How difficult is it to write as a team?
Writing as a team is a lot of fun. It’s actually not that difficult. But it wouldn’t work with just anybody. Writing with my mom gives me freedom to feel like I can argue over a scene until it is just right… and boy can we argue. If we are arguing, we have to banter until we’re giving each other high fives in excitement. By the time we agree, we are so excited that our high fives get screwed up and we end up whacking each other or get nothing but air.
When did you know writing together was the right decision?
We entered a 3 Day Novel contest. It was so much fun sitting side-by-side typing, and occasionally stopping for a meeting of the minds. We gave each other goose bumps with our scenes, so we knew then it was right.
What is the most rewarding part of being published?
The most rewarding part is receiving comments from people who like our stories. Of course, we like them, because we wrote them. But for others to say they like them, too, that is validation.
Where does the inspiration for your novellas come from?
Mom and I live crazy, adventurous lives for inspiration and we love bouncing ideas off each other.
Do you have a writing routine you try to stick to?
Zoey now does most of the writing and she likes to type 5 pages at a time! Woo! I come in and insert scenes, help make sure the pacing and flow is just right and offer my 2 cents along the way. Almost every day we have a meeting.
How important do you think blogs and/or social media are to authors?
We just set up a blog and are awaiting followers to sign up (hint, hint), and our Twitter account is @Zoey_Claire
I think it is extremely important. Twitter helped us with the blog tour and it has helped so many other authors.
What is your advice for aspiring writers?
My best advice is to let loose, let yourself type out the scenes with excitement. Lose yourself in the romance, adventure, mystery and intrigue.
What do you like the most about the first in the mystery series, The Riddles of Hillgate?
Well, for one, the name and the cover! I love it. If I had to choose a scene, it would be the one where Mom and I are sneaking up on a killer in the middle of a rain storm, outside the mansion.
What do you like most about the second in the series, Cruise to Murder?
There is so much I love about Cruise to Murder. If I had to pick something, I guess it would be the continual excitement throughout. Our books are no way slow paced. You won’t be skimming pages of our mysteries. There’s just too much fun going on.
Last thoughts for our readers?
Visit our blog to enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card giveaway: http://zoeyandclaire.blogspot.com/ And thank you, Samantha, for interviewing us on your beautiful blog.
About Zoey and Claire:
Claire has a Masters in Journalism, was Editor for Eye Witness Magazine and can’t make Irish Rum Cookies to save her life.
Zoey has dabbled in modeling, is a licensed real-estate agent, seeks for treasures (great and small), and is often underestimated.
Together, Zoey and Claire are a mother-daughter mystery solving duo. During their downtime, they dream of island men whisking them away.
(Claire and Zoey are also fictional, and their authors are a real life mother and daughter who use their names as pseudonyms. Don’t tell them that, though.)
