Books Uplift Author Q&A
Erin Carrougher is a native of the Pacific Northwest, living the majority of her life near the Seattle area. She loves dystopian books, movies, and shows; so naturally, she weaved her passion for writing with her obsession with the possible futures. When not writing, she works as a sales professional and is a loving wife, Auntie BeeBee, and dog mom. While a novice chef, she enjoys spending time in the kitchen creating her own variations on food creations (mostly because she hates following directions).
Meet Erin Carrougher:
You are an author, but is it your day job? If not, what does fill your days? I wish writing was my day job! Or do I? To be honest, I love being a writer, but I’m afraid of what I’d miss in the creative journey if that was all I did. So much of what the corporate world brings into my life inspires my writing. I view writing as my reprieve. Writing settles me down from long-drawn-out days and it gives me a moment of solitude; just me and my creative world.
As for the “working” hours of the day, I’m a sales manager for a large IT company—and I love it. I interact with so many different types of customers, coworkers, and technology-driven individuals. I’m not a “techy” person per se, so I enjoy being surrounded by people way smarter than me and learning about their world.
Outside of sales and writing? I LOVE to cook. Bread has been my go-to as of late, but I may have to change to a less carb-filled passion. I also am a full-time dog mom to a handsome boy named, Griffen, and I have the joy of being an Auntie.
Did you always want to be an author? I don’t know if I always wanted to be an author, but I have always loved storytelling from a noticeably young age. I build worlds in my head, gathering inspiration from everything I see and hear; watching television and movies, reading about history, and looking for my next fun adventure. Eventually, it was time to put the worlds in my head to paper, and I became a writer!
How do you hope your book uplifts those who read it? I hope this book inspires young women to be strong, especially in a world that tells us who we should be. We all have an inner identity that is unafraid and unwilling to change, I want readers to pursue her! I want my readers, especially young women in the corporate field, to find their own passions and purpose and go after it!
What are you most excited about with this book? I’m most excited for my characters to be loved by people other than me! Also, to tell a story that sheds light on the current geopolitical climate. It’s important for people to know they have power; we can create our future.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to succeed in your professional industry? Oh goodness, this one is a tough one. The biggest piece of advice I even feel qualified to give is to never give up. You will have people that don’t see your vision, or even like the story you tell, but what matters is what you believe about yourself. Never lose sight of what you believe because ultimately, it will be you who decides your own success.
How do you handle setbacks and criticism? Be open to feedback! Nothing is ever going to be perfect, but you will learn more the more you practice, practice, and practice. While, let’s be honest, it doesn’t feel good to hear criticism, especially when it comes to something that is very personal, like a manuscript, but I know that I always need to be learning to do better the next time around. If you could see the first draft of my manuscript, you’d be astonished at the difference between it and the final version. It was because of the criticism and setbacks. . .and patience. . .that I got a definitive version I’m so proud of.
How do you structure your day and make time for writing? Structure and dedication. I dedicate time in the mornings and evenings to write. During that time, I write, re-write, and read, so I’m doing something constructive that is helping me create. I can’t force the creative writing, so sometimes need to do maintenance writing, but as long as I’m writing, it counts!
Also, I recommend having a specific place for writing. In my house, I’ve got a room dedicated to both my day job and writing. When I’m in that room, I’m completely dedicated to the work I want to get done. When I dedicate time to write, really dedicate, like an hour or two, and I’ve been amazed at what I can achieve!
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