I knew the overall message I wanted to convey, so by keeping that focus in mind, it was easy to make sure I was presenting that clearly throughout the book.
Courtney Psak – 29 October 2015
The Back Flap
What if you were on the cusp of marrying the guy of your dreams and reaching that career goal you set for yourself, only for all of it to be taken away in one fell swoop?
What if you then had to start from the very beginning, right down to moving out of the city and back to the suburbs to live with your parents?
What if this all happened a month before you turned 30?
This is the story of Jill Stevens, who after being forced to move back home, finds a list she made in high school of thirty things she wanted to accomplish by the time she turned thirty.
With a month left and hardly anything crossed off, she decides to team up with her best friend and her old high school sweet heart to accomplish as much as she can before her birthday. Along the way she discovers that it’s not about the achievements in life but what you learn about yourself getting there.
About the book
What is the book about?
This book is about a woman who thinks that she has it all, but then in one really bad day, it all disappears. Forced to move home for awhile, she comes across a list of things she wanted to accomplish before she turned thirty, which happens to be in one month. She realizes that items as simple as singing karaoke or getting a massage she has never done before because she was so determined to succeed in her career that she let everything else go to the wayside. Comedy ensues as she teams up with her no filter best friend and her old high school sweet heart who help her to accomplish everything on her list before she turns thirty.
When did you start writing the book?
I actually wrote this book about five years ago when I had turned twenty five.
How long did it take you to write it?
Once I had the outline, it took about three months to write and then about four years editing it.
Where did you get the idea from?
I realized a lot of my friends, including myself, started to get the ‘quarter-life crises.’ We were upset over the fact that we were not where we thought we would be by this point in our lives. What I started to realize though, was that when life happens, it’s going to bring you places you never could’ve imagined you would be. In the process of trying to be a particular version of ourselves, we in fact, discovered who we really were. It made us all realize that it’s not necessarily about the goals in life, but what you learn along the way.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
The point of the book was to knock the character down so you can build them back up. I struggled with trying to make Jill likeable and not be too depressing given the situation she was in. I went back to rewrite a lot of scenes that might have made her sound whiney and ungrateful, while still making sure I left room for her to grow.
What came easily?
I knew the overall message I wanted to convey, so by keeping that focus in mind, it was easy to make sure I was presenting that clearly throughout the book.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
These characters were entirely fictitious.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I have very eclectic taste when it comes to authors. Most influential would probably be James Patterson. I like how his stories are always moving forward while still keeping the reader engaged. I also enjoy the style of Liane Moriety and Sophie Kinsella.
Do you have a target reader?
When I was writing it, the target reader I had in mind was between the ages of twenty-five to thirty, but it’s really for anyone that is going through a struggle about where they are in their own lives.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
The biggest thing for me is the outline. It’s the hardest part, but once you have an outline it makes the writing so much easier.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
For this novel, the storyline alone is an outline because you lay out the bucket list that Jill has to complete. So for this one it was more about concentrating on what will move the story ahead as she completes each task. So I would say still pretty extensive.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
Usually at the end of each chapter, I’ll go back and edit. Then at the end I do an extensive edit.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes, I hired a professional editor for the overall storyline. Then I hired a proofer to make sure the sentence structure and spelling were good.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I’ve started to listen to music more to avoid distraction. I like either listening the classical or Jazz. It’s the only music that I won’t find myself singing along to.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
Yes
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
Well I had started going through agents, but the more I learned about the publishing business, the more I realized, especially for my genre, that self publishing would be the best place to go.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I did it myself
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I’ve been concentrating on building my author platform for the past month and I plan on doing a virtual book tour on November 17th for four weeks followed by a review tour.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Be sure to educate yourself on the marketing side. It’s important to understand the whole process, not just writing your book.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Forty minutes outside of New York City
Where do you live now?
I lived in New York City for six years and just moved recently to Hoboken NJ
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’m an adrenaline junkie and I love to experience new things. So far my favorite bucket list item I have accomplished is heli-skiing. I also love to travel and immerse myself in different cultures.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m outlining a novel that follows three characters around a murder that happens at a corporate retreat. It will follow each of them six months before the murder, than once it occurs go back six months with the murderer so that readers can see what they were right/or wrong about. I want to try to still keep it a light read though, which is what I’m struggling with at the moment.
End of Interview:
For more from Courtney, visit her website and her blog, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, or you could like her Facebook page.
Get your copy of Thirty Days to Thirty from Amazon US or Amazon UK.