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An Interview With Casey Barrett “Against Nature” and Lindas Book Obsession for Suzy Approved Book Tours
- What did you do before you were a writer?
Casey Barrett:
I WAS A SWIMMER. I COMPETED FOR CANADA AT THE 1996 OLYMPICS; MY EVENT WAS THE 200 BUTTERFLY. FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS, I’VE BEEN THE CO-FOUNDER / CO-CEO OF IMAGINE SWIMMING, INC – NEW YORK CITY’S LARGEST LEARN-TO-SWIM SCHOOL… THE SCHOOL / COMPANY IS A PASSION, BUT IN ALL HONESTY, MY PERSONAL MOTIVATION IN STARTING IT WAS TO CREATE A LIFESTYLE THAT GAVE ME THE FREEDOM TO BE THE WRITER I WANTED TO BE… IE – NOT ONE TOILING LONG HOURS IN TELEVISION, WHICH IS WHAT I WAS DOING PRIOR TO STARTING ‘IMAGINE’…
- What motivated or inspired you to write ?
Casey Barrett:
I THINK OF WRITING AS MORE A NEED OR COMPULSION THAN ANYTHING ELSE. IF YOU NEED TO DO IT, YOU’LL FIND THE TIME AND THE MOTIVATION TO GET IT DONE. AS FOR INSPIRATION – IT’S EVERYWHERE.
- How did you go about researching for your book?
Casey Barrett:
THE ‘NEW YORK POST’… 🙂 ONLY PARTLY KIDDING… WHEN IT COMES TO FICTION WRITING, EVERYTHING IS RESEARCH… EVEN (AND SOMETIMES ESPECIALLY) IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR THAT YOU’RE INSISTING IS DONE ONLY IN THE NAME OF ‘RESEARCH’!
- What is a typical day your life ?
Casey Barrett:
WHEN I’M FULLY IMMERSED IN A DRAFT, THE IDEAL DAY IS: EARLY MORNING WRITING SESSION; WALK THE DOG; TAKE DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL; GO TO OFFICE AND DO WORK-TYPE THINGS; THEN A LONGER LATE AFTERNOON WRITING SESSION, FROM AROUND 3P – 5P. IF I CAN CRANK MY 1,000 WORDS A DAY, WHILE ALSO FULFILLING MY FAMILY & BUSINESS RESPONSIBILITIES, THAT’S A GOOD ‘TYPICAL’ DAY…
- What are your hobbies or things you do in your downtime?
Casey Barrett:
DOWNTIME? I READ. A LOT. HOBBIES – LIKE SURFING OR SKIING OR GOLF OR WHATEVER OTHER PASTIMES THAT FRIENDS DO – THOSE AREN’T FOR ME. NO INTEREST. IF I’M NOT READING OR SPENDING TIME WITH MY FAMILY, THEN I SHOULD BE WRITING. (ALTHOUGH I DO ENJOY A GOOD DRINK OR TWO…)
- What are your favorite genres of books that you like to read?
Casey Barrett:
I WRITE WHAT I LOVE TO READ MOST – CRIME & MYSTERY NOVELS. IN ANY CASE, ‘GENRES’ – IN GENERAL – ARE SUCH A SALES-ORIENTED, FALSE CONSTRUCT… FOR CRIME & MYSTERY WRITERS, THE MOST ANNOYING BACKHANDED COMPLIMENT IN THE WORLD IS THAT A BOOK ‘TRANSCENDS THE GENRE’… SUCH BULLSHIT. WHAT DO YOU CALL A ‘LITERARY NOVEL’ THAT DISAPPOINTS AND GOES NOWHERE, AND DOESN’T MAKE YOU WANT TO TURN THE PAGE? THAT IT LETS DOWN THE GENRE?
7 What advice can you give to someone that wants to be a writer?
Casey Barrett:
TO READ. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING, VORACIOUSLY. ANYONE WITH THE NEED WILL FIGURE OUT HOW TO WRITE… BUT I THINK IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO WRITE WELL WITHOUT READING A TON…
- How would you like the readers to connect with you?
Casey Barrett:
EMAIL ME! CASEY@IMAGINESWIMMING.COM. I’LL REPLY TO ANY & ALL EMAILS, AND I THINK THAT’S THE MOST PERSONAL WAY TO ‘E-CONNECT’… I’M ON INSTAGRAM TOO (@CASEYBARRETTBOOKS) AND I’LL CONNECT THAT WAY, BUT THAT’S ABOUT IT AS FAR AS SOCIAL MEDIA GOES… I’VE HAD TWITTER AND FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS SET UP FOR ME, BUT I NEVER USE THEM… EMAIL IS DEFINITELY THE BEST WAY!
Linda's Book Obsession: 