Writer WS Carmichael is in the hot seat today and we’re chatting about her romantic comedy, The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender.
During her virtual book tour, WS will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too.
Bio:
WS Carmichael is attempting to write the world into romantic bliss one novel at a time. Based in upstate NY, she travels as often as her hectic schedule will allow. When she isn’t busy writing, she’s a mother, nurse and avid sportswoman.
WS Carmichael fell in love with romance at an early age when she would sneak Harlequins from her mother. A voracious reader, she eventually made the jump to writing.
Writing is her passion and she’s always jotting down new storyline and character ideas. Often, her characters take on a life of their own and don’t always cooperate with her plan for them. Creating well developed, strong alpha male characters who refuse to fit into the typical romance hero mold makes her novels exciting and relatable. A woman who believes whole heartedly in happily ever after, she gives each one of her heroes the heroine they deserve.
Welcome, WS. Please tell us about your current release.
The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender is the story of how Ava Moreland finds love and herself when her engagement implodes just two months before her wedding. She poured everything she was and everything she wasn’t into what she believed was being the perfect fiancé. She changed her religion, her work hours, and limited the amount of time she spent with her best friend, Jarrod. With her relationship over, she decides to take advantage of all the advantages being single and young in Las Vegas has to offer – including one night stands. Unfortunately for her, the romance gods are not in her corner. Each attempt to have casual sex ends in a disaster more hilarious than the last.
What inspired you to write this book?
The idea for Ava’s story came from the title itself. One day while driving, the title popped into my head. Who knows what I was thinking about! I could have been thinking about my next novel or I could have been wondering if aliens wear underwear. Either way, the title popped into my head and I loved it so much I eventually fleshed out a plot and characters. Voila! Novel created! Just kidding, I wish it were so simple.
Excerpt from The Misadventures of a (Wannabe) Slutty Bartender:
The day passes quickly and before I know it, I’m getting out of an Uber in front of the Tropicana. I smooth the imaginary wrinkles out of my dress, hike my purse higher on my shoulder and walk through the main entrance. I try my best to ignore the butterflies in my stomach while I make my way to our designated meeting area.
I remind myself even though I am not normally a one-night stand kind of girl, I am committed to stepping out of my old way of living. I do not want to be that girl. You know, the one who never takes a risk, never steps off the safe, well-lit path she’s laid out for herself. The one who looks back over her life when she’s gray and old, only to realize she settled. She settled for the sure bet, the man who could never own her heart enough to truly break it, the safe career and the white picket fence. She settled for all the things she knew could never make her soul sing but could never make it cry either.
I no longer want to be that girl.
I want to be the girl who lives life, the girl who seizes every opportunity. I want to be the girl who embraces her wild side until she finds a man who can tame it, not suppress it. Tonight, I want to be the girl who doesn’t go home and molest her showerhead.
What exciting story are you working on next?
My next project will be a series about three sisters who run a ranch in Wyoming. Each sister will have her own standalone story in the series.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Ooh. That’s a tough one. I think after I published my second novel, I started to feel like a legitimate author. It’s similar to how you feel about becoming an adult. Technically, you are an adult when you turn eighteen, but feeling like a real adult happens in increments with each major life accomplishment – graduating, buying a home, having a child, etc. Then, all of a sudden, you look around one day for an adultier adult and you realize it’s you. The buck stops with you. That’s what feeling like a real author is to me. All of a sudden, I’m publishing my fourth book and I’m like, “Wow. I did it. I’m a writer.”
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I wish I was a full-time author and I will be someday. Soon, I hope. In addition to being a writer, I am also a nurse. I was seven months pregnant with my oldest daughter when I graduated nursing school twenty-two years ago and went on to have two more children by the time she was three and a half. My life is busy, so it isn’t always easy to find time to write. Now that the kids are older, I have more time to devote to writing. Usually, I try to fit in a couple of hours a few times a week and more on my days off.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I am a systemic and organized person and my writing style is no different – at least it starts out that way. I write the book as you read the book. I try to minimize rewrites and edit as I go, telling the story as it unfolds in my mind. I make outlines, but the characters refuse to follow them. More often than not, I change the outline four or five times during the course of the writing process because the characters refuse to follow my commands. I guess letting the characters steamroll me would be my writing quirk.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a writer or a nurse. And The Queen. Not a queen, The Queen. Of the World. I guess two out of three isn’t so bad, but I haven’t given up on Queen of the World.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I love interacting with fans! Please feel free to visit my website, read my blogs, leave comments, ask questions, whatever. I love it all.
Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon
Thank you for hosting!
I really like the interview.
Thanks, Sherry. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway.
This sounds really fun! Thanks!
Sounds like an interesting read