Ask the Author: Charlene Carr
Answered Questions (8)
Charlene Carr
Well, if I revealed that, it may give a bit too much away, don't you think. ;)
Charlene Carr
Hi, Carolynne, thanks for asking!
I was overweight through most of my teen years, and lost the weight at 18. However, my experience with weight loss was not at all similar to Jenn's experience. I actually got the idea while reading a magazine and thinking about people's perception of themselves and their perception of the way others see them - which is often either very inaccurate or self-fulfilling.
I did however, draw on a few of my experiences as an overweight person to inspire a few of the situations that happened to Jenn. The book isn't at all autobiographical though.
If you want to learn a little more about how I came up with the story, check out this post. :)
An Interview With the Author - Skinny Me
I was overweight through most of my teen years, and lost the weight at 18. However, my experience with weight loss was not at all similar to Jenn's experience. I actually got the idea while reading a magazine and thinking about people's perception of themselves and their perception of the way others see them - which is often either very inaccurate or self-fulfilling.
I did however, draw on a few of my experiences as an overweight person to inspire a few of the situations that happened to Jenn. The book isn't at all autobiographical though.
If you want to learn a little more about how I came up with the story, check out this post. :)
An Interview With the Author - Skinny Me
Charlene Carr
Hmm ... I'm actually dealing with writer's block today - so perhaps I deal with it by finding other things to do? Which isn't dealing with it all! Okay, what I've done before is to skip ahead in the story and write something that's already laid itself out in my mind, knowing I can go back to what's keeping me stuck later. Should probably go do that ...
Charlene Carr
I travelled in Rome for about two days almost ten years ago now. The only aspect of Autumn's travels in Italy that was drawn from my own was the way she happened upon the Colosseum. Unfortunately, when I was there the Colosseum was closed so I didn't get to explore it as Autumn did! Everything else about her travels was imagined. I don't think I had more than a couple sentence conversation with a single local!
I have however, travelled to many other countries in my life and some of the experiences she had - the way people invited her into their family homes, or meeting up with fellow travellers and suddenly adjusting your schedule to coincide with theirs - are things I've experienced on some level and was able to draw from.
And no, I've never seen a vineyard, though I'd love to some day. Researching for Autumn's travels made me yearn to start travelling again. To see some of the photos I used as inspiration visit: https://www.pinterest.com/csmcarr/whe...
I have however, travelled to many other countries in my life and some of the experiences she had - the way people invited her into their family homes, or meeting up with fellow travellers and suddenly adjusting your schedule to coincide with theirs - are things I've experienced on some level and was able to draw from.
And no, I've never seen a vineyard, though I'd love to some day. Researching for Autumn's travels made me yearn to start travelling again. To see some of the photos I used as inspiration visit: https://www.pinterest.com/csmcarr/whe...
Charlene Carr
What is my favourite book? Hmm - that's a very difficult question. I've had favourite books in the past - Emily of New Moon held that spot for a number of years as a young girl, followed by Pride and Prejudice a few years after that. The fire between Darcy and Elizabeth kept that novel in the top spot until Hugh MacLennan's The Watch That Ends The Night pushed Pride and Prejudice off its pedestal in my second year of University ... now, I honestly can't say I have a favourite. Many books have aspects that have stood out for different reasons but nothing hails as number one - sorry! At least you know what some of favourite books used to be. :)
Charlene Carr
It's hard to say. There are a lot of hard days being a writer. There is a lot of self-doubt, a lot of fear, but then there's also a lot of joy, a lot of feeling like you're living out your purpose.
Since I was about four years old 'writer' has been one of my answers whenever people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. It took some winding roads to get here, to actually call myself a writer instead of someone who said she 'wanted' to be a writer, so doing what I've always wanted to do is pretty great, but it's not the best thing ... I became a writer because of how moved and changed I've been from other writers' words. So, I guess the best thing is when I see how my words have moved and changed others - yeah. That's it. That's the best thing!
Since I was about four years old 'writer' has been one of my answers whenever people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. It took some winding roads to get here, to actually call myself a writer instead of someone who said she 'wanted' to be a writer, so doing what I've always wanted to do is pretty great, but it's not the best thing ... I became a writer because of how moved and changed I've been from other writers' words. So, I guess the best thing is when I see how my words have moved and changed others - yeah. That's it. That's the best thing!
Charlene Carr
Sometimes it just comes to me - those times are awesome! Other times, when the muse seems to be taking a vacation, I need to get up and do something else - getting out in nature, exercising, listening to podcasts on writing, or reading a good book.
Charlene Carr
I'm not sure exactly. I was trying to meditate one day (a practice I'm very slowly trying to incorporate into my life) and the thought popped into my head - I wonder how many people create their own negative reality. For some reason that then translated to a young overweight woman who believed she kept on getting turned down for job interviews because of her weight. When in reality it was because of the negativity she brought into those interviews since she was expecting to be judged. The story just kind of grew from there!
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