Camille Pagán tells it like it is....plus a book giveaway

We're glad to have Camille Pagán back at CLC today during the publication week of her latest novel, This Won't End Well. To help us celebrate our 10-year blogiversary, she wrote a letter to herself from 10 years ago. Check out what she had to say and enter to win a signed paperback copy of This Won't End Well!

Camille Pagán is the #1 Kindle and Washington Post bestselling author of six novels, including This Won’t End Well, I’m Fine and Neither Are You, and Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, which has been optioned for film. 

Visit Camille online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
No new people: that’s Annie Mercer’s vow. It’s bad enough that her boss sabotaged her chemistry career and her best friend tried to cure her with crystals. But after her fiancé, Jon, asks for space while he’s gallivanting around Paris, Annie decides she needs space too—from everyone.

Yet when Harper moves in next door, Annie can’t help but train a watchful eye on the glamorous but fragile young woman. And if keeping Harper safe requires teaming up with Mo, a maddeningly optimistic amateur detective, who is she to mind her own business?

Soon Annie has let not one but two new people into her life. Then Jon reappears—and he wants her to join him in France. She’s pretty sure letting anyone get close won’t end well. So she must decide: Is another shot at happiness worth the risk? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

Dear circa 2010 Camille,

Oh my gosh, you just sold your first novel! Congratulations—now buckle up, because you’re in for the wildest ride. But before you go, here are five things you should know:

1. Yep, mean people are the worst. You’re going to get a couple of reviews that are so nasty that you won’t just question your own writing—you’ll worry for the future of humanity. Some people will even go out of their way to email crazy things to you … just because they can.

Guess what? Ten years from now, that stuff will still hurt. But it will hurt so much less than it does at the beginning, because you’ll have long since realized that it’s not why you’re writing. What’s more—and you won’t believe this now, but it’s totally true—you’ll actually be grateful for the meanies, because they’ll give you thicker skin. And that’s key, because the only way to succeed—and I do mean only—is to keep going. Thick skin makes that easier.

2. Write books that delight you. Not your aunt, not your neighborhood book club; not even your editor. Sure, it’s nice when people you know (well, some of them) read your novels. But they’re not your real reader.

Who’s that, you ask? Well, your real reader is the complete stranger who takes the time to email you or message you on Facebook to tell you that she came across your novel at the exact right time. She’s the person who approaches you after a library event to say you helped her get through a tough time in her life. She’s the Instagram friend who’s read every single one of your books (!) and tells you to type faster, because she can’t wait for the next one.

You won’t find those readers if you try to emulate someone else’s voice or career—so write from the heart. Yes, that can be super uncomfortable. Sometimes you’re going to feel so vulnerable that you’d rather run around town in your underwear than let your book hit the shelves. Trust me on this one: do it anyway.

3. Your kids will grow up so fast. Seriously, that old cliché is unshakable because it’s true. Hug them, read to them before bed, go to all their soccer games—but don’t feel bad about taking time away from them to write. You’re actually doing them a favor (stay with me here). As an introvert who doesn’t know a thing about child development, you’re not going socialize them half as effectively as their preschool teachers will.

More important: Writing is going to make you a better mom and a happier person. And you know what kids want more than almost anything in the world? Happy parents. They’re going to see your joy when you’re holding a copy of your hard work in your hands. And when they ask if they can write a book one day, too—or whatever else their big dream may be—they will actually believe you when you look them in the eye and say, “Yes, you can.”

4. You will inevitably end up pouring tears and time into stories that won’t sell and may never see the light of the day. That’s not just okay; it’s the secret of your success. Think of those stories as your personal MFA. Every single manuscript will make you the writer you become, and though it’s going to take a while, you’re going to be really proud of yourself one day.

5. If you have the opportunity to connect with people who’ve read your books—whether it’s at an in-person event, at a book club over Skype, or through social media—take it. They are why you write.

See you in ten years!

—Camille

Thanks to Camille for visiting with us and for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway ends March 3rd at midnight EST.