Laughter, Suspense and Love: Author Interview with C.L. Rain

What made you decide to write your first novel? Was there a book/author who made you think, I could do that? 

I've always had an active imagination going all the way back to my earliest memories. My degree is in media studies with a screenwriting emphasis. I love storytelling! So, I just decided to tell my own stories and put them on paper so I wouldn't forget the awesome storylines I create. It just went from there.
 
You’re an indie author, which means you’re in charge of everything from writing to publishing and marketing. Other than writing, what other parts of the process do you personally do or hire others to do? 

I do everything except my editing, graphics and book covers. I outsource that. But the reader engagement, marketing concepts, relationship building with other authors and industry insiders, social media etc are all me.
 
What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing? 

I don't lose, I learn. If I try something and it doesn't work, that's not a loss. Learn from it and try again because you only have to be right once. Thomas Edison said "I have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways not to make a lightbulb. I only needed to find one way to make it work." or something like that. But the concept is, don't be afraid to try.
 

Marketing is the biggest key to making sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks? 

For me, so far it's been Facebook. Between takeovers and ads, those have been the most successful for me to date.
 
What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner? 

Pick a lane and stick with it. People told me I should write in one genre and stay there, but early on I experimented. It took me a while to hit my groove and figure out where I experience the most enjoyment writing that can also have a sustainable reader base. I wish I'd found my action romcom niche sooner.
 
What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give? 

Work on your craft. I've seen a lot of authors who have said they're just the best thing since sliced bread, but when I read their stories, it's not. Continually work to get better and never settle for where you think you are.
 
Are there any other points about writing you would like to add? 

Don't take it personally. Expect negative reviews. Not everyone is going to like or love what you put out. Just keep going and the people who love it will follow. 
 

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis? 

I released my newest book last month. It's called Bullet & Blaze.  If you can picture a mix of Mission Impossible meets The Tourist then you have the idea. An international law enforcement agent tries to track down the assassin who killed her protectee while she was protecting him. It's an action-thriller rom-com that is full of laughs, suspense, angst and all the feels that will have your heart swooning as you race through the pages. 

That's all for today's interview. Here are the links to find more about this author's books.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/C.L.%20Rain/author/B0CP8LBP6Z/allbooks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/38435929.C_L_Rain

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094640120717

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clrainauthor/

Bullet & Blaze: https://books2read.com/u/mYDQrp

And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive an eBook copy of of Bullet & Blaze!  So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Friday!