10/24/2013

1. What was the inspiration for your novel?
Since I was a kid, when I was bored, I would let my mind wander.
I would often come up with fun and crazy stories, and this time, I
decided to write one down.

2. When did you take up writing?
It was about three years ago. I wrote my first draft of IT’S JUST A LITTLE CRUSH and didn’t tell anyone about it for a really long time. I finally got the courage to show it to a friend, and she encouraged me to do some tweaking and ultimately to publish it.

3. How important is setting/place in your writing?
The setting, to me, is just like a character in a story. The plot unfolds the way it does because of the area where the story takes place. Take Sex
and the City, for example. If the four girls had lived in a small, hick town, would any of the crazy things that occurred have happened at all?
No. On the other hand, in a story like Where the Heart Is, if Novalee had been dropped off in the middle of New York City, do you think she
and her baby would have been able to survive solely on the kindness of
others? Not a chance.

4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?
Of course, my two leads, Lizzie and Blake are my favorites. I love to make them banter back and forth.

5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
The best advice is not to take it personally every time your book is criticized, especially on the Internet. When
you’re a new author struggling to get noticed, it’s very exciting to get reviews, because then you know that people are actually reading your book. However, being human, it’s difficult to not be hurt a bit by a bad review. If you’re getting poor reviews and are worried about the quality of your work, let someone read it who you know will give you a straight answer—good or bad.

6. Do you have a schedule for writing?
I don’t have a set-in-stone schedule that I follow, but I do have consistent times when I work. You’ll find me at my
computer when my kids are at school and also for an hour or so after they go to bed. It’s infinitely easier to write when you don’t have kids yelling or the SpongeBob theme song playing in the background.

7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?
As with my life, I do about 25% plotting and 75% winging it. I think winging it makes for much more interesting reading (and a more spontaneous and fun lifestyle).

8. Can you name three of four of your current favourite books?
I’m reading THE FAMILY YOU CHOOSE by Deborah Nam-Krane right now, and it’s so captivating, I get angry when I have to put it down. I just finished Jami Deise’s KEEPING SCORE, and I think it is going to be a serious hit. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I love Scott Kenemore’s ZOMBIE, OHIO. It’s a great pre-Halloween read—not really scary, but still all about zombies.

9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?
I am editing my third novel, BAD MEDICINE. I would rather be creating something new, but painstaking editing is
always a must.

10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on their journey?
Don’t try to do it alone. Find a network of writers in your genre (there are tons of groups on Facebook) and lean on them
for advice. Better yet, find an awesome publicist like mine (Sarka-Jonae of SJ Publicity) and let her take you
there on the fast track.

Biography
CAROLINE FARDIG was born and raised in a small town in Indiana. Her working career has been rather eclectic thus far, with occupations including schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom. Finally realizing that she wants to be a writer when she grows up, Caroline has released her debut novel, IT’S JUST A LITTLE CRUSH, now a #1 Bestseller. She is currently hard at work churning out a second novel in the LIZZIE HART MYSTERIES series. She still lives in that same small town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.

EXCERPT: It’s Just a Little Crush

“Girl! You are a hot mess!” That’s the way my
cousin Becca greets me at the funeral home. She, like always, looks like a model ready for the runway. Why didn’t I get some of her “look perfect all the time” genes?
“I’m well aware of that,” I acknowledge sullenly.
“What happened? You’re all sweaty and stuff. Did you walk over here?”
“No, I didn’t walk over here. I had a bad day.” I start ticking things off on my fingers. “I had no sleep, I got grilled by a cop, I was late to work, people were gossiping about me, my boss reprimanded me (twice), I didn’t get to go to lunch, it was hot in the office, and I was stressing about the mountain of copy I have to go through. Now I have to attend a funeral for a friend, who I found dead. Does that answer your question?”
“Yep. Come on into my office, and I’ll try to do something with the mess on top of your shoulders,” Becca says as she steers me down the hall.
Becca’s private bathroom is stocked with all kinds of makeup, hair products, and hair appliances. No wonder she’s always fabulously perfect—she keeps a mini beauty salon at work. She opens a door inside
the bathroom to reveal a small closet full of beautiful clothing.
“Here, put this on,” Becca orders, throwing a red blouse my
way. “Your outfit could use some help.”
“What’s wrong with my outfit? It’s cute.”
“It’s so last season.”
“Ha! That’s where you’re wrong,” I retort. “I’ve had this for three years.”
Becca rolls her eyes and goes to work on my sweaty, tangled hair. She quickly dry shampoos, combs, curls, and sprays it. She has made it clear that she won’t let me even peek in the mirror until she is totally done with me. After she is
satisfied with my hair she gets to work on my makeup.
“Now, you’re not going to put too much on, are you? I like a natural look,” I warn.
“I put makeup on people for a living.”
“Yeah, dead people.”

***
You can find Caroline on Social Media
Website: www.carolinefardig.com
My blog: http://www.carolinefardig.com/blog/
Twitter: @carolinefardig
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caroline-Fardig/496944767049778
Media inquires: http://www.sjpublicity.com/contact.html