Lee Carey's Pets in Paradise

My guest today is Lee Carey, author of Pets in Paradise. We're sitting on my sunny deck, sipping a concoction he made. Welcome, Lee.

Thank you for sharing your time with me, Susan. It’s my pleasure to meet a fellow writer, especially one from my great state of North Carolina.

Tell us something about yourself that readers might be surprised to learn.

Susan, you would need a rubber hose and hot light for me to admit many of my adventures and shortcomings.

LOL! Really??? I have a hose and a light around here somewhere.

LOL. Just teasing, Susan. Let’s just say that my high school days were mostly spent focused on anything other than school studies. They didn’t grade on girls, surfing, baseball, and music, which meant my GPA (had no clue what that meant back then) was well-locked into the C- category. I do wished I’d paid more attention in English class. However, after writing for twelve years and countless edits, I’ve finally learned…with the priceless assistance of my UNC graduate wife, Kay. My advice to young writers; ‘please learn the basics when you are young.’

How many books have you written?

Judging from my three-foot stack of ‘rejection letters’, I say somewhere around seven hundred, but really the actual count is: 7 novels and 15 short stories.

What books or authors have influenced you?

Way too many to mention here, so to make a long list short, let’s go with; James W. Hall; Michael Connelly; Peter Blauner; and James Grippando. Hall is the writer I credit with inspiring me to begin writing novels. He made it look so easy – boy, was I fooled.

Tell us about your latest release?

That would be Pets In Paradise. My only novels published in ‘real book’ form (paperback) were pet novels. Pets follows my first, Gabby…All About Me. The idea of a paradise for pets and animals came to me the day we had to put Gabby to sleep. (She was two months shy of fifteen years old.) Anyway, since saying ‘good bye’ to a pet is such a traumatic experience, I wanted to write something light and humorous, hoping to ease the pain, not only for me and my wife, but for all pet lovers. Another goal was to help readers recall those memorable moments and unique personalities they enjoyed with their pets. This novel includes various pets and animals, each with their own personality. I included true stories and traits shared by my friends about their deceased pets. It is the most fun scribbling I’ve ever done.

Is it available in print, ebook, and Kindle formats?

Yes. Both pet novels were published in paperback (available on my website), and are also offered in Kindle and Nook formats. My three Mystery/Crime and two YA/Crossover novels are also on Kindle. The titles and previews are listed on my web page.

How do you choose your settings?

Preferably, the places I like and have spent time. Some are set at the beach, and as I mentioned, North Carolina. Since I was raised on a farm in the country, and now live at the beach, I’ve got most areas covered with personal experiences.

We all know how important promoting our work has become. How do you get the word out, both off and online?

I am fortunate in the sense that I owned and operated a Purina feed store for twenty years. Included in the daily business was advertising through radio, print, and television. So, I fully understand promoting a product. I have become very familiar with Facebook, and have designed my own website, and I am very impressed with Amazon Kindle’s huge impact and outreach. To be honest, Susan, it’s such a breath of fresh air not to need literary agents and their attitudes. Now I write what I feel a percentage of readers will enjoy, putting quotas and sales in a bottle for the next outgoing tide. For me, writing is not about fame and wealth…my goal is receiving emails with a simple ‘thank you’ from readers. In the words of Dirty Harry… ‘It makes my day’.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

I welcome everyone to catch the wave to my website: http://www.leecarey-author.com/index.html and peruse my scribblings. If they have questions, drop me an email. (Address on site.) And, if they like FB, I can be found under Lee Carey or Sandbridge Author.

Susan, thank you for allowing me to tell your readers a little about the ‘beach writer’. Have a great day and keep smilin’…

Thanks, Lee. Back at you! Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! Now pass me another beverage.