We had the good fortune of connecting with S.j. Carson and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi S.J., what do you attribute your success to?
I’d say it’s tenacity. I’ve been writing in some form since I was about five years old. No matter what else was going on in my life, I made time to develop my craft and tell my stories.
Before I completed my first novel, Aveline, which comes out from The Wild Rose Press on October 9, 2024, I started dozens of manuscripts. Most of those will never see the light of day. However, they taught me how to write a novel. It’s not a straightforward or linear process. As a novelist, you have to juggle characters, plots, side plots, dialogue, and themes, somehow weaving them together into a coherent whole. It’s an incredibly diverse skillset, and you can’t develop it overnight. You just have to keep at it, day after day, year after year. Eventually, it will pay off.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Writing a novel and traditionally publishing it was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done in my life. Especially because I did it while working full-time. Exhausted after a long day at the office, I’d come home and write and edit my manuscript for several hours. It was daunting, but the sense of accomplishment when I finally finished it was unparalleled.
I’ve learned many lessons along the way, but I’ll focus on two. First, the idea of writing a book is overwhelming, so you have to break it into manageable pieces. Focus on the sentence, the scene, the chapter. Over time, the words will add up and you will have a novel-length manuscript.
Second, I realized that I love the process of writing. Getting into a flow state–when the rest of the world just disappears–is the most incredible feeling. When I reach the end of the story, I’m sad because I will no longer get to interact with my characters. That’s when I know it’s time for another book.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Since I live in Vegas, of course I’d have to take them to the Strip to see the bright lights and big hotels. After browsing the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, we’d check out Chinatown. I’d take them to my favorite restaurant, ShangHai Taste, and to Sweet Talk for dessert. If they wanted to explore the outdoors, we’d go hiking at Mt. Charleston or Red Rock. We could also drive out to Boulder City and have a couple of pints and some fried pickles at the Boulder Dam Brewing Company.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to Valeria Andraka. Val has supported me in my creative writing endeavors since we met in 2009. She also designed my beautiful website, www.sjcarson.com.
I’d also like to dedicate it to Sin City Writers Group. I’ve been a member of this talented writers’ collective for the last two years. They were instrumental in helping me take my first draft of Aveline to the next level. One of our members, R.H. Bird, introduced me to The Wild Rose Press. Thanks to him, I am now a published author.
Website: https://www.sjcarson.com
Twitter: https://x.com/SJCarsonAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorsjcarsonofficial
Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sjcarsonauthor
Image Credits
S.J. Carson
Valeria Andraka
Kristian Norris