Nov 4 2021

Author Carrie Weston #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Carrie Weston

Tell us a bit about yourself…

My names Carrie Weston, I am a writer of twisted, paranormal thrillers with romantic veins. I live in the Herefordshire countryside dead opposite a graveyard (pun intended) with my crazy springer spaniel and family.
I am a lover of all thing’s chocolate as well as highly caffeinated, easily deducible from the coffee cups I stack up over a period of writing. When I’m not creating my own worlds, I can be found reading (I’m pretty eclectic), listening to music (Taylor Swift) or watching theatrical productions. I also love watching great tv series such as Shadow Hunters, Vampire Diary’s and Charmed too. I’m quite eccentric in my ways and can often be found with pencils and pens spineing my hair. I write from my heart weather it follows trend or not as I feel that they way I can give the best stories I have to give.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

Being a writer has been my dream since I was young. For me it is my dream job but I have had many other jobs to get to where I wanted to be – after all, bills have got to be paid.
I first started writing at the age of 13. I had no luck with my novels back then but was given some guidance from some big publishing houses. However, from that age up I did manage to get some poetry published. I never took writing or literature for A-levels as at the time most people didn’t view writing books as a career or even steady income related job- so I took a break from writing.
After the discovery of a pretty nasty disease, I began writing again until I found my way back to my dreams.

What was your inspiration for your current book/ series?

I have 2 book series at the moment;
Xander Chase – A YA paranormal thriller which all began with a question from my son; why aren’t there more unicorn books for boys?
So, I started to write him the story of Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code, where Unicorns weren’t all fluffy, friendly and innocent. Where they were more like us, good and bad. I twisted the classic stereotypes for a more modernistic feel to emphasise the dark quality of my writing.

A Dark Fairy Tale – A YA paranormal thriller series which began as the idea of communicating to younger readers that slavery and prejudice is BAD. It also has a romantic ‘beauty and the beast’ vibe to it, along with a lot of adventure with dragons, fairy’s and Queens.
This series starts off with a FREE prequel when you sign up to my newsletter on Home | Carrie weston and continues in novella form on amazon.

What are you working on now?

Right now, I am in NaNoWriMo racing to write a book in one month. I am one third of the way through Xander Chase 3 – the final part of the trilogy and pushing forwards with A Dark Fairy Tale book 2.
As for release dates;

A Dark Fairy Tale; Pet Empathiser Team – is out November 30th 2021
Xander Chase 2 – is coming between now and early next year
I also have a few standalones due out next year.

Do you have any quirks whilst writing?

A weird hairstyle of pens and pencils is kind of a normal thing for me. A huge mug of coffee and when editing a project; a nail file. I file my nails when I’m concentrating on edits as it calms me down from overstressing that every single word is perfect; there is no perfect, – there is only your best.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to satisfy the literary need of my fans and followers in the dark, paranormal genre. My followers are those I write for and I would not be successful without them. I hope they will follow me on my journey to come through the writing my soul longs to share. I hope that in the future more people know my name; enough so that my books may end up on shelves in bookstores like waterstones, barns and noble and more-

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

No matter what believe in yourself. The whole process of getting published or self-publishing is not easy, but doable and if you always believe in yourself and never give up then you will get there.
If you are sending to agents/ publishers just remember its one person/ companies’ opinion- not everyone will feel the same way about your work so if/when you get refusals don’t let them get you down, take on board any tips/ hints they give you and move on because you can do this.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

As always, there are not enough words in the vocabulary to express the gratitude I feel towards my followers. Without you, without your questions and wonderings about characters and the next books – I would not be writing. You hold a special place in my heart and as always – I send hearts and kisses.

Linktree
Carrie Weston

Oct 14 2021

Author Cerise Rose #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Cerise Rose

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I’ve been writing since I was a child but did not become a published author until 2019 under a different pen name. When I am not writing I work as a Fraud Analyst in the gaming industry, which does not get incorporated into my writing. LOL

Have you always wanted to become an author?

I have always wanted to be an author and when I finally published my first book, it was one of my dreams that came true.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

I have all kinds of inspiration whether it’s from different types of movies or music. I don’t write one type of PNR book – I want to dabble in a variety, though vampire is my favorite.

What are you working on now?

Currently, I am working on a dark contemporary called N.S.F.W. which can mean Not Safe For Work or Not Safe From Willa. It is essentially a temp with a huge chip on her shoulder centered on men in the corporate world who have overstepped their boundaries.

Do you have any quirks while working?

Not really that I can think of.

What are your hopes for the future?

I am essentially starting over after striking my established author name. However, my hopes is to finally see that coveted orange banner on my book or books.

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

Never give up your dream. Even if things get rough and you need to make changes in your career, never stop, always keep going. There are so many days I want to quit, but then I remember the reason I write in the first place.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

I have my Rose Buds and my followers who have been with me through everything and owe them a debt of gratitude. To my new followers, I can’t thank you enough in advance for helping me see my book dreams come true.

Jul 7 2021

Author C.C. Solomon #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author C.C. Solomon

Tell us a bit about yourself…

C.C. is originally from Baltimore, Maryland and has actively written fiction since the age of eleven. She’s an avid “chick lit” reader and urban fantasy fan. During her days, she works in Civil Rights for the federal government. In her free time, she sings karaoke, travels the globe and watches too much TV… when she’s not writing of course.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

I started writing when I was around eleven years old. I wrote a short play in my english class that my classmates put on and did some other short stories as assignments. My english teacher, Ms. Weber, told me I was good and to keep writing and I have!

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

I’m a huge anime, horror and k drama fan so they allow me to think outside of the box because of the unique, non-Western storytelling. I also am a daydreamer, people watcher and avid traveler so the combination is always giving me ideas, with new settings and scenarios popping up in my head.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently a little over mid way through my sequel to my novella, Mystic Realms, in which we again focus on my character Lisa who is forced to save an elven king from a curse or else she’ll have to repay a sinister favor to him. It’s heavy paranormal romance compared to most of my other work.

Do you have any quirks while working?

Not sure I have any quirks. I have eclectic taste in music so that really helps me get into the zone. If I’m writing a fight scene I might play old school hip hop or rock. If it’s a romance scene then I’m playing something slow and emotional. Some songs inspire scenes in my head so I have a play list of different songs that I found inspirational while writing. .

What are your hopes for the future?

Well the hope is always that you build an audience that appreciates your work. My goal is to entertain and reach readers that were underserved or just wanted new points of view.

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

Keep writing. That’s the biggest thing. Especially for indie authors. A lot of our success can come from building a brand which comes from having several books published. This way you give readers something to come back to. Also writing that first draft is tough but don’t stop. Even if you know you’ll change something, just make note of it to go back to later and keep moving forward in the story. Once the first draft is done I think it gets easier and more rewarding.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

I’d love to say, thanks so much for reading! It’s really the readers that keep me going. I get encouraged by reviews and pushed to write even better. I don’t just write for myself but for the audience and I want to ensure that the hours they spend reading or listening to my books is worth it for them. So please keep reviewing and supporting and I will do my part to bring you reading entertainment that you can enjoy!

Jul 6 2021

Author Cassia Briar #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Cassia Briar

Tell us a bit about yourself…

My name’s Cassia Briar and I write dark paranormal romance with reverse harems and couples who find their happily ever after. I grew up in Portland, Oregon and I’m still in love with the Pacific Northwest where I live with my husband and our kitties. I might be addicted to coffee. Slytherin. In my free time I like to read, watch Lucifer on Netflix, and take trips to the Oregon coast, especially when it’s stormy weather.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

The short answer? Yes. I wrote my first story when I was eight years old. It was about a goat that got lost and the little girl who went to find it. Gradually, my writing turned to more fantasy with darker themes. I started my first real book when I was thirteen, but never finished it. Then school and life got in the way. I finally revisited writing in my mid-twenties, joined a critique group, and spent eight years working on my craft before self-publishing my first book in 2019.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

My current series is called Harem of Redemptions and it was inspired by the themes in Beauty and the Beast. That’s always been one of my favorite fairytales partly because of the darker storyline, enemies to lovers trope, and because of the idea of the beast within us all.

Of course, I had to turn it into a reverse harem romance. I was inspired by the different types of beast themes to play with for the characters. Multiple main characters and love interests made that work better and gave me plenty to explore!

What are you working on now?

A few different projects. I’m working on book two in the Harem of Redemption series, Beastly Desires. I also joined a couple of multi-author anthologies this year. My current project is an MF vampire/human, enemies to lovers, revenge novella. I’m liking writing MF paranormal romance between my reverse harem books.

Do you have any quirks while working?

Yeah, I need silence. I know a lot of authors write with music, but can’t do it. I also need a window to look out. For some reason that inspires me, or helps me think. LOL. And, I guess it’s a quirk, but I write better when I also take time to read. I try to read every evening for a couple of hours.

What are your hopes for the future?

Well… I hope my author career keeps moving along at a steady pace. I have a ton of book ideas and I hope that I get to write all of them! One day, I’d like to get that USA Today Bestseller tag. That’s one of my big dreams.

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

Yes, lots. I think the most important bit of advice is that this is a long, slow process. It takes time and patience as well as hard work and dedication, so try to breathe and enjoy wherever you’re at on your journey. Celebrate each milestone.

Also, figure out early on if you’re writing just for the fun of it or if you want to turn your writing into a career. If it’s just for fun, then do whatever you want! But, if you want writing to be your career, then learn your craft, choose a popular genre and stick to it, and write to market. I just want to note here that writing to market does not mean having to write stories you don’t like. It’s also not “selling out”. Writing to market is writing in the genre you like and giving your readers what they expect, and love, from that genre. Simple.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

Thank you! My readers rock my world and I’m so grateful for each and every one of you. I, obviously, wouldn’t be where I’m at today without. You’ve made my dream of being a full time author a reality.

May 3 2021

Author Cynthia Sax #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Cynthia Sax

Tell us a bit about yourself…

Hi! I’m Cynthia Sax. I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and I’m currently writing very steamy cyborg romances and alien romances, building a huge fantastical combined world.

The romances I write tend to feature love at first sight/instalove/fated to mate storylines because that’s the only type of romantic love I’ve ever known. The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I fell in love at first sight over 20 years ago and we’re still very much in love today.

I also adhere to common ancestor theory in my writing. That is the belief that all humans and humanoids originate from common ancestors (which is why they can have babies!). That means I often use variations of existing Earth languages, customs and myths in my stories.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

I have written stories since I could hold a crayon. I was a daily diary writer when I was a kid until blogging became cool. Then I moved to that format and I remain an enthusiastic blogger today.

I didn’t realize writers actually earned a living until a newspaper asked me to cover an event for them while I was in high school and they PAID me. (grins) I wrote for a daily newspaper and a weekly newspaper covering things like town council meetings. It helped pay for a few books at university.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

I wrote Releasing Rage, the first book in my cyborg series (it should be FREE everywhere), purely for myself.

Two of my all time favorite cyborg romance authors (Eve Langlais and Laurann Dohner) were taking a break from their respective series at the same time. I know! That is a disaster for any reader. And it certainly was for me.

I bellyached about the lack of new cyborg romances for a while. Finally, the Dear Wonderful Hubby told me I was a writer. I should write my own.

So I did.

When Releasing Rage was completed, I thought fellow cyborg romance reading buddies might enjoy the story also. They were enduring the same cyborg romance dry spell as I was. I self-published the story and it is, by far, my bestselling work.

What are you working on now?

I am just about to start B Free, the fourth story in the Rebel Cyborgs series (likely releasing in November). B is an early model cyborg. He’s primitive and less humanlike and he’s the last of his kind. His loneliness, his secret dream of belonging pulls at my heartstrings.

Rebel Cyborgs is the third subseries in the greater cyborg series (Cyborg Sizzle and Cyborg Space Exploration are the first two). All the series can be read on their own and all of the stories, unless noted otherwise, can be read on their own. Each story features a different couple (or more).

Do you have any quirks while working?

I don’t have many quirks. I like to write at home because I tend to act out some scenes, move while the characters are moving, and that is often unappreciated in coffee shops and other public places. (laughs)

What are your hopes for the future?

Cynthia Sax – I hope to write in the cyborg world forever and eventually write the next generation’s stories. I also have many alien romances I’d love to write.

I maintain a list of my top 100 story premises. Ideas are added and dropped from that list all the time. I would have to live forever to write them all. My quest for immortality has been unsuccessful thus far but I haven’t given up on it! (grins)

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

All we can really control about this wonderful career is our happiness levels. Write stories that feed your soul, that make you feel good about yourself.

Those stories can be marketable. That’s often best. We can feed our stomachs as well as our souls. If you have a list of 10 story ideas and 1 of those ideas involve, say, a vampire, and vampires are all the rage in Romancelandia, consider writing that vampire story next.

And not all parts of the publishing process will bring us joy. Revisions are necessary, for example, but they make me cry. I complete them because readers deserve the best story possible, because it makes me a better writer, and because it is part of this awesome job. It is the broccoli I have to eat to warrant the chocolate (which, for me, is that exciting first draft).

Something, however, in the writing/publishing process should give us pleasure. It should light us up, make us happier to be alive.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

I love you. (big hugs) I truly do. There’s a deep connection that happens between writers and their readers. It is special. It is wonderful. It is to be cherished.

I’m always only an email (or blog comment) away. I read every message I receive (when the computer deities allow me to view those messages). Contact me if you have comments or issues or you feel like chatting.

I might not answer the same day. Sometimes I’m deep in the writing cave, the words are flowing and I can’t immediately escape. But I eventually answer every legit message I see (and, by legit, I mean you’re not contacting me about enlarging male body parts – grins).

About Cynthia Sax

USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Sax writes steamy Cyborg, Alien and Contemporary Romances. Her stories have been featured on TV, in Star Magazine, and numerous top ten lists.

Mar 5 2021

Author C. Rochelle #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author C. Rochelle

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I’m a naughty but sweet, introverted Aquarius weirdo who belives a sharp sense of humor is the sexiest trait, loves shaking my booty to Prince, and has never met a cheese I didn’t like. Oh, and I write dark and dirty books, usually in the paranormal, reverse harem romance genre.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

I’ve always loved writing but didn’t think about pursuing it as a career until COVID struck. I suddenly found myself stuck at home working full-time and trying to guide me 6-year-old through remote school. None of my usual creative outlets were helping me destress but one night, an idea struck for a paranormal reverse harem featuring angels and demons and a unique take on the usual mythology. I dove into writing head first and published all three books in my Wings of Darkness + Light trilogy. Now I can’t imagine doing anything else (although, I should really take a break every now and then).

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

I’ve always felt a connection to the wild woman archetype and who better to embody that than a forest witch? And who’s the baddest witch around? Baba Yaga of course! My family comes from Russia/Poland originally, so I was familiar with the legends of Baba Yaga. As I refreshed myself with her stories, one stood out as perfect to be turned into a reverse harem romance with fated mate…but you’ll have to read Rise of the Witch to find out more!

What are you working on now?

I am in the finishing stages of preparing my next release – Rise of the Witch. This is the first in a new PNR RH series and has been getting a lot of hype, so I expect my focus will be on this for a while. However, I’m also working on an M/F MC (motorcycle club romance) novella that will be featured in an upcoming anthology (and will eventually lead into a related RH), plus some goodies for my completed PNR RH Wings of Darkness + Light trilogy. Oh, and I have a secret co-write project in the works…I would suggest joining my FB reader group and subscribing to my newsletter for news on all of the above!

Do you have any quirks while working?

I wouldn’t call it a quirk but I’m a pantser who eventually plots, which means that first, I blindly plow ahead, intuitively writing from the loose plot points and bits of dialogue floating around my brain. When I hit a stopping point, then I go back and work on a loose outline (which changes by the day, and even then my characters love to surprise me). I also edit as I go instead of writing the entire first draft. So, when I sit down to write, I usually reread the last chapter (and edit) to get myself back in the mindset. While part of me envies those who can plot out an entire book and simply follow the plan, this loose format seems to be working for me – and my creativity – so far.

What are your hopes for the future?

Hopefully, I’ll soon find enough success to turn this writing thing into a full-time gig, and therefore bring my readers even more dirty deliciousness!

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

Don’t forget about marketing, self-promotion & hiring help! I work in marketing in my day job and still didn’t do enough pre-promotion with my first book/series, and I’ve been playing catch-up ever since. I’m also an introvert, so self-promotion can feel icky to me…but I’ve figured out how to do it in a genuine way, and in controlled doses so I’m not overextending myself. And on that note, I’m finally figuring out how to hire/bring on a team to help me with all of the above, so I don’t feel overwhelmed – a new PA who is passionate about my work and dedicated to helping me succeed and a superfan “hype girl” who can inspire my street team and early readers to help spread the word about my books. It’s important to have the right people in your corner.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

There aren’t enough thank-yous in the world for my readers (my little sinners)! As mentioned, I didn’t properly market my first series to start, so the people who did read and love it have been loyal (and loud) fans ever since, which helps new readers find my work. The ability to interact with my readers on social – especially in my C. Rochelle’s Little Sinners group on FB – has been invaluable. I truly feel like I’ve found my people!

Linktree

Feb 10 2021

Author Cassandra Featherstone #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Cassandra Featherstone

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I grew up in the Midwest as an English teacher’s kid, so I’ve always ben a writer. The arts have been a major part of my life—I’ve danced, sang, played instruments, and acted since I was two.

I moved to NYC for college in theater, but I came back to the Midwest when I got married. I’m a victim of gifted kid burnout, so I’ve done a little bit of every thing since HS, including being an indie bookseller, a nanny, a piercer, a bartender, a manager, a teaching aide, and lots more.

I’m a dreamer and a lover of all things magical, glittery, and fantastic.

Currently, I live in a tiny shoebox with my geeky gamer husband (Mr. Cass) and my college aged clone. We have five cats and more cred crew than should be legal between us.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

Yes, I’ve always wanted to be an author. I wrote my first short story at three (my mom still has it), and I’ve loved to write ever since. I didn’t think I could deal with the trad pub world, so I didn’t pursue it in college. After working an indie store that got smashed by COVID in March, I decided to give indie publishing a try. I’m so happy that I did!

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

My current series has been in the works for years. It’s based on characters created while in a writing group many years ago. There’s a hint of homage in some of them if you look hard enough.

What are you working on now?

Right now? Oh, dear. So MUCH. I’m getting ready to release book two in the Riftverse series on 2/19, so I’m finalizing that. I’m starting a short story in universe, a new parallel timeframe series in the universe, and juggling all of the indie author mess–social media, appearances in groups, etc– at the same time. I feel just as packed as before the lockdowns, just more stationary.

Do you have any quirks while working?

Quirks? Definitely. I like music–both books have playlists on Spotify– and I like to be set up exactly so. I can write anywhere if I take my laptop, but I need to focus if it’s editing. So I have headphones, pillows, lap desks, a desk area, etc setup to my specs when I do work. I can’t stand to work without a mouse, so I always have one along.

What are your hopes for the future?

My greatest wish is for readers to fall in love with my ‘brain gremlins’ as much as I did. If that happens, I’ll be able to continue to write from home after this pandemic mess ends. That’s the real goal. Because I love this, and I want to do it forever.

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

Advice? Lots. I thought I knew everything going in–I didn’t. I took missteps that it’s taken me months to fix. I’m just starting to really get my feet under me and it’s been a year. I will say two things have helped IMMENSELY: one, finding other authors and PAs in the RH community that are helpful and kind, and two, joining the 20Booksto50K FB group to learn about resources and successes of other authors. Those two things have really been invaluable.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

I ALWAYS have things to say to my followers! Number one, I love you, thank you for reading, you are the most amazing folks! Number two, help keep indie a place where we can all learn and grow. Support one another, don’t gatekeep, and help us all succeed. There’s nothing more satisfying that lifting each other up and seeing all of our glitter sparkle. Number three, don’t ever be ashamed of what you read and what you love. You do you, boo.

Free copy of Into the Wild

The Pridelands—A Cassandra Featherstone Readers Group

Jan 25 2021

Author Crea Reitan #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Crea Reitan

Tell us a bit about yourself

My pen name is Crea Reitan. I live in upstate New York with my husband and husky. I’m an avid reader who has an obsessive amount of dragons, puzzles, Harry Potter paraphernalia, and tea. My harem of book boyfriends grows with each new series I find – the more psychotic, the better. I sleep with more than a dozen pillows, six blankets, and my room hovering somewhere around 55*F year round! No, my husband does not fit in the bed, too, though I make room for the dog.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

I have been writing since I was seven. I’m not sure at which point in my life I actually decided that I’d like to publish someday but it must have been sometime between the angsty high school poems and the early-twenties fanfiction. I loved writing so much that I took a job with a literary agent (have worked with her for seven years now) and pursued my Master’s Degree in Creative Writing (received in 2018). And still I only made the decision to publish when I was stuck home for six months due to the pandemic. It seemed, with all that time on my hands, it was the right time to follow my dream!

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

This series is a followup from my first completed series, Chronicles of Blood. I intended for that series to be nicely wound up in four books but… I have an issue containing my stories as they should be. It grew too big and now I need to write a follow up series.

BUT, my interest in Wonderland has been a long term love-affair. It’s such an easy place to start writing because you can literally take the story anywhere. Anything goes in Wonderland. Your freedom to create is endless. After reading at least a dozen Wonderland retellings, I decided I needed to write my own.

What are you working on now?

The first book in my Chronicles of Madness series is titled, Finding Nonsense. It follows Mal and her men from the previous series, Chronicles of Blood, as they continue in the post-Bloody Queen Laddenworn, trying to fix the fairy tale by restoring the six ruling queens to their thrones and bringing Wonderland back. But there are new dark forces at work, ones that promise instant death oppose the bloody torture the Queens provided. And the fairy tale that’s infected Wonderland takes a more malevolent turn.

Do you have any quirks while working?

I’ve recently developed a strange habit while I work. For the last several months, I’ve been obsessively focused on obtaining my step goals (10-12,000 steps a day), so every hour, I walk 1,500 steps. While I do this, I’m playing through the next scene in my mind so that by the time I sit down, the words flow like water. Alternatively, if I’m stuck for a scene, I start pacing around my office and let the characters do as they will in my mind until I’m inspired enough that I can sit down again and write.

Fun fact: My dog has since taken to pacing when she’s bored. She’s constantly pacing the downstairs while I pace the upstairs. My husband rolls his eyes at us.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to be able to continue to write and gather a readership. I have been telling stories since I was a kid and to be able to share them with a wider audience has been incredibly rewarding. My goal is to be able to rearrange my career so that I can focus more fully on writing as my main source of income. It’s a lofty goal, one so many authors never achieve. But one day, with a lot of hard work, I hope to make it my reality so that I can keep writing.

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

My biggest piece of advice is to find yourself a PA who knows what they’re doing. I’m incredibly lucky to have found mine right when I started out. She’s knowledgeable in the industry, experienced, and connected to other authors and PAs. She’s made it possible for me to ‘meet’ other authors and network (yes, it’s actually important in all fields – your teachers were right about this, at least).

Other than that, one of the biggest hurdles is just to go for it. I held back for years. Taking that first leap of faith is going to be the hardest but it’s definitely worth it. Publishing your first book, successful or not, is remarkably rewarding. Getting that first 5 star review (and, those pesky 1 star reviews) is such an incredible feeling. There’s nothing more inspiring that will make you want to keep going, either to gather more praise from the 5 star reviewers or to prove those 1 star reviewers wrong.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

I know that every author says this but, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! You are the reason I keep publishing. I love to hear your feedback, talk about characters with you, and receive your threats of dismemberment for what I put my characters through. As with all indie authors, reviews go a long way. Word of mouth goes even further. If you like what you read, share it with a friend. Don’t forget to give them the trigger warnings, though. 😛

Crea’s Godlings Reader Group

Jan 8 2021

Author Colette Rhodes #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Colette Rhodes

Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Colette, I live in New Zealand with my husband and toddler. I’ve been writing and publishing as an indie author for the past year now.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

It’s always been my dream career, but I never seriously contemplated pursuing it! I wasn’t really aware of the indie publishing route until 2019. Even then, when I wrote my first book in 2020 it was more of a challenge to me. Publishing it was a spontaneous decision that has opened up an exciting world of opportunities I never could have predicted.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

My latest book, Blood Nor Money, is a vampire reverse harem romance that was inspired by Porcia Catonis, a rather tragic figure from Ancient Rome. I majored in Ancient History and there are so many historical figures whose stories have inspired me, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to write about all of them!

What are you working on now?

I just finished writing Blood Nor Money, so I’m currently doing the release day preparations for that. It was my longest book yet, and my first romantic suspense. It’s been a blast to work on, but I’m excited to get started on new projects too, once this is out.

My next series is a beach town contemporary reverse harem and I’ve been itching to get started on it. It’s summer in my part of the world and I’m full of ideas for this book.

Do you have any quirks while working?

I quite often lie on the floor while I’m working because I find it more comfortable than sitting at a desk! I also like to listen to movie scores when I’m writing an intense scene, as lyrics get too distracting.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope to keep telling the stories I love and connecting with amazing readers. I’d love to attend an event one day and meet some readers face-to-face, once the world opens up again.

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

Have faith in yourself and your work, network as much as you can with the wider book community, and invest in a proofreader right off the bat.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

Just a ginormous thank you for everything! For reading my books, leaving reviews, being so supportive about my new projects. You’re all amazing x

Oct 23 2020

Author Cait Marie #interview

Please give a warm welcome to author Cait Marie

Hi! I’m Cait Marie, a multi-genre author who also offers a variety of author services. I published my first book, The Lost Legends, in March of 2020. It is the first in a YA/NA fantasy series, whereas my second book, The Last Summer, is an unrelated YA romance. I have a lot of interests and I’m indecisive, so I go back and forth between genres. I’m a freelance editor and graphic designer, I own/manage the book website Functionally Fictional, and volunteer work for YA Books Central.

Basically, I like to stay busy and books rule my life.

Have you always wanted to become an author?

No. I actually never wrote outside of school, and I hated academia writing growing up. I started writing out of boredom and the need to “put everything I want into a book” in 2015, but I didn’t truly dream of becoming an author until a couple years later.

What was your inspiration for your current book/series?

I have multiple series happening right now, but for the sake of this, I will talk about The Nihryst series. It is a mashup retelling that includes bits and pieces from Robin Hood, Tangled, and King Arthur. I’ve loved fairy tales and fantasy my entire life, so that love of stories was my biggest inspiration, which is reflected in the story through Adalina’s own fondness for fairy tales. I got the idea from a dream about searching for fae with a group of pirates (I changed the fae to cursed immortals, but most of the original idea is still very much the same in book one), and I believe the dream was inspired by a number of other books involving pirates. That fall, both A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan and These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch were released, and I read them both back to back pretty much. Plus, I’ve always been obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean, which I watch fairly frequently. I have pretty vivid, random dreams that are influenced by what I read and watch, so this series was a culmination of several things going through my mind subconsciously.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working getting the second Nihryst book, The Lost Prince, ready for its release in November. I am also writing my next contemporary romance, The Final Chance, which releases in January of 2021, and the third Nihryst book I’m aiming to release in March of 2021. But I have several other books started or planned.

Do you have any quirks while working?

I don’t know about quirks, but I HAVE to have music on or something going in the background. If I’m writing, editing, proofreading, etc., it’s music. If I’m working on school stuff, graphics, or website stuff, it can be tv or movies, but usually things I’ve watched a lot before so it doesn’t take too much attention away from the work.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope I can continue publishing books, but I am also working on building up my author services business. Specifically, I want to do more in marketing and graphic design.

Do you have any advice for new authors about the publishing world?

Don’t give up and stay organized. Plan ahead, especially if self-publishing. If you want your book to sell, people need to know about it. Do not slack on the marketing. Build up a social media following before your book is out. Get involved in the book community so when it comes time for a release, people know to expect the book and it will be easier to find bloggers to help promote and reviewers to build up hype. You don’t necessarily need to spend a bunch on marketing, not if you’re active and getting the word out well. There are plenty of tools for you to do your own graphics and such.

Do you have anything to say to your followers?

Thank you for following! I have so many plans and hope you stick around to see them. Authors, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!