Debut author Lindsey Carver discusses her soon-to-be-released novel Juliet Was Wrong and shares her journey in self-publishing.

What inspired your novel?

My own experiences as a teenager, the feeling of wanting to be “an adult” but living through all the responsibilities that come along with it… oh, and Dawson’s Creek.

How did you come up with the title?

My husband takes credit for that one! Originally titled That Summer, queen Jennifer Weiner came out with a book that title… so I had to rethink it. The main character is an English major with a love of Shakespeare so it was easy to tie that into the overall theme of the book - do you risk your future for falling in love?

Share your publishing journey. How did you decide to self-publish your book?

I was happy to do the querying process… regardless of how trying it was. But the more I queried, the more feedback I received that was beyond my control (i.e., odd specifications agents were seeking that I won’t go into here…). So, my husband asked “what do you want from this book?” And I told him I want to share it with the world. So, right then and there I decided to take it into my own hands. And the self publishing journey has been so amazing, I now cannot picture leaving the fate of this book in the hands of someone else. My childhood best friend designed the cover. I picked a significant release date. Things such as this would have been out of my control had I chosen the traditional published route. Not to say I won’t query another book in the future, but this was the right route for this book.

What do you hope readers takeaway from your debut?

I want readers to connect with the characters and see their own teenager self in them. My book is geared toward adults who crave that teenager summer nostalgia and teenagers standing on the cusp of adulthood, relating to what my characters are experiencing.

What's been the hardest/most surprising part of publishing for you?

The edits. I revised my book five times before it went to my editor. It did surprise me another revision was needed, but boy oh boy - did it help!!!

Buy Juliet Was Wrong

ABOUT LINDSEY

Lindsey Carver lives on the Jersey Shore with her husband, two kiddos and a 110 pound lap dog. She's been writing since she could hold a pencil. Her first publication was in fifth grade on a story about a dog named Pepsi who was abducted by aliens. More notably (and recently), she has been featured on the well-known women’s blogs: Her View From Home, Hey Ponderer and Scary Mommy. Juliet was Wrong is her debut novel.

Connect with Lindsey on Instagram.

ABOUT JULIET WAS WRONG

It is the day after high school graduation and Katie has one thing on her mind: getting the heck out of New Jersey. That is… until she meets him. Joshua Parker steps into view under the Ferris Wheel at the boardwalk and one look at him has Katie’s brain misfiring. The summer days fall into nights with Josh. Katie is soon discovering teenage experiences she’s been missing out on with her nose stuck in a book. The more time Katie spends with Josh, the more she begins to question everything she knows about love… and who she’s meant to be.

The path of Katie’s future has been perfectly paved since she was seven. But, she soon craves a new one: one with a boy she just met but cannot live without. The soon-to-be English major is standing at a crossroads, examining everything she’s learned about her beloved Shakespearean theatre. Do you ever get a second chance at true love? The events of that summer will decide.