Interview with Carmen Richter

Author of What Doesn’t Kill You

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

Long story! Haha. I was born in Christiansted, St. Croix (U.S. Virgin Islands). After a hurricane, my family moved stateside and we moved around for a bit. But I basically grew up in St. Augustine, FL. Now, I live in the Kansas City area.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

My mom was getting ready to move to India for a work opportunity, and I felt like I needed a fresh start too. My dad and most of his family are in Kansas City, and I was offered a place to stay for a bit while I got back on my feet. So, I moved to KC and got to reconnect with my dad’s family and got the fresh start I sorely needed.

And no, my mom doesn’t still live in India. She’s back in the States now.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I’ve always loved to write. And I was writing a fan fiction for a popular TV show when I realized that the story would be even stronger if I wasn’t tied to those characters and that world, and if I could take more freedoms with it. So, I re-named the characters, changed a lot about them, and moved the setting, and I was able to write a way better story. It took a LOT of prodding to finally hit that “publish” button because I was scared of how it would be received, but eventually I got over my fears and just did it.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

Oh, man! Ask me the hard questions, why don’t you? LOL! They’re definitely romance novels. There’s plenty of love and mushy moments in them. But they’re also books about human beings with scars and flaws, and about what the scars of our past can do to us if we let them.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Honestly, I feel like anyone can read and connect with my books. Again, yes, they’re romance novels, but they’re more than that. I actually had a friend who really didn’t like romance read them and she said that she loved the books because while there are love stories in them, they’re more stories about the characters and their growth as people, both together and separately.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

Oh, I’m still learning unexpected things. But I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is how many amazing people there are in the world of indie publishing. I’ve found an amazing community of people who are all on a similar journey and offer support and encouragement when you need it, celebrate your successes, and give you a safe place to vent when you need it.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Tell the story your characters give you to tell, no matter how much it scares you. I actually recently made some updates to my very first book. When I first wrote it, there were parts of it that I was so scared to write because I was worried about how they would be received and worried about someone I know picking up the book and reading…er, certain scenes, if you catch my drift. Because of that, I psyched myself out of writing the best story I could have written. When one of my friends read the book recently, she said that it was a great story, but she also challenged me to do right by my characters and fix what needed to be fixed to make the book the best it could possibly be. So I did that, I announced the update to the book, and after two years, I’m finally proud of that book because it tells the best and most honest version of those characters’ story. And I really wish that I’d just written THAT story the first time around.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I mean, I’d love to get uber-famous. Wouldn’t we all? Haha. But really, if my stories and my characters can help one person, then I feel like it was time well spent.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Marketing. Definitely marketing. I’m still learning how to market myself and gain more exposure.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

a) My biggest strength with writing is being able to create characters that you connect with and convey their emotions and feelings well.
b) My biggest strength with publishing is being able to do a lot of things myself, such as designing the book covers and formatting the books, which saves me a TON of money.
c) My biggest strength with marketing is being able to come up with blurbs for my books that draw you in and make you want to know more.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

a) I’d say that my biggest weakness with writing is letting my fear get the best of me sometimes. Whenever I have to write about something controversial or dark, I’ll be scared to be as honest as I can about it and it takes me a while to get over that fear.
b) Honestly? My biggest weakness with publishing is marketing. So I’m going to kill two birds with one stone and say that I’m still figuring out how exactly to market my books effectively.

When do you think you will write your next book?

Oh, I’m already working on it! Heck, I have SEVERAL books in the works right now.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I’m self-published 100%, and I think even if a publisher did offer me a contract, I wouldn’t do it, because I love having complete control over my stories.