura Ingalls Wilder. She inspired me to write my first book in 5th grade. Also - she moved a lot as a kid and her stories made that seem like an adventure.
How do you keep track of character details from book to book so they are consistent?
I have a big bible that I keep, and then there are details in my head. That said, my system isn't perfect, so I have great editors and readers who help. (Plus I've been know to go back and reread my own books.)
If you could not be an author, what would like to do as a career?
I always wanted to be an actress. I think I was inspired by how they got to tell other people's stories. Now, I get to do it without stage fright. :) My day job is in Marketing - even there, I'm telling stories about products and the people who buy them or inspire them.
For a review of Forever Fudge, click here.
1 comment:
Mmmmmm Fudge!
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