Hi Peeps! 

Today I have the pleasure to welcome on CHOUETT the lady behind “Don’t Turn Around” one of the best paranormal thriller I have read to date!!! I heard about Caroline Mitchell at around the same time I discovered Angela Marsons and my only regret was that it took me a very long time before I got to finally reading it!

I feel very grateful to have the opportunity to chat with Caroline today as she can not only expertly write about the Paranormal but she also has lived it, which I find fascinating!

Thank you so much Caroline for submitting yourself to the usual CHOUETT grilling :).

And here’s the interview. Enjoy!

• LaChouett: If it was not for your own personal experience, would you have been a believer?

Caroline: Hi, and thanks for having me. I’ve always had an open mind, but nothing could have prepared me for my experiences when a paranormal entity invaded my home. Even I found it difficult to comprehend when it was happening in front of my eyes.

• LaChouett: Has your experience with  the paranormal influenced your approach to cases as a police officer?

Caroline: That’s an interesting question but no, not at all. Unlike Jennifer Knight, I keep the paranormal out of my day to day work and act strictly professional. Belief in the paranormal is very personal, like religion, and I would never impose my beliefs on anyone else. To turn the question around, my training in the police helped me deal with my personal ordeal with my ‘paranormal intruder’.

• LaChouett: Where does the police officer ends and the author begins? Or have you found a happy medium in being both?

Caroline: I wouldn’t quite say happy medium because working full time while writing and raising a family is exhausting. I write on the train during my commute to work, on my days off and any spare second I can find. Although I enjoy being in the police, my greatest wish is to follow my dream and write full time. Having said that, I wouldn’t be able to write crime if it wasn’t for my fascinating career.

• LaChouett: Paranormal encounters are often reported as negative experiences, do you think there are any good paranormal encounters out there? Have you heard/witnessed any?

Caroline: Oh gosh yes, and there are some fantastic books on the subject. They’re usually labelled as ‘spiritual experiences’ rather than paranormal, and there are many books by publishers Hay House that provide real inspiration. I was lucky enough to have some positive experiences, but I find it hard to put it into words. All I can say is that I know there is something on the other side, something good and pure. I feel that lower energies cling on to the material world, but when we pass away it’s to a higher energy.

• LaChouett: In what way was the writing of a “Don’t Turn Around” different from writing your true life story in “Paranormal Intruder”?

Caroline: My true story”Paranormal Intruder” is written in a completely different style to “Don’t turn around”, because it was very raw and emotional. The reviews have been amazing, but every now and again someone will say they didn’t like the ending or found it a bit repetitive in the middle. Hey, it’s a true story, and those things were beyond my control! “Don’t Turn Around” was a lot of fun to write in comparison and I threw myself into it, infusing my personal experiences with the police and paranormal as I concentrated on bringing my readers on a journey like no other.

• LaChouett: Which of the characters have you enjoyed developing the most? Do you have a favourite? (Oh and thank you for Ethan :))

Caroline: You are very welcome! I actually enjoyed Frank the most, as his character seemed to write itself. It sounds crazy, but I never knew what he was going to do next. I also admit he scared me a little too! Of course I love Jennifer and Will, they remind me of the old TV programme ‘The Odd Couple,’ but you’d be far too young to remember that!

• LaChouett: Can you tell us “10 things” we don’t know about Caroline Mitchell.

1. I used to love the “Famous Five” when I was growing up, and imagined myself as Georgina.
2. I hate mustard with a passion, I can’t have it on the table during mealtimes, smell it, or physically touch it – yuk!
3. I grew up in Ireland and wanted to be a vet.
4. I used to talk to animals when I was a child, and bring home all the waifs and strays.
5. I LOVE to travel, and adore America.
6. I got very close to Keanu Reeves in Las Vegas many years ago (eeek!)
7. I have a secret crush on actor Tom Hardy (sshh don’t tell anyone!)
8. I’m scared of deep water and swim like a brick.
9. I love Buddhism and wish people would be kinder to themselves and each other.
10. My husband is the best friend I’ve ever had. (Corny but true)

 

• LaChouett: What is your favourite hobby when you are not busy locking up bad guys or writing about them?

Caroline: I like surfing the net, dreaming about travelling, walking the dogs, spending time with my family, reading books and watching super hero movies. There’s no one thing I could define as my favourite hobby as my writing consumes all and I love it :).

 

• LaChouett: Can you share with us one of your favourite books which is NOT a thriller?

Caroline: My favourite non thriller book is the classic ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ I love the movie too.

 

• LaChouett: What did you want to be when you were a little girl growing up?

Caroline: Ah, I’ve answered this in my top ten list. I love animals and all I ever wanted to be was a vet. But the opportunities never arose. I am an experienced dog breeder, and have bred Cockapoo puppies from my home.

Wow, they were some really interesting questions, I’ve really enjoyed our chat!

Xxx

Caroline

Thanks so much for sharing Caroline!!

If you want to know more about Don’t Turn Around check out my review here!

LaChouett