Interview with Author Crystal-Rain Love

Please welcome author Crystal-Rain Love to In the Hot Seat! :-)

HFP: When did you first decide or realize you wanted to write books?

CRL: I realized I wanted to be an author pretty early. We had the Young Readers program in elementary school where we would write and illustrate books. Most kids wrote a 5-10 page story. In 5^th grade I wrote a whole novella. We had a really mean librarian who everyone hated, but I was her pet because I was obsessed with reading and writing. I read everything I could get my hands on and that combined with the fact I’ve been a daydreamer since the day I was born naturally led to me wanting to create my own worlds and characters.

HFP: What would you claim as your most interesting writing quirk?

CRL: Not sure if it’s interesting, but when I start a new project or really need a boost to get me going again when I’m struggling through the middle of a project I cut my fingernails all the way down to the nubs. There’s something about feeling the keys against the skin without that click-clack of fingernails that seems to make me type like the wind.

HFP: Where do the ideas for your books come from? What inspires you to write the books you do?

CRL: Ideas come from anywhere. Sometimes they come from dreams, sometimes from life, and sometimes from TV or movies, even songs. My latest series, Twice Bitten, was inspired by a mix of David Cook songs, my love of the humor in Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, my love of the paranormal, and the need I felt there was for a heroine who looked more like me and less like the perfect curvy, hourglass shaped woman most heroines tend to be.

HFP: What was the most surprising to you about getting published for the first time?

CRL: The most surprising thing was that once I got published by one publisher, offers started coming in from others. I was signed with Sapphire Blue Publishing and Imajinn Books within months of each other and The Wild Rose Press came soon after.

HFP: What advice do you have for aspiring and or newbie authors?

CRL: With the process of indie publishing so easy now I’m seeing a lot of newbies bypassing the traditional publication process altogether without even trying and I would advise against that. I’ve been indie publishing for several years now because I love having control of my cover art, pricing, and release dates, but I was blessed to be traditionally published first because I learned invaluable skills from going through that process. Other than that, grow a thick skin for the inevitable mean reviews you will get at least a few of, and learn to take and learn from constructive criticism. Write what you love so it’s always a joy to put in the work and PUT IN THE WORK. Series will build your fan base so try for 1000-2000 words a day to keep putting new material out frequently (after editing!). 

HFP: If you could do one thing differently on your journey to becoming a published author what would it be?

CRL: I would have committed to 2000 words a day a lot sooner and I would have read my first contracts closer and made changes to some or passed. Be very careful with any contract you sign! I learned the hard way with one of my publishers.

HFP: What has been your favorite book to write so far and why is it your favorite?

CRL: My most recent release, Vampire Girl Problems, from my Twice Bitten series was my favorite to write because it was so funny. I was literally laughing myself to tears while writing certain scenes and I wrote it pretty quickly because it didn’t feel like work at all. It flowed so well because every scene was a joy to write. Also, I gave the heroine my body (small chest, thick thighs and butt) and the insecurities that come with it because I never see that in anything I read so it’s nice being able to offer a heroine who looks like women like me.

HFP: What qualities do you think make a great story that keeps readers coming back for more?

CRL: Heart, humor, heroines you root for, heroes you fall in love with, and really good plots with some surprises.

HFP: How long does it take you to write one of your books?

CRL: Anywhere between one to three months on average, depending on genre. I still work full-time which gets in the way of writing time, plus I have three teenagers, one of which is homeschooled so that’s just the average. It used to take me a year per book so I’ve come a long way. 

HFP: Okay, this is the fun question, if you could only choose one, would you choose coffee or chocolate and why?

CRL: Chocolate because I am one of those rare people who abhors coffee. It smells great but seriously, how do y’all drink that stuff? ;)

Bio:

Crystal-Rain Love is a romance author specializing in paranormal, suspense, and contemporary sub-genres. 

Her author career began by winning a contest to be one of Sapphire Blue Publishing's debut authors in 2008. She snagged an 8-book contract with Imajinn Books that same year, going on to be published by The Wild Rose Press and eventually venturing out into indie publishing. 

She resides in the South with her three children and enough pets to host a petting zoo. When she's not writing she can usually be found creating unique 3D cakes, hiking, reading, or spending way too much time on Facebook. 

Author Links:

http://crystalrainlove.com
http://facebook.com/crystalrainloveauthor

Twitter: @crystalrainlove