Meet Carol Mason, #1 bestselling author on Amazon Charts and the Kindle Store. Her popular books include “After You Left” (with over 350,000 copies sold), “The Secrets of Married Women,” “The Last Time We Met,” “The Shadow Between Us,” “Send Me A Lover,” “Little White Secrets,” and “Between You and Me.”
From Amazon:
‘Hilarious… I had a snorting giggle fit… All the feels. LOVED every minute reading this. My cheeks were aching from all the grinning!… Heart-warming… A rollercoaster of emotions… So swoon-worthy… Perfect!’ Coffeeandpages2021, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hate at first sight. Love at long last?
Moira is forty-two, newly single thanks to her cheating husband, and totally, one hundred per cent, over men. Frank is forty-five, irritatingly good-looking, and the author of the world’s greatest love story. If only his charm on the page translated to real life… Unfortunately, their barely adult children are convinced they’re in love. And they’re eloping. To Greece. Without their parents.
Moira married young and lived to regret it. She’s desperate for her daughter not to make the same mistake. And the last thing Frank wants is to spend future Thanksgivings stuck together. So they make a pact: to find their kids, before it’s too late.
But as their Mamma-Mia-in-reverse journey leads to sandy beaches, picture-perfect cobbled streets, bickering by candlelight, and into their hotel’s hot tub… Moira is unable to ignore the prickle of heat under Frank’s gaze. Nor the sparks that fly as they really talk for the first time.
Will they end up going their separate ways as planned? Or has this unexpected trip given them the second chance at love they didn’t know they needed?
A sizzling, hilarious, heartfelt enemies-to-lovers story that will make you both laugh out loud and swoon hard for this second chance at love… Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Catherine Walsh and Annabel Monaghan’s Nora Goes Off Script.
Carol, thank you so much for joining us on Henlit Central. We’re pretty intrigued with all that you are writing, especially your new romantic comedy, Second Chance Romance.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your latest book, Second Chance Romance, which of course is your first romantic comedy.
I am the Amazon Charts and Kindle Store #1 bestselling author of contemporary women’s fiction. I have eight published novels which range from dual-timeline romance, to domestic suspense, and love story/romantic comedy. Common to all my books are characters we can all relate to, situations we could all potentially find ourselves in, themes that resonate with women who have full, satisfying lives yet might find themselves at a crossroads or encountering hurdles they had not anticipated. My latest novel is Second Chance Romance. It’s a love story (at times deeply touching and in other ways highly amusing) between Moira who was married for 20 years until her husband does something shocking, and Frank, the author of the world’s greatest love story whose own romantic life did not live up to the type he wrote about. They meet when their barely adult kids decide they’re going to get married after knowing one another only 6 weeks. They detest each other and can only agree on one thing – they have to stop their kids from making what they see as the biggest mistake of their lives.
What feeling does writing romantic comedy evoke for you, especially after pivoting from your previous genre?
Writing a funny book that is also intensely heartfelt and emotional was such a wonderful experience for me! I loved every minute of obnoxious Frank and how Moira hurled it back to him, of their journey to realising they had way more in common than they ever imagined and, in fact…. they might actually love one another! It was so refreshing to write about complicated love between two people who vehemently rejected one another in the beginning. The humor was zinging off the page as I wrote it. Basically making myself laugh while I wrote a scene made my day in ways I can’t explain!
It may be too difficult to choose, but do you have a favorite novel you have written? (Here, we can link to your titles via your website) Or perhaps a novel that you are most proud of? And what are the reasons for your selection?
Oh wow. That’s hard because I put so much of my heart and soul, sweat and tears into writing all my books, that they are all deeply meaningful to me – but perhaps for different reasons. I would say The Shadow Between Us resonates with me most because I think it was my strongest writing (though less commercial writing), and the story was built around my greatest fear as a human being. So I was able to really live through what would happen if my life had taken the course that Olivia’s had taken – if I had done what she had done. I loved The Last Time We Met because I think many of us wonder about the one who got away – so having that ONE come back at a pivotal point in Celine’s life was a wonderful exploration in second chances. It raised some intriguing questions: do we really love a person or just the idea of them? Can you pick up emotionally where you left off or has the passage of time dampened those feelings to the point of extinguishing them? Do people fundamentally change? And what happens to the choices you made in your life if you abandon them to pursue what might have been? It is fascinating stuff to me! Then at the other extreme, I loved Little White Secrets because I got to write in the perspective of the husband and writing a guy was such fun! Especially as he was on some level a good guy and on another level quite a terrible one! Then there is After You Left, my biggest selling novel (over 350,000 copies!)… this makes me tear up just writing its title here. This dual-timeline story was inspired by Andrew Wyeth’s iconic painting, Christina’s World and deals with the profound regrets of an elderly woman who needs to right a wrong before her life is over – one that has surprising implications for a young woman whose husband mysteriously abandoned her on their honeymoon and she is searching for answers.
Are any of your books based on your family members or friends?
No! Haha! I would never put a real person in my novel. I might put characteristics/personality traits that are familiar to me, but never an actual person. Nor would I draw upon the life of anyone I knew. That would feel like a massive invasion of privacy – and would make me feel less of an author. I mean the very thing we do for a living is make stuff up. The better we are at doing that, the better our books should be (in theory). Poaching a real human being would feel like cheating! That said, you can draw upon wonderfully interesting qualities of people. My first novel The Secrets of Married Women, loosely drew upon my husband’s personality and our marriage. Rob in the story bore a similarity to Tony, my husband. Though Rob’s story was certainly not Tony’s. And our marriage was certainly not Jill and Rob’s. I just found myself wondering “what would Tony say to this? Or do here?” when I was writing the story and somehow I ended up writing a husband who readers adored! (this makes my husband very happy by the way because he’s convinced I really was writing about him. Had readers hated Rob, then my husband would have seen no similarity there at all!)
Do you feel commercial fiction authors are facing particular challenges these days whether it be tied to politics, world issues, technology, or the environment?
I think it’s always been hard to get published and even harder to stay published. Self-publishing has played a part in that. Now anyone can write a book and put it up for sale on Amazon. That means the marketplace is flooded with choices. Publishers can only take a book on if they feel they can really make that book rise to the top and sell lots of copies. That’s a big sea to swim in. Another challenge is how technology has made authors very accessible to their readers. This has been great – and not so great. Yes, you can connect with your favourite author online which is wonderful! But you can also go on forums, join readers groups and diss them! You can even tag them on social media and tell them their book sucked. I think social media has made everyone a critic and given them a platform. While this can be used to a great end, it can also be very damaging. Sometimes certain readers forget that an author is a human being with feelings, and that for the most part they’re struggling to pay the bills with what they earn from their writing. If you can’t be kind, then be quiet, is my motto. If you dislike a book, be constructive in your comments, not cruel. It’s the basic rules of civility. But then there are readers who reach out and are so warm and supportive that they really do get you through the dark days of writing, when you’re riddled with self-doubt and want to throw your laptop at the wall!
As an aging lover of this lighthearted good feel fiction genre myself, could you be a little open with the label “HenLit”? After all, we are older. Smarter. And still fun.
Feel good fiction is for everyone. Who doesn’t want a book that touches them deeply and at the same time gives them a chuckle? But romantic comedies tend to be written by younger authors for younger readers. There’s nothing wrong with this, but there are a lot of people who are no longer in their twenties and thirties who want the same reader experience – only with characters who reflect THEM and their lives. I am sorry but I just can’t relate to the relationship and other struggles of a 25 year-old. But I can relate to people in mid-life who are questioning where they are, how they got to where they are and what might be ahead. I think the secret is mining those deeper themes that are relevant to someone upwards of, say, 40, but embracing the lightness in life, the humour in our situations.
In your latest book Second Chance Romance, who would you cast if it became a movie or series?
When I wrote the book I wrote it with a younger Kevin Costner in mind (Kevin in his mid 40s) and Laura Dern. I saw them, felt their attitude, and heard their voices when I wrote their lines; it was very cool! If a movie were made now of course we’d need to cast a younger couple to reflect Frank and Moira. Someone said Emily Blunt and I think she would do well (I’m definitely not turning my nose up at Emily being cast in my movie!) But as for the guy…. Hmmm…. Thoughts please?
What line or passage in Second Chance Romance stands out for you the most? Do you have any other passages in any of your books that really stand out for you?
That’s a great question but I can’t narrow it down as such. I will say that even though this is a romantic comedy I think it’s one of my best-written books. I really tried to make sure the themes were fully explored and that the characters interacted on a deep and meaningful level. Frank in particular has some very wise, warm and moving observations on life, love, and on Moira… I found a lot of his dialogue very touching – when he wasn’t being infuriating. Their connection was physical but it was mental too, and I think that mental attraction, that seeing eye-to-eye on life and on love, is what makes a lot of their dialogue really reasonate. I’d go as far as to saying it’s my most dialogue-heavy novel to date and I LOVED every minute of writing their lines. I will also say that age brings about self-reflection and we find ourselves looking back on life as much as we are looking forward at times. That can make for some great fodder for some deep conversations. My aim was to have my readers really get something from the characters’ interactions rather than just a laugh or a tsk-tsk! As for other books, there is a scene in After You Left that makes me want to cry just remembering it. I won’t give it away, but it’s to do with one of the characters who has dementia, having a moment of clarity that essentially gives the entire story its reason for being. But that’s all I’m going to say as it’s a bit of a spoiler if I divulge!
When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be a writer?
When English lit was the only thing that really interested me in school! It still felt like something that you can’t really pursue though because there is no guarantee of a pay cheque let alone a steady income. But fortunately my very supportive husband stepped in when I was in my early thirties and help me make my dream to write a reality. (in that, I gave up a job in advertising to write full time without having to stress about not being unable to pay the bills – thanks to him.)
Tell us what a typical writing routine looks like for you and how long does it take you from idea to the time you finish your final edit on most of your books?
Unfortunately I’m not a fast writer. I don’t do well with word counts. I could never write to a word count! I’d worry I was just filling lines with drivel in order to meet that word count! I tend to have days where it flows and then several days where it doesn’t. So I am happy with a book a year. That gives me breathing time between books, time to recover (!), and time to write my 80K+ words without having a nervous breakdown. Well, in theory!
Besides getting lost in your writing, what else do you love to do?
Stare out the window and think about my life? Think about the housework I need to do? There’s that! Then cooking, watching Netflix (only at night), reading novels! Thinking about new novels! Thinking about novels that are sitting in my drawer that I should finish but never do… Meeting a friend or two. Visiting my 94 year old mum in her care home – I love that quality time of just me and her, each of us at our best and least harried.
Who are some of your favorite authors and why?
I read a lot but I love Louise Candlish, Frieda McFadden, Sally Rooney, David Nicholls, Cate Ray
Any advice you’d like to give to aspiring writers today?
Remember writing is a business. If you hope to have a career at it, learn as much as you can about how the publishing industry works. For example, learn how to pitch your story, what genre it is, who your competition is etc. Aim to be at least as good as some of the best books you’ve read. If you don’t aim high, you will fall short. It’s harder than it seems. And getting published is harder than you might think. Take constructive criticism and learn from it. If one person says your book is slow until the middle then that might not be a big deal. If 15 people say that, then you’d better listen and revise your book. Be grateful. If you get a smidgen of professional advice for free, value it and be thankful for it. Never give up. If you get knocked down, you can pout for a bit, but put it behind you and move on – come back stronger. Ands remember that great books often don’t get published. There’s luck involved too. But all you can do is write a great book and hope the rest falls in line.
For your loyal fans, is there anything in the pipeline you can tell us about?
I am considering 3 stories right now that are each pulling me and yet they’re very different books. One is a thriller but I’ve never written one before, yet the idea is cool and it’s calling to me. One is a love story that I think I’d LOVE to write. The other is a highly commercial story that I think might sell more easily than the love story! Where will I land? No idea right now! But I hope to land soon. Watch this space!
Do you think there’ll ever be a day when you’ll want to stop writing stories and why?
But professional burnout is real. Sometimes you need to step back and think what you want to do next – and I think that’s where I am right now. To give up writing would be like saying I am no longer a foodie! I am ALWAYS going to love my food and I am always going to love to write. It’s just who I am. I can’t imagine life without it.
You can find Carol Mason here:
Website carolmasonwriter.com
Instagram https://www.com/carolmasonauthor/
Facebook: https://www.com/CarolMasonAuthor
