Carol Cox’s writing career began in 1998, and she has produced over twenty-five published titles. Her most recent works include the historical romantic suspense series A Fair to Remember from Barbour Publishing—Ticket to Tomorrow, Fair Game, and A Bride So Fair—and four titles in the contemporary cozy mystery series Mystery and the Minister’s Wife from Guideposts Books—A Test of Faith, Dog Days, Who’s That Girl?, and Tea and Sympathy.
A native of Arizona, Carol has an abiding love for the Southwest and uses that setting as the backdrop for many of her books. In addition to writing, Carol spends her time helping her husband (who pastors two churches and operates a saddle shop), homeschooling her daughter, and working on a never-ending series of crochet projects. She lives with her family in rural northern Arizona, where the deer and antelope really do play—often within view of the family’s front porch.
I've had the pleasure of spending time with Carol twice. The first time was at Mt. Hermon's Writers' Conference in 2008. Several Arizona authors met one morning for breakfast and Carol was among them. The second time was at a writers' tea in Northern Arizona, hostessed by Nicole Hahn. Both times, I found her a delight to be with and full of humorous stories and anecdotes about her writing adventures. (When you read through this interview, you'll see what I mean.)
You can find her online at Carol Cox Books.
MG: When did you know you wanted to write?
CC: I loved to tell stories from the time I was a small child. I remember dictating a fairy story to my grandmother, who patiently put my words on paper. Evidently, I recognized the need for conflict even then, because I added a couple of sinister characters who caught the fairy and pulled her wings off. That was too much for Grammy, who immediately resigned as my secretary and thus put my writing career on hold for several years.
In seventh grade, I started writing books during English class. Unfortunately, the teacher saw my foray into literature as a lack of attention rather than budding genius, so I was forced to produce smaller works. I mean really small. I wrote in tiny print on paper folded into squares a couple of inches across. But the results were worth it. My friends started reading my deathless prose during recess and clamored for further installments. They liked the stories, they laughed in all the right places--what more could an aspiring author ask for? I was hooked!
MG: How long have you been writing?
CC: If we go back to that short-lived fairy story I created at age four, I’ve been writing for more years than I’m going to admit to in public. If we’re talking about writing professionally, I signed my first contract twelve years ago, with my first book being released in February, 1998.
MG: How often do you write? Do you have a routine?
CC: I map out my projects on a calendar so I’ll be able to track what I’ve accomplished and know how much I need to produce each day to reach my goals along the way. Meeting deadlines is important to me—and to my editors—and I take them very seriously. If I’ve met the week’s goals by Friday, I can take Saturday off and celebrate. But sometimes life intervenes, and I fall behind. In that case, I put in whatever extra hours are needed to catch up again. I don’t write on Sundays, though.
MG: What kind of stories do you tell?
CC: I’ve enjoyed writing both historicals and contemporaries. Most of them contain a combination of romance and mystery/suspense…with a dash of humor.
MG: Do you have any other pursuits besides writing?
CC:I like to keep my hands busy, so while the family watches TV in the evenings, I work on crochet or knitting projects. I’ve enjoyed making baby blankets for a crisis pregnancy center as well as gifts for family and friends. Recently, I’ve started working on a family history, so I’m learning about genealogy bit by bit.
MG: Do you have a favorite author and/or genre that you read?
CC: I read all sorts of fiction, and it’s hard to choose a favorite. Some of the titles I’ve enjoyed recently are by Judith Miller, Lori Copeland, Mark Mynheir, and Elizabeth Peters.
MG: If you could keep only two writing books, what would they be and why?
CC: Only two? I think that might qualify as cruel and unusual punishment. :) If I had to choose only two, the first ones that spring to mind are James Scott Bell’s Plot and Structure and Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook. There are a host of wonderful writing books around, but these are two that connect with me and the way I write.
MG: If you could visit only two writing blogs, what would they be?
CC: My first choice would be Between the Lines, written by the team at Books & Such Literary Agency. And that isn’t just because I’m one of their clients. :) It’s a wonderful place to learn about the business from some of the most knowledgeable folks in the industry.
As for a second choice—wow, I don’t know how to narrow it down to just one more. I’m going to cheat here just a little bit and mention two more I enjoy. And I really had to struggle to narrow it down to these two! Writes of Passage, featuring some of my favorite historical authors and
Rachelle Gardner’s blog about life as a literary agent.
MG: Why did you want to pursue publishing?
CC: Writing is the ministry God had given me to touch people’s lives with stories that reflect His love. They’re written to be shared, and that won’t happen if they sit in a drawer or on my hard drive.
MG: What has been the most difficult aspect of trying to get published?
CC: Getting rejections is probably at or near the top of every writer’s list. While they do still sting, I’ve learned to look at them as a learning tool, one that forces me to find ways to take my writing to higher levels.
MG: What one piece of advice would you give other writers, either about writing or about seeking publication?
CC: Don’t ever stop learning. No matter what level you’ve reached, there’s always room to grow!
MG: Thank you so much for your time. I appreciate your participation in my project.
CC: Thanks for letting me be a part of it, Michelle!
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