Interview Camille Cavanagh

by

Tricia Lee

1) What kinds of books do you like to read?

I must admit, I do LOVE to read! When I choose a book, it is either from an author I know and love, recommended by a friend, or has somehow intrigued me. I don’t stick to one genre, though most of my reading is romance, mystery/crime and inspirational. I think if the story is captivating I will try almost anything. Lately I have enjoyed reading short stories as you can read them on a lunch break!

2) Who are your favorite authors, past and present?

I am huge fan of Nancy Warren, Michael Connelly, Jenny Crusie, Diana Gabaldon and Francine Rivers (Present) and loved (And still do) such authors as Agatha Christie, Margaret Mitchell and Jane Austen.

3) Are there any authors who have inspired you to write and, if so, who are they?

Nancy Warren has been a great mentor and motivator. I always attend my local Writer’s conference and there have been many, many authors there who have offered great advice and been completely inspirational. KC Dyer is a young adult author and one who comes to mind in the inspiration department.

4) How do you choose your characters’ names?

Oooohhh! Names! I love names!! I think one of the best things about being a writer is getting to choose the names. It’s like naming your children, only better because you can choose completely and don’t have to run your choice by a spouse. I like to give my main characters unique names, memorable names. Sometimes secondary characters will get distinctive names, too. I keep a file of names that intrigue me and often look through that file when a character’s name has yet to be revealed to me but for the most part, the name either comes first or it evolves over time as I am creating the character.

I have tons of baby name books and I look names up on Internet databases. I choose names based on meaning, sound, flow and fit with last name (and in the heroine’s case, fit with the hero’s last name, too). I also give all my character’s middle names, nicknames and pet names even though these may or may not be used during the story. I know why their parents named them, too, but this hardly ever comes out in a story--though in “Claim” the reader discovers why Caroline named her Jolian.

5) Do you plan your novel from beginning to end either in your head or by outline or jotting down notes? Or, are you a “pantser”?

For “Claim” I had a rough outline that I roughly revised as the story came together. It was the first novel I ever wrote so I was learning to plot as I went along and eventually went back and plotted using “The Writer’s Journey” by Christopher Vogler and “Story” by Robert McKee. I try hard to be a plotter these days, but not to let the plot overtake a route that a character might need to go. For me, it’s all about the characters, so if they are yelling at me to stop pushing them in a certain direction, I do sit back and listen to them.

6) What kind of writing schedule do you have?

Schedule? We’re supposed to have a schedule? No, seriously, I do have a schedule though these days, due to massive house renovations, it’s very loose. I used to write in the evenings two nights a week and one morning on the weekends and that worked well for me. Lately, I haven’t had a set schedule and I’m really not getting the writing done, so that says a lot doesn’t it? If I had my choice, I’d write every morning for at least an hour.

7) How do you choose your titles? Do you have a title in mind before you start writing or does something occur after you have begun to write or after you have finished?

Titles! What a great question! Titles are similar to names, but they are even more important in my point of view. The title for A Claim On Her Heart came naturally when I was about half way through the manuscript. In writing other novels, the titles have sometimes been my story spark and sometimes they have naturally evolved as the plot unfolds or the characters come into clear focus. I have several “story spark” titles waiting in a file, itching to be written.

8) Do you base your characters on real people or are they completely from your imagination?

They are completely from my imagination, though at times they might have a saying or a mannerism from a real person, maybe one I know or one I have seen on television or in a magazine.

9) Have you used real life experiences in your novel or is everything from your imagination?

I’d have to say that I use my real life emotions but the experiences are completely unique to the character.

10) When did you realize that you wanted to write novels?

I began writing in grade eight, when a wonderful English teacher took an interest in my poetry. From there I moved to short stories and always wanted to write a whole novel. After the birth of my first child I found I just didn’t have time for the plethora of hobbies I have, and decided I needed to focus my free time on one thing. I went back to writing, something I had always loved but had let go of for a variety of reasons. I began with the goal of finishing a novel and now I am beginning to write #5! I think being a writer is a dream I never dared to dream. I love how I can explore all of my interests at once and weave my fascination with British Columbian history, for example, into a story. It’s the best profession anyone could ask for and the chance to share my stories with others is really a dream come true.