Author Interview: Colleen Temple
Guys. I’m excited. I reached out to a writer I’ve been following for awhile now and she was kind enough to answer some questions for The Hound, including some helpful self-publishing insights. As she says on her website, “Colleen Temple is an author, content creator and storyteller.” You’ve probably come across her on one of the social media platforms. She’s been writing, in one capacity or another, for years and released her first novel Summer Breakdown last year.
Read on for our short chat below. Enjoy!
ACM: I think I first came across you on Instagram. It was probably a post about motherhood that I related to HARD. Your content is always relatable and honest and you seem to connect with other moms and women in a very organic way. Are these the same women you wrote your debut novel Summer Breakdown for?
CT: Thank you! And, yes! I worked as the essays editor at Motherly for years and was lucky enough to read beautiful and relatable essays from mothers around the world about all the vulnerable and universal pain points we experience throughout the early years of motherhood. I wrote hundreds of essays on my own mothering experience during those years, too, and just knew I wanted that timeframe (raising kids the first 5-ish years) to be the period of life Sabrina, Summer Breakdown’s main character, was in. It’s such a transformative time of losing yourself and rediscovering yourself and I grew a lot as a human during that time in my life so I wanted to show Sabrina growing then, too.
ACM: So, I'm a mom, too, and a self published author and I know how much work goes into getting your book out there. It seems like Summer Breakdown is doing great! For those who are pursuing self publishing, what advice can you give? What were your expectations going in?
CT: Thank you! At this time, a little over a year after publishing Summer Breakdown, it has sold almost 5,000 copies. I’m really proud! Obviously you know self-publishing (and mothering alongside it) feels like we’re always hustling. Trying to balance both has been tricky, but definitely rewarding. My two biggest pieces of advice would be to A: tap into your community. Make a list of all the groups you're in or even have a small attachment to, all the people you know in your town or from home or work, all the people your parents know, your siblings know, etc. Seriously. Sit down and write these names out. Post on social media asking for help. Asking your network who knows who and who they’re willing to connect you with. B: Get as creative as possible! Ask your local coffee shop or wherever you frequent if you can do a book signing. Set up a book signing through your church or kiddos preschool. Always have copies in your car and make sure you set up a Venmo or PayPal to accept payments on the go. Leave your book at little libraries. Connect with book influencers on Instagram and TikTok and send them a copy of your book when you can. Share about your book in your high school or college alumni magazine. Get the word out there! Don’t be afraid to talk about it and share about it. It’s a huge accomplishment and you should be proud! Even if it feels awkward at first, I promise, it does get easier over time.
“Always have copies in your car and make sure you set up a Venmo or PayPal to accept payments on the go.”
ACM: Yes! I am working to strengthen this area of my own marketing. It can be daunting. The writing community, whether on social or local bookshops, writing groups, etc., have been the most helpful. Book people are the best people!
ACM: Now let’s talk about your book: When you were crafting the story, what was it about Sabrina, your main character, that you felt readers would connect with most?
CT: I hoped readers would connect with her big heart and imperfections. She wants to be the best mother she can, but feels no matter what she does, she’s never perfect. She’s always messing up. I can definitely relate to this myself, and hoped others would, too. I wanted to explore how the relationship with one’s parents comes into play in a big way as that adult child is raising children of their own. Following Sabrina along as she pieces the “parents are imperfect people, too” puzzle together was something that I had an inkling parents in our generation might be able to connect with. How no one gets it “right” every time, we’re all just trying our best with what we have, and that no matter how Sabrina’s parents parented her, that she is allowed to do it differently and show up in a more connected and vulnerable way than they did—all without having to be perfect.
ACM: I agree. Our generation is learning a lot, changing a lot, and understanding that our parents did the best they could with what they had AND it’s okay if we do it differently. Very relatable.
ACM: Some of my best writing moments have come when my own characters surprise me. Maybe that sounds weird! Do you find that your writing can take an unexpected turn? And, if so, have you ever had to dramatically modify a scene to make it work?
CT: Not weird at all! I love that myself and I am stubborn, so it usually takes me a few drafts before I change a scene or chunk of the story to be what it should be, not what I wanted it or envisioned it to be. I am a pantser at heart and I believe in telling myself the story as I go (for the most part). I think you definitely have to find what writing style works best for you and you find that through experimentation and trying to remain open-minded. Sabrina was too clean cut in my earlier drafts and needed more challenges thrown her way so her life got increasingly trickier/more stressful/chaotic with each draft I wrote, haha!
ACM: Lastly, what is next for you? Where can people find you and your work?
CT: I’m currently on my second draft of my new book. It’s a domestic suspense novel set in Vermont with a cult trope. I have been loving writing it! I wanted to write something different from Summer Breakdown but I am realizing at the heart of it, I think I’ll often write main characters who are impacted by parenthood in some way and how that affects the world around them. I share some snippets and writing stuff on Instagram @colltemple and on TikTik @watchcollwrite. You can sign up for my newsletter here, or check out my website here.
ACM: CULT TROPE. You’re singing my song, friend! Can’t wait for that!
Thanks so much to Colleen for taking the time to answer questions for us. Please consider purchasing her book, following her on social, and signing up for her newsletter.
ACM
If you are an author of a published novel and would like to be featured in an Author Interview on The Hound, please contact me through Substack.
Thanks for having me!!!🙌🙏