C.L. Brown interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

                                        

When did your love of books begin?

I've always been an off-and-on reader. In June of 2018, I was in a serious car wreck (shutdown the interstate for hours). Needless to say, there were some surgeries and a lot of recovery time involved. My son was 10 at the time and was an awesome helper. The kid has always been an avid reader and with a reading level of a high school senior. With plenty of time to kill, he convinced me to become a more dedicated reader.



When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

I can remember starting a sci-fi fantasy book years ago. My hard drive crashed and eleven chapters went up in smoke (this was before google docs was a thing). Thus ended my attempt to write a book.

It would take over a decade and a surgery before I tried again. I've alway had an affinity for all things fantasy, sci-fi, horror, or any combination of the genres. I was reading book 3 of Steve McHugh's Hellequin series With Silent Screams — an urban fantasy lover's dream series. This series was like an adrenaline shot to the heart of my imagination. Older, and hopefully wiser, I gave writing another shot and stuck with it.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

It's an exhausting thrill ride and I love it... lol

I'll admit my initial thought was, How hard can it be? However, ignorance truly is blissful. It took me three years to finish the first novel I started.

*Plot Twist - I released a story in an anthology and a prequel novella before releasing my original project.

Honestly, writing your WIP is the easy part. The real work comes during the editing and marketing process. However, I've found the author community to be one of the most supportive collectives I have ever been a part of. There's tons of information and resources out there and the author community is happy to share it with you.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

1. Write. Read. Write. Repeat. - It may sound cliche, but a reader doesn't have to be a writer, but a writer must be a reader. The best way to learn your craft is through studying those who are already doing it. The bright side is you get to read great stories, so it doesn't feel like studying.

2. Write your story and clean it up later. - Write the story and finish it. Don't worry about spelling or proper punctuation. You can clean all of that up during edits. This is your first draft, a rough draft. Just get it down on paper, because you will make several sweeps through it before it is ready. The version of Awakening: Realm Killer Book 1 that I released is a far cry from what I wrote while in a neck brace.

3. Don't compare yourself to other authors. - I remind myself of this daily. It's natural for us to want to live up to what we see as being "good writing." Want to know a secret? *Most of us think our writing is bad when we compare it to our favorite books.*

4. You're not alone. - Remember that writing community I mentioned earlier? Tap into it. Become part of it. MY first published work was in BBB Publishings Pure Magic anthology. Since then, the team there and the authors have been my rock. Even with the bulk of their books and authors leaning toward the romance and PNR genres, they have still been a big help in my growth as an author.

5. Thicken your hide. - Putting yourself out there can be scary and the world is filled with trolls. A negative review does not mean you, your writing, or your story sucks. Even best-selling authors who are rolling in the big bucks have one and two star reviews. Not everyone is going to connect with your story, and the reality is, they aren't supposed to.

Tell us about your book/books:

I like to write gritty urban fantasy. The world of magic and monsters is both beautiful and dangerous. The action in my novels reflect this belief. Some reviewers have referred to it as dark urban fantasy. As an African American author with a multi-cultural family, I believe in diversity. So expect to see characters, myths & lore, and pantheons from all over the world. The deeper we go into each series, the more inclusive the casts will become.

The Realm Killer Universe consists of three series: Realm Killer, Winds of Fury, and The DoorMan.

Realm Killer serves as the center of the universe and follows Chase Ambrose. His introduction to the supernatural was the gasoline and flame that turned his life into a barn fire. His attitude can be crappy at times, but he has a big heart — and magic that he discovers in book 1.

Winds of Fury follows Molpadia, an Amazon introduced in Awakening: Realm Killer Book 1. Her first solo venture is Sanguineum Harenae (available for pre-order and releasing on January 26th). Besides being a skilled fighter, Molpadia also has what she has dubbed as a "smidgen' of Air Magic. This "smidgen" begins to grow exponentially during in Winds of Fury, and she doesn't know why.

The DoorMan is about Taya Freeman, a small-time accountant in New Orleans. The first twelve chapters of book 1, Dream of Mystics. Taya — like Chase — is new to the world of magic and monsters. This series will deal with some occult stuff and introduce the Lao, gods of the Voodoo pantheon.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

Contrary to belief, the writing/reading community is filled with support and love. Yes, there are trolls out there, but they only live in corners and small pockets. Through talking to others in the community, my experience is the norm. The community is willing to work with you to help everyone improve in their craft. We support each other through ups and downs, some of which are personal in nature. Authors can find and offer support and resources. Readers can find new authors to read and connect with. It's a great place for a writer or reader to be.



If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Thank each and everyone one of you for your support and feedback. It helps me improve my storytelling. Seeing who your favorite characters are lets me know who to kill off. (Just joking... or am I?) Please, please, review stories you have read. Even if you only leave a star review, it helps. Author's toughest battle is squaring off against the algorithms of e-retailers. Your reviews help us fight the battle and get our books to pop-up on search screens more frequently so other readers know we exist.

You guys rock and I'm always thankful that a reader chose to use some of their time reading my mad fever dreams.

Where can people connect with you?

I love to connect with readers. Right now, I would say email, my newsletter, Twitter, and Instagram are the best ways. I plan on starting a Facebook group soon. Updates like that, along with book news, promos and giveaways are included in my bi-weekly newsletter.