Author C.S. Mae Shares Their Story
C.S. Mae is only in front of a computer when she’s writing. She’s hopelessly backward, socially awkward, and mostly hides with a book in front of the fire, fighting for space in her favorite chair with her two cats. Romance novels are her first love, Kdramas are a close second.
About the Author
C.S. Mae is only in front of a computer when she’s writing. She’s hopelessly backward, socially awkward, and mostly hides with a book in front of the fire, fighting for space in her favorite chair with her two cats. Romance novels are her first love, Kdramas are a close second.
What inspires you to write romance books?
Well, I love a good love story. I love that ache of the first kiss, the attraction that pulls you towards someone, and some fantastic chemistry. I love spending my day trying to figure out how to get two characters together. And let’s face it, you have a good job when you get to imagine people having sexy times all over the place.
Tell us about how you write:
I’m like a mix of the person who plans and the person who doesn’t.
My process:
I get an idea and I just think about it for a while. Who is the heroine? Who is her hot love interest? How do they meet? What’s keeping them apart? What challenges do they each face as individuals?
When I have the general idea, I sit down and write it out, like a line for each chapter.
Then I write whatever scene pops into my head first. With “The Runaway Roommate” the first scene I wrote was their kiss. And then I was like, okay, how do they get there? Sometimes it’s a fight or the first chapter. I skip around, filling in what wants to be written and somehow it all comes out right in the end. 🙂
Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Nah. They’re like a movie playing in my head. That’s honestly how I see them. I watch what happens and write it down.
What advice would you give other writers?
If you’re going to put sexy times in your book, don’t write what you think other people want to read. Write what turns you on. That chemistry is what people will respond to, in my experience.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I decided to self-publish because then I could pick the titles and covers and I wouldn’t have to wait when I was finished writing the next book. I write really fast (though the editing and stuff takes almost as much time) and I don’t want to wait for 6 mths or whatever to let people read my stuff. I’m also a total control freak and it’s nice to be in charge of my own stuff. 🙂
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I honestly have no idea. Some people love self-publishing, others love traditional publishing. Some people hate the way they’re treated by their publishers, others do nothing but rave. I guess it depends on the person.
I do think that ebooks are here to stay, especially for romance lovers like us. Nothing is better than carrying around a nondescript e-reader versus a book with a heaving bosom on the cover. Much less embarrassing! 🙂
What genres do you write?
Contemporary Romance
What formats are your books in?
eBook
Website(s)
Link To Author Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6869451.C_S_Mae
