Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester is happy to shine our Author Spotlight on Cameron Garriepy, one of the authors joining us from the Worcester Writers Collaborative for our Small Business Saturday event this Saturday, November 26 at our “bigger on the inside” bookstore on 65 James Street!
Thank you for joining us, Cameron! Can you please tell us briefly a little about yourself and your writing? How would you like us to introduce you?
An Aries, a self-described shenaniganist, and an unabashed romantic, I write romantic fiction and genre-crossing short stories from the metro-Boston area, where I live with my husband, son, and a poorly behaved pug.
In the eighth grade, I wrote my first romance novel on an antique typewriter, using a stack of pink paper. Detours between that draft and publishing my first novel included a BA in Music from Middlebury College, a professional culinary education, and twelve years in the child-wrangling industry.
For readers unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe what you write? What can readers expect from the Thornton Vermont series?
I write romance that focuses on women realizing their dreams and goals on their own terms, creating space for themselves, and finding the romantic relationship that fulfills them along the way. Friendship and community are important to me and always find their way into my work. Thornton is a small town, full of all kinds of people and connections, and exploring a fully realized fictional place through the eyes of my characters is a lot of fun.
What was the inspiration for the Thornton Vermont series? What were the steps you took to bring it from initial inspiration to the finished book?
In culinary school, I saw myself eventually owning an inn much like the Damselfly Inn. Thornton itself is modeled on Middlebury, where I did my BA before culinary training, and where I’d hoped to move back to. Life took me in a different direction, so writing this series started as wish fulfillment. I love series, especially the Nora Roberts model of using three connected heroines/heroes to tell a larger arc. Nan’s circle of friends all have stories to tell, too, so it’s just a matter of doing the work and writing them.
How important has the New England setting been to your writing?
Vital. The majority of stories are literally set in New England, in real places, or fictionalized versions of real places. I’ve lived in New England all my life. My family is mostly from the region. New England is in my blood.
What are some of your writing-related hobbies, crafts, addictions?
I knit and crochet. My favorite things to make are amigurumi toys and loveys. I make tiny stuffed octopi for fun during TV or movie watching. I read, love music, and run, too.
Writers very often have furry or feathered or otherwise non-human companions to “help” them through their work. Do you? What do you have? How do they “help” (or, “not-help”) with your writing?
I have an eleven year old pug. He’s our clown. His manners are atrocious, he barks at scrolling news tickers on TV and motorcycles driving by our house, but he loves us and we love him. I grew up with retrievers and cats, so having a dog as a companion is a necessity.
Where can people find your work? (Besides ABSW ;)–though they should totally check here first!)
Amazon, B&N, iTunes, Smashwords, Lulu
How can we follow your work, share your awesomeness, or otherwise stalk you in a totally non-creepy way?
Facebook | Twitter | Web | Instagram | Newsletter
Thank you so much for the interview, Cameron! We look forward to having you at the store THIS SATURDAY for our Small Business Saturday celebration with the Worcester Writers Collaborative.
Annie's Book Stop of Worcester 