JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Carlos Harleaux, author of No Cream In The Middle
7th Sign Publishing
Two sisters, Cookie and Chelsea, are recovering from the aftermath of the revealing of a dark secret (previously detailed in the novel, Fortune Cookie) that almost ended their lives. Now, they are ready to live the good life.
Chelsea has a secret of her own though that makes Cookie afraid to trust her and fearful for her own life. Plus, she develops doubts about her husband’s faithfulness. She tries to keep her sanity as she learns she can’t trust anyone close to her.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write No Cream In The Middle?
Carlos Harleaux: No Cream In The Middle was easier to write than Fortune Cookie, since the former was a continuation of the latter. The inspiration for the characters comes from real life experiences, mixed in with the personalities of some of my friends and family. I used certain experiences and developed how the characters would react to those situations based on the personas I created.
JP: What sets No Cream In The Middle apart from other books in the same genre?
CH: Everything in No Cream In The Middle is very realistic, even though it’s a novel. When people read it, they will see themselves in these situations or be reminded someone they know. There’s something here for men and women. It’s no secret that women read more novels. I added some things to hold the attention from guys, too. So, I created this novel for both women and men to read and love it.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to No Cream In The Middle getting out to the public?
CH: Having a social media presence is a must these days. You have to stay active online and remain on people’s minds. The attention spans are so quick now, so I try to think ahead for the next attention grabbing element that helps bring the books I’ve written to life.
Meeting people in-person is still my favorite. There is nothing like making that personal connection with people who have read your work. You have to have a mix of both social media presence and physical presence (events, book signings, etc.) to really get the best result.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish No Cream In The Middle?
CH: I try to keep my process simple because my time is limited. If I have my way, I like to write alone in a quiet room, maybe with some music on. One of my favorite places to write is Starbucks. I don’t drink coffee, but I love tea. I just drink my tea, have my music on, and write while I people watch. I like being observant, which gives me many ideas in my writing. This book took 6 months to complete from start to finish.
JP: What’s next for Carlos Harleaux?
CH: No Cream In The Middle will officially be released on July 7, 2017. However, it is available for pre-sale now in the Shop section of my site, www.PeauxeticExpressions.com. So, I’ll be promoting this book for a while.
I have a poetry book dedicated to women called Commissioned To Love. The ladies are going to love it and the concept of it is to uplift women and make them feel better about themselves.
I’ll start working on the third installment of the novel series soon too. The follow up to No Cream In The Middle will likely come out at the end of 2018 or the beginning of 2019.
Other than that, just talking to and helping other authors. I have my own publishing company, 7th Sign Publishing. I’m in the early stages of some great books that some local authors.
http://www.peauxeticexpressions.com/
https://www.facebook.com/peauxeticexpressions/
https://plus.google.com/u/1/+CarlosHarleaux
“Thank you to everyone who has ever purchased any of my books. I am truly grateful and humbled.” ~ Carlos Harleaux