JENA @ PURE TEXTUALITY [JENA]: Welcome to the 2014 edition of Indies In Their Undies, a month-long interview series with 31 indie authors! Today we are sitting down with Claire C. Riley!
LINKS
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon
Goodreads
PURCHASE LINKS
Odium
Odium II
Odium Origins
Limerence
Let’s Scare Cancer to Death
[JENA] We have readers all over the world and I am always curious to see where our favorite authors are from. Where do you call base camp?
CLAIRE C. RILEY [CLAIRE] My base is actually my living room ☺ country wise I’m from Manchester in the United Kingdom.
[JENA] A common trend as of late is cross-genre authors. It has become relatively uncommon to come across an author who only writes in one specific genre. It seems there are a lot of writers who like to dip their toes in all sorts of pools. Which genre or genres do you write?
[CLAIRE] I predominantly write zombie post-apocalyptic horror, though I dip my proverbial toe into all themes of horror – ghosts, voo-doo, etc. Staying on the dark and creepy theme, I also write dark romance novels – think Bram Stoker esq vampires.
I have various plots for crime thriller novels and dark romance novels with a less paranormal element to them.
I read pretty much any genre, and feel that we shouldn’t limit ourselves as writers either.
[JENA] Writers get inspiration from all over the place. Movies, books, music, people in their life, their own life, etc. Who or what is your most common muse?
[CLAIRE] You know, I seem to come up with the craziest ideas at the most random of places! I try to think that whatever situation I’m in, what would make this scary? I like to have characters that react realistically in situations. As such, I like to keep the scenes realistic also. Put ‘real’ people in ‘real’ situations, throw in some scary plots and see how they would react.
[JENA] Are you 100% independently published or do you have traditional contracts as well? If you are 100% indie, would you ever consider a traditional publishing contract? Why or why not?
[CLAIRE] Yes, I’m 100% indie, and proud ☺
I would never say no to a traditional contract, but it would have to be the right contract of course. I love my books and I’m proud of how far I’ve got them. I also know many traditionally published authors who have since gone on to ONLY self-publish because of the pressure and crappy deal they got from a traditional contract. So, yes, I would be stupid to say that I would never traditionally publish, but again, it would have to be the right contract.
[JENA] Writer’s block sucks. What do you do to overcome the blank stare when it hits you with everything it has got?
[CLAIRE] I try to write a new scene—a scene with more bang than the one I’m struggling to write.
[JENA] Let’s gab about your books. What fictiony goodness have you already unleashed on the general populous?
[CLAIRE] I have two—soon to be three full-length books out, one novella—soon to be two and several short stories in anthologies, and much more planned for this year.
I’ll start at the top and work my way down.
There’s: Limerence. (A dark romance of love, lust & obsession.)
Odium. The Dead Saga. (– A dystopian post-apocalyptic zombie novel.)
Odium Origins. A Dead Saga Novella. Part One.
Again there is also several short stories out, but I guess the one that I’m most proud of would be my contribution to the ‘Let’s Scare Cancer to Death’ anthology. ALL profits from this anthology go straight to the V-Foundation. So if you like horror, zombies and want to help kick cancers ass, buy that book!
[JENA] What’s next for you and your writing? Any new titles coming out?
[CLAIRE] I have two books coming out in the next month, and many more this year. Including the sequel to Limerence and at least four other anthology contributions, all of which I’m extremely proud of.
The first release is:
Odium II. The Dead Saga. – (Releases May 9th)
Odium Origins. A Dead Saga Novella. Part Two. – (Releases June 2014.)
[JENA] The latest trend with the indie author world is massive book signings and conventions featuring anywhere from 20 authors to 200 authors. What has your experience been at these events? Do you enjoy them? Or do they make you twitch and sweat?
[CLAIRE] I am yet to do any signings for a couple of reasons. One, because yes, the thought alone makes me twitch and sweat ha ha, and two because I’m in the UK and there is virtually nothing like that over here. I am intending on travelling to America in the next couple of years and doing a couple of signings though (eeek!) so watch this space.
[JENA] Do you have any appearances coming up? If so, tell us when and where (provide links if you have them).
[CLAIRE] See above ^ lol
[JENA] Now it’s time for some just-for-fun questions! If you were digitized like Tron and put on the internet what site would you visit first?
[CLAIRE] A holiday site so that I could try out all the holidays! haha
[JENA] Have you ever Googled yourself? If so, were you surprised or shocked by any of the results?
[CLAIRE] I have hahaha. I was surprised that I was there and how many times!
[JENA] What would you do with a million dollars?
[CLAIRE] Go and visit all my author friends and fans in America! Then I’d donate an absolute ton of it to charity, and buy myself a new laptop, because mine is dying!!!
[JENA] If you were trapped on a desert island with one CD that you could listen to for the rest of your life what would it be?
[CLAIRE] That would have to be a mix compilation CD. I never listen to a CD all the way through, I’m a flitter, flitting from one band to another, and one song to another. Right now I have a mix put together that I’m listening to on repeat. The first couple of songs are:
1. Volbeat – Heaven or Hell.
2. Fightstar – Mercury Summer.
3. The gaslight Anthem – 45.
4. Alkaline Trio – You’ve Got so far to go.
If I really HAD to pick a CD, I’d probably pick The Offspring.
[JENA] How do you consume – read the book then watch the movie or watch the movie then read the book?
[CLAIRE] Whichever hits me first I guess. If I watch the film I’ll always read the book afterwards to see the comparison, and similarly the other way around too. If I read the book and then the movie comes out, I’ll go watch it to see the differences.
[JENA] If you could live forever, would you? Why or why not?
[CLAIRE] Hell no! Life is long enough, and we are all entitled to our time on earth, but then it’s time to move on.
[JENA] If you were faced with the zombie apocalypse and had to pick five people to be on your survival team, who would you pick?
[CLAIRE] Great question. My imaginary Apoc team would be:
1. Iron Man.
2. Daryl Dixon.
3. Alice- Resident Evil.
4. Bear Grylls.
5. Dr. Gregory House
[JENA] Imagine the concept of reincarnation is real, who or what would you hope to come back as in your next life?
[CLAIRE] A bird. I’m scared of heights, but have had a reoccurring dream for as far back as I can remember about flying. I think I probably was a bird- or a superhero- in my past life.
[JENA] Thank you for participating in Indies In Their Undies!