Interview & Giveaway with Cari Kamm

One of the most delightful authors that I have had the pleasure of getting to know is Cari Kamm.  Her latest novel, FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY, came out on Valentine's Day and she has taken a few minutes to do a quick interview with me.  And two lucky readers are going to win a copy of her latest.

What inspired you to write For Internal Use Only?

Inspired by the notion that women grow up with ideas of true love and destiny, For Internal Use Only approaches those ideas with a decidedly twenty-first century viewpoint. By incorporating problems inherent with today’s dating world, this book is meant to enlighten readers to stop chasing fairytales and start creating their own. My goal was to write a humorous love story with an edgy and dramatic twist that gives each of us a new fairy tale to look forward too; our own.

Who would you be friends with in real life: Chloe from For Internal Use Only or Isabella Reynolds from Fake Perfect Me?

Both! Chloe and Isabella were created from numerous combinations of people that I know, have met and was even inspired by. Chloe is the dreamer. She’s fighting for a passion. She’s a hopeless romantic, but cautious because she’s terrified of heartbreak.  Isabella struggles with perfection, of being accepted and loved for simply being her. She hides her insecurities and secrets such as her bulimia, covering them with designer labels. Isabella is on the journey to understanding the importance of self-worth.

On some level, I feel that we all experience a taste of these characters. To be successful. To be loved. To be happy with who we are. To be enough.

What is a typical writing day like for you?

I begin first thing in the morning. Before anything can shift my mood or motivation, I make coffee and hit the keys. It might be for thirty minutes or hours. Writing is my morning stretch. I write from home or head out to one of my spots in New York City.  Sometimes, I just walk into random restaurants, bookstores, or coffee shops. I find inspiration in the unexpected. Not having a plan is sometimes the perfect plan.

What are your biggest pet peeves as a writer?

The overuse of words and those damn dashes!

Who inspires you?

People with passion! They light up a room. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or stranger, someone that’s fighting for a dream. I love to see ideas turn into whole-hearted projects and the dedication that fuels people to turn them into reality. I think that’s one of the most beautiful things in the world. It’s amazing what can come from doing things with love... with putting your heart into it.

Who are you reading and liking currently?

I’ve probably downloaded fifteen titles this month. My reading list is bigger than me! Recently I’ve read and liked:

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Do you have anything new in the works?

In November 2012, I participated in National Novel Writing month and completed my third novel. It’s my first romance novel and takes place in Costa Rica. I hope to release it later this year. My 80-year-old Italian grandma will be thrilled! I always caught her reading books with Fabio decorated covers.

Is there a genre that you would like to write in?

I’m a huge fan of series such as Law & Order and recently Homeland. I would love to write a suspenseful thriller/mystery with a dark, twisted plot.

What is your guilty pleasure song that you can’t help but sing out loud when you hear it?

The artist is ‘Over The Rhine’ and the song is ‘Spark.’  I would definitely be an American Idol reject.

Where is your dream vacation spot?

Anywhere that requires a passport! In fact, I’m traveling to Moscow for my birthday this year. I’ll be landing on the morning of my 35^th birthday, Valentine’s Day. Move over chocolate and hello Vodka!

Who is your current celebrity crush?

Ed Burns!  He’s always been my celebrity crush.  I used to see him weekly at a breakfast spot in Tribeca with his supermodel wife and their two beautiful kids. A couple of months ago, I spotted him in a lobby of a condo building. My ears can detect that voice in a crowded room and it stops me dead in my tracks!  Seriously . . . I go numb.

Cari Kamm has worked in the beauty industry for over a decade, building brands, working behind the scenes, and even selling her own skin care line. She has a master’s in clinical nutrition from New York University. Kamm currently works in corporate social media management with clients in the beauty, fashion, and restaurant industries. Living in New York City with her mutt Schumtz, Kamm loves finding inspiration in the most unexpected places, being a novelist, and convincing her boyfriend that ordering takeout and making dinner reservations are equal to cooking. More information can be found on her website, CariKamm.com.

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FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY

Chloe Kassidy has just been accepted into one of Manhattan’s most exclusive art exhibits, Love Through Light. However, with her singular dedication to her career, she soon realizes that in sacrificing her personal life, she has never been in love. A hopeless romantic who is terrified of heartbreak, Chloe begins to enlist the help of her circle of friends to learn about love through their very different stories and experiences.

In Chloe’s emotional rollercoaster to having the greatest love story ever told, she’ll learn that like her photography she must use the negatives in life to develop and prove that she’s a strong woman who found her way to love through light.
A humorous love story with an edgy and dramatic twist, For Internal Use Only is a vastly entertaining novel that gives each of us a new fairy tale to look forward too: our own.

Comment below for your chance to win your choice of  paperback or ebook for US/CA residents.  Two winners will be chosen on February 27th!  Good luck! Please be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you are a winner! :)


****BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO:  MRS. MOMMY BOOKNERD & KAT FOR WINNING A COPY OF CARI'S BOOK!!! ******