Author Spotlight Carol Paur

Carol L. Paur wrote the upcoming YA mystery novel, Early Summer, about an anxious young woman obsessed with serial killers. When girls start missing, she blames the mayor. No one believes her, until it’s too late. Paur is a National Mental Health First Aider and a NAMI Mental Health Advocate. 

Before writing full time, she blamed her messy house on homeschooling her four daughters, who are now out of school. Paur is the author of the middle-grade fantasy, Isasnora Snores. She blogs and hosts a podcast, Talking to Myself. While cleaning could be a priority, she’d rather be traveling with family, hosting game nights for friends, or reading a good novel. Find her online at www.clpaurauthor.com, Instagram - authorclp, or Twitter @ArmorCate. ​

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Interview with Carol Paur

Thank you Carol Paur for taking the time to chat!

When did you know you wanted to become an author?

I was ten-years-old and had written the story of Tommy the Toothpick. ​

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I was ten. ​

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My Family

How do you come up with your ideas?

My ideas actually are always flowing inside my mind. If something strikes me I write the idea down and make a folder on my computer. Sometimes the ideas stay there because they're ludicrous. Other ideas, like Early Summer, took a few years to incubate into an actual novel. Being in nature, traveling, and spending time with family helps generate new ideas. ​

​Are your characters inspired by or based on real-life people?

Maybe. I am trying to protect the innocent. ​

What comes first, the plot or the characters?

Sometimes it's the plot; sometimes it's the characters. ​

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Making friendships with my protagonists.

How did publishing your first book change your writing career?

Publishing my first book let me know that I could do it. It had been some vague nebulous dream. It encouraged me to keep writing. At the back of my mind I tell myself if I can't find a publisher I can always publish the book myself. After three-self published books, I've been fortunate to find publishers willing to publish my work. ​

Have you ever gotten writers block? How did you work through it?

Yes. Each time I sit down to work on a project, my mind seems to go blank. I give myself permission to write anything knowing there are rewrites in the future. Soon, I find myself going over my scheduled time. ​

What are you working on now?

I'm pitching several picture books; I've started a cozy mystery series; I'm working on the rewrites of a YA novel; I'm exploring writing a YA horror novel; and I am always writing some picture book. ​

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

There will be lots of naysayers out there. Don't listen to them. For me it was always, "Writers don't make money." They were right. What they didn't know was that writing gives me a reason to live. I feel nothing when I am not writing. You will probably need to have another job or have a spouse who supports you, but don't let anyone tell you it's a hobby. Writing is a vocation. Respect it. ​

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Read. Hike. Travel. Play games. Plant flowers. Look outside my front porch when it's snowing or sit in my patio when it's warm.

What are three things that are unique about you?

My DNA; I did standup; I looked into being a nun.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I am grateful to my family and to any publishers/agents willing to take on my projects. ​

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Orange Blossom Publishing Books by Carol Paur

Early Summer