There are a lot of amazing things about Kristina Carmela that most people might not know. For starters, did you know that she’s the mastermind behind the Indieverse Awards? Kristina single-handedly put the whole thing together and has been marketing her butt off for these awards while also writing her own books. These awards gave so many incredible indie authors a chance to be seen and heard by readers that might have never discovered them before. And I know that everyone is eternally grateful to Kristina for making this happen.
That’s not all, though! Kristina is working on a 15 book series that follows five women over a span of five years and each of them gets a trilogy to tell their story. I am so blown away by the world that Kristina has created in Nelsonville and I believe everyone needs to go hang out with these incredible characters. You can also keep up with what’s going on in Kristina’s world by tuning into her Greetings from Nelsonville podcast.
You can buy all her books via her website!
BEING AN AUTHOR
Who or what inspired you to write?
Like so many of us authors, we always knew we have stories inside of us we wanted to tell. I have been thinking of my first main character, Georgia Fields, for years and years. I just never felt like I was worthy to write her story. Who was I to become an author? I began writing years ago & stopped. It wasn't the right time in my life. When I stumbled upon what I began in 2021, I felt this sudden surge. I knew her story had to be told now. I knew I was in the right place in my life to do so. I really think most of my motivation & inspiration came from this fictional character!
Why did you choose to self-publish instead of going the traditional route?
At the end of the day, I really wanted to have control and overall say over every piece in my fictional world. I could see so many of the pieces so clearly and knew I wouldn’t do well being on somebody else's timeline or not having the final say in things like my book cover. I’m thankful too, because I didn’t realize I was writing a series when I was writing my first book, This Time Around. I would not be writing a large 15 book series of 5 trilogies for our 5 main characters with a corresponding novella series. Sometimes, things work out for the best!
When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?
I love to sew—especially making blankets! I’ve been teaching myself to oil paint over the last few years. I’m not great, but I’m decent & it helps clear my mind so that I can have room for more creative things!
What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?
Don’t be afraid to start your social media & talking about your books before they’re released. Start the buzz as early as you can & connect with readers & authors alike early! This is my biggest regret
You’ll see all these writing “rules” out there, don’t feel tied to them. It’s okay to break the rules & make your own way, especially as an indie author
Lean on your indie author community! The overwhelming majority of indie authors are so supportive & have your back. Find your people, it’ll make a huge difference.
At the end of the day, self publishing will cost money. Somehow, someway! Be smart about it & start to save. I set up a separate book bank account & when I knew I was going to self publish, I started sending money into that account every week as a cushion. Even if you can only save $10 a week, start building that up!
Hire a trustworthy, professional editor(and research to know what kind of editor you need). I say this because my editor has made a massive difference in the quality of my book. Shop around for editors, find those in your budget, do sample edits with them & always, always, have a contract!
ROMANCE AS A GENRE
Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?
I love writing romance in the midst of real life. The choices we make to either let somebody in or push them away. I love writing in the small ways we can be loved by somebody on a regular day of the week. I love the grand gestures, the moments where you’re showing all the reasons why you choose your partner. I think romance shows the readers that love can be such a great thing to have and shows all the different ways you can love or be loved! I love getting the chance to create relationships that readers feel safe and excited to be a part of.
What are your most and least favorite tropes?
I love a good soulmate trope and friends to lovers! But I really enjoy pretty much all tropes except for miscommunication. It’s my least favorite by a hundred miles!
What are some tropes you want to write in the future?
I want to try as many as possible! Taking a trope and making it your own is such a fun challenge for me as a writer. With every book I hope to try my hand at a new dynamic, except miscommunication 😉
What are some topics (sensitive and otherwise) that you think should exist more in romance?
I love that we’re seeing consent be more of a common thing in romance books from female & male characters. Consent is so important and can be handled very easily and I think we should see it at least the first time two characters get together. I also think there’s so much room for conversations in romance. I’ve read so many romances where when it comes to getting in the sheets, it’s great & perfect!
My first two characters are like that (and it works for that story). But my next set of main characters struggle a little to get into a good, spicy groove. We do watch them kind of fake it, and then have to decide if they’re going to have that awkward conversation of how can we make sex better? To me, that’s so real and we need to remind readers that it’s not always going to be mind blowing every time, with every partner. Having real honest conversations can be sexy too!
If you write open door romance, why did you choose that and what inspires your sex scenes?
The majority of my sex scenes are tied to something emotional. In my first book, This Time Around, especially, Georgia has never been with a man who made her feel seen and loved. She struggles a lot with her body image & self worth. So when she gets with Jake, things are different. So I thought as a way to understand her more and her relationships with herself and with Jake, the scenes needed to be open door. Inspiration comes from real life sometimes but also what you kind of hope to get one day. You kind of want to get a little lost in the steamy things a hot British man is doing, you know?
YOUR BOOKS
Can you briefly tell me about your books?
I am writing a 15 book series! The series will run over five years with five female main characters. We bounce around MC’s with every new book & each of them will get a trilogy within the series! Within that, there is also a novella series that will begin this winter that will follow our main, recurring side characters during one life changing year of their lives!
They all take place in this fictional town called Nelsonville that has a knack of pulling people in who need a fresh start. It’s a cozy, beach town with a cute Main Street where we spend lots of our time!
If you were to cast your book for a movie/television show, who would you cast in the lead roles?
I play this game all the time & have chosen actors for all my characters except one! For our five main female leads, this is who I’d choose: Alexandra Breckenridge as Penny Carson, Taylor Swift as Ali Bowery, Selena Gomez as Tess Vargas and Chloe Bennet as Charlie Yang. I can’t choose who would play Georgia Fields because she is based on me and I just don’t know who could be me!
How much of yourself do you put into these characters?
Georgia Fields is based on me so her looks, her anxiety, her memories, how she processes things are all based on me. But when it comes to the other four female main characters, I’m always sure to put different pieces of me into them. I think it’s a fun way for me to connect with them and another way for them to feel like real friends!
Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?
All of the characters have ended up Nelsonville needing a fresh start. So we learn what it was that made them pick up & move to start over. We get that in all the books and we watch them as they find their people and their place!
When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?
I really want readers to really feel at home in Nelsonville and feel like they’re hanging out with their friends whenever they read one of my books. I want them to see themselves in a character and connect with them. I want them to know too, especially as the books deal with big things like grief, self love, breakups, etc., that you’re not alone. Your trauma, your heartbreak, your triumphs can all be seen somehow through these characters!
AUTHOR’S CHOICE
Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks
Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense
Single or Dual POV
Standalones, series or standalones in a series
Open door, ajar door or closed door romances
Music or silence when writing
Plotter, pantser or plantser
Water, tea, coffee or….wine?
Cold or warm weather
Write better in the morning, afternoon and night?
Illustrated or photo cover?
Kristina can be found on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. Make sure to sign up for her newsletter too! And did you know she has a podcast about her fictional world? You can find all the information at Greetings from Nelsonville Podcast.
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