The Literary Vixen presents…
Joining us today is Cerynn McCain! Her newest release, Shattered (The Abandoned Crown Series Book 4) releases on December 29th 2022.
Congrats on your latest release! How has it been? Does it get easier with each release?
The release went well. Small since it’s book 4 in the series and hard to promote.
No it gets so much harder. Every book I get more and more anxious about them and overthink them way more. I’m hoping one day it gets easier though.
How long have you been writing?
I started writing Inhibited when I was 13. I wrote a few little goof off stories as a kid, but Inhibited was my start into actually seriously writing.
Describe a typical writing day.
Oh gosh do I have to…
A typical writing day for me looks like: Coffee first. Most important. I try to get up around 7:30 but I’m not successful all the time. I spend the morning with my husband and sit down to write after he goes to work (around 9:30 or 10 depending on how busy he is that day). But I have a terrible attention span, so I set an alarm on my phone for 30 min. I have to write for that 30 min. Then I take a break. Normally I play minecraft for the next 30 min, or do laundry, or the dishes or someother domestic thing. Then it’s writing again for 30 min. Rinse and repeat until like 9pm. Some days I’m at work so I’ll just write when it’s slow there.
Where do you get inspiration for your books?
Hard question. Boredom? I daydream while I drive. I plot things while I play minecraft. I love browsing Pinterest and sometimes I’ll see a picture and think “oh, I should do something like that in my story!” But a lot of it just comes from daydreaming.
What are some challenges that have come up during your writing and publishing journey?
Marketing! I can write all day long. I love it. I love formatting. I love all the “behind the scenes” stuff. But when it comes to getting word out? I have a hard time even remembering to post, and when I do I’m either scared I’ll give away too much of the story, can’t think of anything interesting or “hooking” to make into an ad, or scared my stories are too dark and no one will like them.
When you’re writing an emotionally draining (or sexy, or sad, etc) scene, how do you get in the mood?
The emotional scenes fuel me! Give me the intense, the sad, the torture, the sexy, I love it all!
Regular normal life happy stuff? Yeah… I have a hard time writing that. That’s like pulling teeth and I still don’t know how to get in the mood. I’m always in the mood for emotions though.
If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Odd, Quiet, Creative
How do you deal with the emotional impact of a book (on yourself) as you are writing the story?
I only write for 30 min and then I take a brain break! No, but really… sometimes I’ll take a long bath after a particularly hard scene. Or I’ll watch a funny movie. Or cry in the shower. My poor husband just gets to look on and shake his head.
Are you working on anything at the present that you would like to share with me?
Right now I’m working on book 5 in the Abandoned Crown Series. I’m also slowly working on a prequel series for one of my characters. I switch to that one when I get really stuck.
What advice would you give to other aspiring authors?
Join writing groups on facebook (some are really toxic but there are a few gems out there). And find at least one person that loves your writing and believes in you. Even if it’s just an online friend. I can write all day long. But I get really discouraged some days and I’ll text my friend and tell her that I’m thinking of giving up and she rallies right behind me and pushes me to keep going. I wouldn’t still be writing without her and I’m so grateful for all the pushing.
What is the one thing you want people to know about you and your books?
My books are really dark but I promise I’m nice!
Thank you Cerynn McCain for chatting with me! I will include her information down below. Check out her newest release, Shattered today!
~Synopsis~
The madness is calling
After a prisoner begs for their life and is granted mercy by The General, his queen is forced to confront her rising jealousy.
Jealousy over this prisoner lying for his favor.
Jealousy over the Mistress he obsesses over.
Jealousy that everyone is more powerful than she is.
The mounting need to prove her worth distorts the world around her, and blinds her to the powerful position her husband has given her.
While the young queen grapples with this urgency to secure the crown upon her head, another kingdom slowly falls into decay waiting for their own ruler to step up and fight for them.
Caught in a battle of wit and will, no life is safe, no step secure, and no plan is exactly as it seems.
Cerynn McCain has been writing since she was a child, weaving as many stories as she can from the tales her imaginary friends tell her. She grew up curled in a nest of art supplies and yarn, and has always found a creative answer to every challenge thrown at her. Right now she lives on the beautiful Lake Chelan with her husband and two cat babies, writing her stories and moonlighting as a librarian in her spare time. Her love of creative arts follows her through every aspect of her life, and her husband constantly has to pull her back to earth when her daydreams take over.
And, when all is said and done, she’d have it no other way.
The Literary Vixen 