Interview with
Callie Ann Frey
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
The earliest I can remember wanting to be a writer was in the third grade. I thought it was so cool and I would write these books about me with a cat named Mimi.
How long does it take you to write a book?
For my debut novel, If Only You Stayed, it took me about 8 years, but it was on and off, and I rewrote it several times. I am really happy with how it turned out. If it's a poetry collection, it depends. Sometimes they take me a year or two.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
For me, it was the fact that I was able to bring a story to life, as well as the characters and writing in their POV was exciting to me.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I have a few good friends who tell me they like my books and are always looking forward to the new things i write.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
It does both, honestly. I get inspiration and excited to write but after a while, I need a break.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
I've no idea honestly.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I like to be original with my work.
What authors did you dislike at first but grew into?
At what point do you think someone should call themselves a writer?
I don't think thats a question. Everyone can be a writer. I don't think that just because you aren't published, doesn't make you a write. If your wrote a poem or two, you're a writer. Even writing in a journal makes you a writer.
What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you?
When you sit there in front of you computer and you want to write, but nothing comes to you. It's the WORST.
Are there therapeutic benefits to modeling a character after someone you know?
What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?
The characters for sure. I try to get to know them and who they are first, but I always have the plot in the back in my mind.
How would you describe your book’s ideal reader?
My book is for someone who loves to read and wants to read something new. I wrote my novel. If Only You Stayed in poetry, which not a lot of people do.
How much research did you need to do for your book?
I had to do quite a bit because I had to learn more about amnesia.
Tell us more about your book/s?
My book If Only You Stayed is told in verse, and is a YA contemporary romance novel. I am currently working on a hardback copy, as well as an audio book and a book told in Louis's POV.