Happy Saturday, everyone! We've got a guest today!
Bohemia by Veronika Carnaby
The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: September 13, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
190 Pages
In her debut novel, Veronika Carnaby picks up where the Beat Generation left off. Set in 1960, Bohemia chronicles a group of twenty-somethings who defy the "ideals" of a mid-twentieth century society to seek creative fulfillment. In the process, they spotlight the creative path that artists of all mediums tread, all the while depicting the challenges faced by youth in the decade that changed the world.
VISIT THE AUTHOR:
FIND THE BOOK:
INTERVIEW:
E: Ed and I are very happy to host author, Veronika Carnaby for an interview!
V: Thanks for having me, guys. Good to be here.
E: So, tell us a bit about yourself.
V: I just released my debut novel, Bohemia, a few weeks ago and I couldn’t be more proud to share it with the public. I have published shorter stories and poems for many years prior, which prepared me well for this venture.
E: For those who don't know about your book, how would YOU describe it - besides how the blurb portrays it?
V: An unconventional account of rebellion, artistic freedom, and youth in the 1960s…something of a Beat Generation-influenced work, if you will.
E: What compelled you to write this story? What would you like readers to take from your book?
V: I credit a lot of personal experience for helping shape the plot, as well as the cultural shift that the 1960s gave way to. With this story, I wanted to portray the fact that stepping outside of the boundaries can be ok and that it shouldn’t always be frowned upon, as it was and very much still is. That’s not only mirrored in the character’s actions and attitudes, but also in the freeflowing technique that the book was written in. Creative people, especially those who are just starting out, feel that they have to conform and be a mass-produced product in order to be noticed. The truth of the matter is that genuineness and unconventionality is often what helps make a mark on the world. There’ll always be backlash. That’s something you can’t avoid regardless of what you undertake, so don’t be afraid to take risks, to be different, to create what’s true to yourself.
E: Would you consider yourself an indie author? What exactly does that mean to you?
V: I guess you could put it that way, but I prefer not to label myself in any way. It could give people a wrong impression of me. When somebody says “independent”, the thought that usually flashes in people’s minds is ‘not as good as those who have signed on with major, conventional publishers.’ Quite the contrary. There have been many an independently published author who have carved out longevity and created classic works—Walt Whitman and John Grisham, for one. I chose to self-publish for the creative leeway, but I’m careful about calling myself an “independent author”. Independent or not, it doesn’t matter. I’m an author, and that’s what matters.
E: Have you always wanted to be a writer? How did you get into writing? Was there a certain experience that pushed you along?
V: I may not have realized it at the time, but writing was always something that I enjoyed and that I kept at the forefront regardless of what I was involved in. With me, it started out as young as age 6, when I floored all my instructors with the endless reading logs I brought home, library books I checked out, and advanced writing skills they told me I displayed. Obviously, it wasn’t all giggles and compliments, it never is, but I always had an affinity for the written word.
E: What inspires you to write? Is there certain music that you listen to? Quotes that made you want to expand the words? Other authors? Family and friends?
V: Writing simply frees me. It allows me to travel mentally, become whoever I want to be. It’s a transporting experience that I could only compare to music.
Many people don’t realize the connection between music and literature and I’m here to tell them that it does exist!
E: What is next in store for you book wise?
V: I’ve already started penning it, but I don’t want to share too much information on it just yet. Maybe in a few months. One thing I can always say about my work that it certainly is a trip!
E: What kind of books do you enjoy reading? What's the best book you've read lately?
V: I tend to lean toward the classics and those books that transport me into the past. As far as genres go, my interests are pretty eclectic. I read everything from Casino Royale to Grapes of Wrath.
E: What are you most proud of - whether it be in the world of books or just in life?
V: I’m most proud and grateful for the opportunity to be involved in my honest to goodness passion every single day. That’s not something that should be taken for granted, I’ll tell you that!
E: What is the best advice you have for people who want to be authors?
V: Go for it without qualms and forget about the naysayers.
E: Now for some QUICKIES!
E: Best Fall TV Show?
V: Mad Men.
E: Most Underrated Book?
V: On the Road, a work I don’t feel receives half as much credit as it deserves.
E: Cats or Dogs?
V: Dogs, if I only had one to choose.
E: Cocoa, Tea or Coffee?
V: It’d depend on my mood.
E: Song You Can't Get Out of Your Head?
V: Songs are constantly spinning in my head, everyday a different one! At the moment, it’s The Beatles’ “Love Me Do”, which I’d like to congratulate on its 50 year reign!
E: Favorite Childhood Book?
V: Alice in Wonderland. The beauty of that book is that you can appreciate it on several different levels: both as a child and later on as an adult, as a reader and then a writer, and so forth. A book with as many dimensions as that one has to be a winner.
E: Celebrity You Would Stalk?
V: Though I do admire many well-known figures, I’d never stalk anyone or invade their privacy in any manner.
E: Author You Wish You Could Have Lunch With?
V: I’m sure a lunch with Kerouac would make for an interesting conversation.
E: Book You Wish You Could Take Credit For?
V: Far too many I could name.
E: Thank you for stopping by and answering some questions! It was lovely to have you!
V: My pleasure! Take care.
Tell us what you thought of the interview and go out and get a copy of Bohemia available now on Amazon!
Great interview! Veronika (why this name so much cooler with a K??) says some really intelligent things and of course I'm still stuck at "ooooh, cool swirly cover!!!" :):)
ReplyDelete