Covet is the highly anticipated third book in the wildly popular CRAVE series by bestselling author Tracy Wolff. The first two books have been passionately embraced by readers of all ages, earning critical acclaim and hitting Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times bestseller lists. Currently, the series is published in twelve languages and in sixteen countries with more foreign publishers coming on board, and Crave has been optioned by Universal for a major motion picture.
We had the pleasure of chatting to Tracy about her new release, writing, and so much more!
Would you please give us a short intro to who you are and what you write?
Hmm … well, I am Tracy Wolff and I write young adult novels about things that go bump in the night—namely vampires, dragons, witches, and werewolves. I’m a mom, a former writing professor, and a massive reader. I also love to cook and I’ve never met a lipstick I didn’t like J
Covet is the third book in the Crave series. Can you tell readers about the plot in Covet without giving away anything?
In Covet, my main character Grace, really comes into her own. She has a whole lot of adventure and more than a little romance, and she kicks all the butt. It’s a really fun, but also really emotional book and I had a blast writing it.
What is the most challenging thing about writing such a complex series?
I’ve had so much fun writing this series, but I have to admit that keeping all the worldbuilding straight is challenging. The Crave series has a really big world, one that keeps growing with each installment, and we’ve had to put together a really complex bible to make sure I keep all the details straight.
Did you always plan to be a writer?
Pretty much, yes. I wrote my first short story when I was seven, and I’ve never looked back. I’ve wanted to write since I understood that letters made words and words made sentences that could tell a story.
What were your career goals as a child/young adult?
I’ve always wanted to write—that’s it. When I was young, I also wanted to teach English or be a make-up artist. I ended up as an English professor/writer for a while, before I was able to quit and write full time. As for the make-up artist part, I’ve settled for doing the makeup for all my friends at their weddings and other special events.
Whose writing inspires you and why?
Oh, this is a really hard question because the answer is so many. SO MANY. Off the top of my head … Maya Angelou, because her writing is beautiful and honest and it hurts just a little. Nalini Singh, because she can tell one hell of a story. Emily Dickinson, because she used so few words to evoke so much. Sherry Thomas, because she writes such beautiful prose. Rachel Caine, because her characters are so fierce and her worlds are so brilliant.
What was the first piece of writing you ever had published?
A poem I wrote when I was in ninth grade, in a local San Diego magazine called Chimera.
Was there a moment in your writing career where you thought, “Okay, now I am officially a REAL writer?” Can you tell us about that time in your life?
I think the day I got the call that my first novel was being published was a big day for the whole “I’m a real writer” moment. But, besides that, I would say in 2014 when I hit the New York Times Bestseller list for the first time and realized I could support myself and my family with only my writing was the definitive moment for me. Like, okay, I can really do this J And how lucky am I that I get to make a living doing my dream job?
If you weren’t a writer, what other job would you want to have and why?
I loved being a writing professor, so I would probably have continued doing that.
Do you have a set writing schedule? What do you need to have near you (or NOT need) in order to write?
I like to write in the morning—like early morning, from four-thirty to noon. But the Crave schedule has been pretty grueling- they are big books and I only have a couple months to write each one, so I’ve been writing twelve to sixteen hours a day most days. I need my laptop, a word count sheet (decorated with stickers) that I use to count off the words I’ve written, a cup of coffee or tea, and when things are going really well or really bad, I need chocolate to keep going.
We know there is a fourth and final book in the Crave series called Court. What will you do when the Crave series is complete? You’ve spent a lot of time with the crew at Katmere Academy! Will you be sad to let the characters go?
I’ll be so sad to let the characters go. I love all of them and will miss them so much. As for what comes next, I have ideas for two new series, so we’ll see what happens …
Advice for writers – what was the easiest thing about getting published, the most surprising thing, and the hardest thing about getting published?
The easiest thing about getting published was … it wasn’t easy, actually, but it was totally worth it J The most surprising thing about being published is the love and care that goes in to each book, and just how many people work on the book from conception inside my head to the final product sitting on bookstore shelves. It really does take a village, and I’m so lucky to be working with the most amazing village in the world at Entangled right now. The hardest thing about being published was learning that it is a marathon not a sprint. To be successful and really make a career as a writer, you have to take the long view of things.
What is one thing you wish readers knew about you?
That I love hearing from them and talking to them. I’m a single mom, who also takes care of my mom (who lives with me), so I don’t always have the time to write back in a timely manner. But I love retweeting their stuff or dropping a quick reply to them on instagram or in my FB Wolff pack, whenever I can. I have the best fans in the world, sincerely, and I feel so, so lucky and grateful that they’ve embraced the Crave series the way that they have.
