Hello! How’s your summer going? We’re in the midst of a serious heatwave here in the UK, but we’re due a big thunderstorm over the weekend so hopefully the heat will break soon and we’ll all be able to get some sleep.
This week, I had the huge privilege of chatting to USA Today bestselling author C.C. Solomon, whose brand new book, Dark Hauntings, came out this week! Read on to see what we chatted about and find out more about her new release.
Hi C.C.! Thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell us a little about yourself to begin with?
I’m originally from the suburbs of Baltimore, MD. I have a very dog behaving cat named Stormy. I’m an avid traveler. Especially international travel. I’m also a big fan of karaoke, horror movies, anime and Asian dramas. During the day I work in civil rights, in the area of employment discrimination.
I also love karaoke and international travel! But you can keep the horror movies, I’m a giant wimp. Your job sounds so interesting, I bet that’s really rewarding. So, when did you start writing and who encouraged you?
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!
I love that, my teachers were really supportive and encouraging too. That’s so cool that your classmates performed your play! I bet that was an incredible experience. What would you say are your favourite genres to read and write?
I write what I like to read, mostly. I am a huge urban fantasy and paranormal romance reader. However, I also love a good contemporary romance novel. I mix them all up in my reading list. My favorite tropes are love triangles (I know many people hate them but I love the drama), friends to lovers, enemies to lovers (but only if it’s more banter and not the guy being a jerk or bully). And I love character driven story lines.
I do enjoy a really well done love triangle, and enemies to lovers is my absolute favourite! But you’re right, only if it’s a bit of rivalry. I don’t personally understand the appeal of bully romance, but each to their own I guess! Tell us about your most recent release.
Right now I have a few recent releases. Last month, I along with several other authors released a YA fantasy and sci fi anthology called Girls of Might and Magic.
I also updated the second book in my Paranormal World series, Mystic Journeys.
This month, I release Dark Hauntings. This is technically the second in my new Paranormal Times series set in the same world as and a spin off of my Paranormal World Series. There is a first book/prequel novella called Mystic Memories. In this series a faerie with a missing memory is trying to navigate her way through a post apocalyptic world, solve a gruesome mystery, and capture a fae throne. All with a side of romance.
OK, you have literally combined my two favourite things there – fae novels and true crime! Congratulations on your new release, I can’t wait to read it! I absolutely loved Girls of Might and Magic, it was such a fantastic collection. Where do you find inspiration for your characters or settings?
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.
It’s always the strangest places inspiration can spring from, I find the final pieces of the puzzle for a story usually come from a completely different genre or format, like podcasts and documentaries. Do you consider yourself a plotter, pantser or plantser?
Plotter. I usually have a fairly detailed outline but it gets revised along the way. Without some direction I’d have a hard time keeping focused and engaged.
I’m the same, I need a vague map to where I’m headed, but I also leave myself room to take the scenic route. What are you working on right 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.
That sounds like so much fun! I’ve recently fallen in love with novellas and short stories. Especially when they tie into a series I love. Before I let you go, what one piece of advice would you give aspiring authors?
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.
Such great advice, first drafts are always a hot mess, but they’re the only way to get to the second draft, and the third, and the final, polished book.
Thank you so much for chatting with me today, C.C.! It’s been so nice to get to know you better and hear about your new releases. How can we find out more about you and your books?
That was so much fun, if you love urban and paranormal fantasy I hope you’ve added C.C.’s books to your Goodreads! And don’t forget to check out her brand new release, Dark Hauntings: A Paranormal Times Novel.
Happy reading!
Lyndsey
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Lyndsey Hall | Author 