Author Interview: Camilla Monk

I had the fabulous honor of (virtually) sitting down with Camilla Monk, author of the Spotless series, for an interview.

This author is as interesting as her characters. The following bio on the"Self-glorification" page of her website features the same humor that's found in her novels:
"Camilla Monk is a virtually unknown author who somehow tricked a bunch of people into publishing books about ostriches and killer platypuses.
A French native who grew up in a Franco-American family, she taught English and French in Tokyo before returning to France to work in advertising. Today, she builds rickety websites for financial companies and lives in Montreal, where she keeps a close watch on the squirrels and complains on a daily basis about the egregious number of Tim Hortons.
Her writing credits include the English resumes and cover letters of a great many French friends, and some essays as well. She’s also the critically acclaimed author of a few passive-aggressive notes pasted in her building’s elevator."

I've read all of the books and am a big fan of Island and March, the two main characters in the series. If you've perused my blog, you might have already seen my reviews for the books: Spotless, Beating Ruby, Crystal Whisperer, and, finally, Butterfly in Amber. If you haven't, you can go ahead and check out my reviews by clicking on the book titles. I highly recommend this series for readers who love action, quirky characters, romance, and lots of humor.

Now, let's get to the good stuff!

What inspired you to write the Spotless series?

My love of spy movies (James Bond!) and trashy novels. Island is probably inspired by Bridget Jones, but also by the stereotypical "Anime girl", a gentle and innocent character. She became a prism through which I could explore your typical spy thriller in a completely different way. I can really say that she came to life, and it was her who gave the other characters their humanity. They can only shine because she shows them to us with an open-mind and a naive kindness.


What is your favorite scene that you've written in the Spotless series so far?

My favorite line is Island squeaking in Spotless #1 that "Antonio will change!". My favorite scene, I'm not sure. I like writing Dries, as a general rule, I love his scenes. I'm also fond of March and Island's last moments together in Spotless #1, and of a scene that you'll discover in Butterfly in Amber, where they reflect on their love story so far, in typical Spotless fashion...

If you could make one character from your books exist in real life, who would you choose and why?

Dries or Stiles? I'd love to sit down with them for a chat.

The fourth book, Butterfly in Amber, recently released this month; will this be the end of the Spotless series or will there be more books to follow?

The big arc ends here, that's for sure, but seeing how readers wanted more, and because it's a bit difficult to part with March and Island after having spent 3 years writing them, I decided to do a fifth book that would be a lighter adventure, something to give closure to the many characters we encountered throughout the series and summon the wacky spirit of the first Spotless. It will also serve as a bridge to my next series, Acies, which is set in Ancient Rome. 

Do you have any other writing projects in the works?

As mentioned above, my next series will be a spin-off of sorts: Acies takes place in Spotless's universe, two thousand years earlier, during Emperor Hadrian's reign...

What is your writing process like?

Thinking, thinking, thinking, writing bits here and there, thinking, listening to music, researching various places, weapons, scientific topics, thinking. OMFG the deadline is near. Writing. 
More seriously, I do write isolated scenes at first, generally over a 3 months period during which the story comes together as an outline with key scenes. Then I order everything with chapters--the number of which I systematically underestimate--and start writing. Often, as I write, I'll get taken in a different direction than the one I had intended, but starting and ending points usually remain the same, what will change is the way I reach that ending (add a new scene, change the order in which some events take place).
I think it's important to have a general idea of where you're going, and I can't stress enough the importance of research: it gives me inspiration, provides a level of detail that makes scenes feel more visceral, and sometimes it can influence the story altogether.

What do you do when you get writer's block? 

I take a bath, and I think while I'm soaking, or I go out and take a long walk, listening to music. As a result, I'm never cleaner than when I'm on a deadline: 3 baths a day! :) Joke aside (but it's true), I think the trick is to take your mind off of the manuscript, breathe some fresh air. Another approach is to write something different: another scene of the book, one that inspires you, or another book altogether.

Do you have any advice for writers and aspiring authors?

I sometimes get asked for advice from writers who are working on their first manuscript. I have to admit that there's not much I can say to help them, except maybe this: find a critic partner early on, to motivate you into writing regularly and actually wrap that book. 
Once you do have a draft, my best advice is to hire a developmental editor. It won't come cheap, and the first editorial letter you'll get will shatter your self-esteem, but you need to that professional eye to gauge your story and make the most of it. Supposing that you have a decent draft, try to query: the process itself is a learning experience, regardless of the outcome. You'll need to be able to pitch your story: if you can't sum up in 3 lines what makes it good or different, then the manuscript isn't ready. It means that it lacks a "spine", a strong concept or narrative choice that you can use to introduce the agent or publisher to your world. For example, if I remember, well, Spotless's early pitch was: "An OCD-ridden hit man, a romance books obsessed nerd, a 2 billion dollars diamond: it cannot end well." There's a lot more to Spotless, and as you see, I didn't even mention Island's virginity, in order not to clutter the pitch with adjectives. But it was enough for several agents to think "okay, this is intriguing."
Lastly, if you go for self-publishing: stay away from vanity publishers offering to edit and produce your books. All you'll get is a crappy, hasty job done by people who are here to make a profit. Find your own editor, cover artist, formatting expert and hire them yourself. Join a community of fellow self-pubbed authors (you have many on Facebook, and forums too, all over the internet). You'll learn more by working directly with professionals, and your money will be better spent.

A big thank you to Camilla Monk for taking the time to answer my questions! And for all of you reading this interview, I hope you've already picked up your own copies of the books to enjoy. But if not, all of the books are available in ebook and paperback format, and the first three are also available as audiobooks, so you can start reading (or listening) to the books in whichever format you prefer today!