La joven autora que vive de escribir terror gótico | Carolina Flórez y su novela “Bochica”

·29 min·2 clips

A 32-year-old Colombian author explains why she writes Gothic horror in English to make a living from her craft.

Gina Ulmos introduces Carolina Flórez as a young author specializing in Gothic horror, noting this is her first interview with a horror writer. Carolina explains she writes in English despite being Colombian and living in Bogotá because she wanted to make a living as an author, and the U.S. market is more lucrative. She learned English and Spanish simultaneously from age two at a British school in Bogotá. Carolina studied journalism to have a practical career but never stopped writing. She secured a literary agent in New York seven years ago, who helps sell her books in the U.S. Her first book, 'Bochica', was published in English on May 13 last year and has a Spanish version she helped translate. The title 'Bochica' refers to a Muisca indigenous deity from the Bogotá region, which is central to the book's setting. Carolina's horror influences include Stephen King, whose book 'The Glow' she read at age 9 and rereads annually, and Shirley Jackson. She describes horror as a human genre that explores fear. The publishing process involves multiple approvals, including from publishers, marketing teams, and retailers like Barnes & Noble. Carolina finds patience the hardest part, as publishing timelines are slow. She is introverted and fluctuates her social media presence depending on her writing deadlines. Carolina lives solely from her writing income in Colombia, dividing expenses with her husband. There have been conversations about adapting 'Bochica' into a film or TV show, but she avoids distractions by focusing on writing. She advises aspiring authors to seek a literary agent for the U.S. market and to persist despite rejections. Carolina believes reading has increased post-pandemic, partly due to social media platforms like TikTok.

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