Welcome to
The Bookstore's
Interview with
Carly Phillips!
Carly, Welcome to The Bookstore! We are so happy you could come by to chat with us!
I'm so happy to be here too! Thanks for asking me to come by.
Tell us a bit about yourself, your family, background, etc. Do you have pets or collect anything?
I'm a New Yorker, born and raised. I grew up in Spring Valley, New York. I have one brother who is four years younger than me and I'm very close with both of my parents. I went to Brandeis University in Waltham, MA where I met my husband and then I went to Boston University School of Law. We married and moved back to New York, and I did my last year of law school at NYU. Two years in the city itself was enough for me and we moved to the suburbs. At this point I'd accepted that I wasn't cut out for practicing law. I had my first child, and then during the throes of her colic, I found sanity in writing! Now we live in Purchase, New York, have two girls, and a dog, a soft coated Wheaten Terrier named Buddy.
Tell us about our writing. I understand you started your writing career under your real name, Karen Drogin. What kind of books did you write under this name? How many were there and will they ever be re-issued under the Carly Phillips name?
I wrote three books under my real name but contrary to how it seems, the first book I sold was BRAZEN, a Harlequin Temptation under the name Carly Phillips. Then I sold to Zebra Bouquet. They were more serious books than what I write now. They have been reissued this way: "Carly Phillips writing as Karen Drogin".
Tell us about the books you write under Carly Phillips. What kind of books are they and do you think these are lighter, funnier or sexier than your previous books? Are you still writing series books under the Carly Phillips name as well as your full length romances?
My current books are definitely lighter and funnier than the Karen Drogin books. The Karen Drogin books were written first but when I wrote BRAZEN, I definitely feel as though I found my natural voice. Although the current books coming out this summer, like CROSS MY HEART, will have deeper elements while hopefully keeping the lighter tone when warranted.
How did you get started in your writing career? Was it something you have always wanted to do?
I didn't know I always wanted to be a writer. During those early "Mom" years, I read often and I discovered the romance genre. It was a really exciting time for me because I finally understood I could always find a book that guaranteed me a happily ever after. No more reading and not knowing how I'd feel in the end. I was so excited. It wasn't long after that, I decided to try the writing for myself.
How long did it take you to be published? What was your first book in print and when did it come out? How many do you have out now and how many are under each name?
I wrote for seven years and I had ten completed, unpublished manuscripts before I sold BRAZEN to Harlequin Temptation in 1999. Those ten manuscripts had been sent out all over, rejected, revised, resent, and all the while I kept writing new stories and (hopefully) learning the craft. I have 24 books including this summer's HOT ITEM and CROSS MY HEART
All are Carly Phillips novels but for three. Luckily Harlequin has also been reprinting the earlier books so many of those are available again, and with luck they will continue to do so!
What prompted you to change your name to Carly Phillips? In this day and age, do you thing authors feel safer using a "pen" name? Under which name are you the most well known?
I was specifically asked to take a pen name and Carly Phillips had a tie to my real life (my husband's name is Phil, and the Carly was sort of close to Karen). In retrospect, I am very glad I have a pen name. It does seem safer now that I'm better known ... few people associate me as Carly Phillips in my every day life.
Do you think you have an alter ego that goes along with your pen name or are you the same person regardless of which name you use?
I'm the same person, I think. But when I am at a conference or writing related events, I go by Carly and nobody gets confused. I actually like having the two personnas. I take it back. Maybe I am two different people! I don't know!!!!
I'm sure your family is very supportive of your career, but what do they really say about it? Does your husband enjoy reading your books? What about your kids? Do they think Mom is cool because you are a published author?
My family is very supportive, of course, but the kids can also be understandably resentful about my time away for conferences or signings. On the other hand, they really do love having mom as a published author. My husband has been fantastic and a real source of support too!
Tell us about your newest release, HOT ITEM, released June 2006. It finishes up the trilogy in your HOT ZONE series. What are your other books in the series and how do they relate to each other?
The Hot Zone series is about three orphaned sisters raised by their bachelor uncle who is quite a character himself. HOT STUFF started the series with the oldest sister, Annabelle. HOT NUMBER continued with youngest sister Micki's story and now HOT ITEM wraps up middle sister Sophie's story. There is a continuing thread of their uncle and his long time love Lola's story in all three books, and in HOT ITEM, the hero, Riley is really Spencer Atkins (Uncle Yank's partner) biological son. A son nobody knew about because Spencer has secrets of his own. It's been a real pleasure writing these stories. I love the sisters and their bond, how they work together as publicists in their uncle's sports firm, and how all three end up with hot athletes!
Do you enjoy writing connected books and will we be able to look forward to more of them?
I think connected books are important because they give readers a sense of continuity and a feeling of wanting to return not just to an author but to the world they created. So yes I plan to do more!
Tell us about your August release CROSS MY HEART. What is it about and what format will it be issued in?
CROSS MY HEART will be issued in hardcover in August. CROSS MY HEART is a transitional book for me in that I think it marks a return to deeper elements in my stories. I hope readers recognize this as writer's growth and enjoy. CMH is the story of three foster friends who have a secret - Ty and Hunter helped Lilly fake her death when they were seventeen to help her escape from returning to an abusive uncle, but when he wants to have her declared legally dead in order to claim her trust fund, Lilly must return to her hometown and to the men she left behind, one being the love of her life. It's an exciting story for me.
Approximately how long does it take you to write a book and then see it on the store shelves? Does the type of books, for example series or full length, make a big difference in the publishing time table? Do you ever get discouraged waiting to see it on the store shelves?
Technically I have six months to write a book and then another 8 or so to see it on the shelves. The type of book doesn't change the schedule for me. But yes I get discouraged when I don't have a book out at all and the wait period is frustrating for readers and for me. I wish I could write faster but it just isn't possible, not with reality thrown in!
What was your reaction to seeing your first book on the store shelves? Hope you had a good celebration!
Oh what a blast! I took pictures, of course. It was a dream come true!!!!!
Is there any other style of book you would like to write, like a historical, paranormal or young adult?
As of now, I'm doing exactly what I love to do, writing sexy fun contemporary romances. Should that change, I will write what feels natural so readers can continue to appreciate the stories.
Once you have become a firmly established author, do the publishing houses give you more leeway in the storylines and type of book you want to write?
Well ...... I admit to testing that theory when I pitched the Hot Zone series about athletes ... and was given permission to write it. I'll leave the deductions up to all of you! All I know is that I'm writing what I love and I hope that it shows through to my readers.
Have you found anything to be different that you expected since becoming a published author, such as signings, promo, etc?
I didn't have any expectations mainly because my leap to bestsellerdom was just that, a leap. The Kelly Ripa experience brought me from a Harlequin Temptation author with her first single title coming out to a NYT Bestseller. It's been trial by fire. I'm STILL learning as I go. What I have found is that having a supportive publisher is the best thing for any author because when you have family commitments and life intruding, you need people who understand. I've been lucky in my publishing career. I've worked with great people.
What kind of writer are you. A structured one who plots and outlines and then sticks strictly to you outlines or are you more relaxed in your writing style? Do your characters ever suprise you and take off in the opposite direction you planned for them to go?
Oh sadly I am not a structured writer and I pay for it. My critique partner pays for it. But it's my method and I'm sticking to it. I have an idea of where I am going. I lay out the story the best I can. Then I write. If it doesn't work, I weave things in. Around page 125 or so my editor reads and picks up whatever my critique partner and I missed - sometimes the revisions are huge. That's okay. I'm determined to do anything to make the story better each time. My characters always do what they want!!
How do you keep up with all the pertinent details of your books, especially ones in a series?
In the beginning of my writing career, I outlined. With the Chandler books and the series with a town that came to life, I needed to have a character board including town sites, points of interest, etc. Then I wasn't quite as diligent. I've learned my lesson. I'm back to character boards, ripping pictures out of magazines who resemble the characters in my books, etc. It really gives me a spark of life and adrenaline and helps the writing.
Do you try to keep to a specific writing schedule? Can you give us an example of a typical day in your life?
I don't have any typical days, only crazy ones and your question just happens to have perfect timing. This is directly from my blog (www.plotmonkeys.com which I share with three other authors, Janelle Denison, Julie Leto and Leslie Kelly) and will be officially posted tomorrow May 9, 2006 and it's my rant to Father Time about there not being enough hours in the day. I end up outlining my week. Here's this Monday: "8:30 AM doctor’s appointment for one child, then cross town to get her eye glasses only to find the place is closed, so drive her to another town where her school is, walk her in, drop her off, go home and then start my own errands. Here I am and it’s 1 PM. Write now, you suggest? Tomorrow’s my blog day, Wednesday I am doing a speech for the Brandeis National Women’s Committee and need to write/work on it, and I have an interview from a bookstore sitting in my inbox to be answered! Oh and did I mention I agreed to do an essay for Benbella books on the TV show Grey’s Anatomy? I also have to call to have the outdoor water turned back on from the winter, my husband’s car is dead and he’s at work, need to call to have it jumped but the phone number he left me isn’t working and he’s not answering his cell phone. So I’m writing my blog, in between doing the text for my new website, in between helping my oldest with a project on the Cold War – do you know what a complicated concept this is for a child who’s never lived through what seems so normal to me? (the Reagan years, for example). Then the carpooling starts, dinner, … you get my drift."
If you had to give a piece of advice to a someone just starting their writing career, what would it be?
Stick with it and don't expect it to be easy. Write one book, FINISH IT, and start another after you submit book one. If you don't keep writing new, if you spend a lifetime rewriting one book, your chances of selling and learning your craft diminish. Writing is a learning process. I'm still learning!
Where can we learn more about you and your wonderful books?
I'm mid-website redesign, so please check back often. I offer great contests, I have an email list you can join, a fan group, etc.
If you're a blogger, you might enjoy my blog site:
I mentioned above, there are four authors total, we have a blast and give away books and prizes on Fridays.
Carly, thanks so much for coming by to chat with us. We have really enjoyed visiting with you! Please come again soon!
Thank YOU for having me. And again please visit www.carlyphillips.com because it's the place you can always find out about all things Carly!
You can learn more about Carly and her wonderful books at her website www.carlyphillips.com. Be sure to come in or order her newest books!
