Christina McMullen

Author Interview Form
Tell us your name and where you’re from.:
 My name is Christina McMullen and I am a Yankee transplant in
Texas.
What led to your decision to become an author?:
 The realization that I would never be a rock star. Well, that
and a hyperactive imagination. I always liked writing for the same
reason some people don’t: it’s a solitary activity. In a way. I do
have people I can bounce ideas off of, but giving form to the ideas
falls on my shoulders and I have to admit, I like that kind of
power.
Tell us about what you’re currently working on, and
what you’ve written in the past.: 		My current project is a young adult sci-fi about a girl who
finds her daydreams have suddenly come true. As you might have
guessed, this turns out to be not as fantastic as she had imagined.

Previously, I wrote a sci-fi/urban fantasy series called The Eyes of
The Sun. It’s a non-traditional take on the idea that New Orleans is
populated by vampires.
What are some of your strongest points as a writer,
and what if anything are you constantly working to improve upon?:
 I’ve been told that my writing has a good flow and the action
scenes are gripping. I struggle a bit with emotional scenes and I have
a tendency to overuse words. The thesaurus is my best friend.
Are you self published, traditionally published or
both? Why did you choose to go that route?: 		I am impatient. I went straight to self-publishing and plan
to continue this path unless I am ‘discovered’ by a big name
publishing house who wants to throw money at me. I am not averse to
this, but I don’t have plans to send out manuscripts any time
soon.
What format are your books available in? Which of
these formats do you prefer and why?: 		Currently, I only offer e-books through Amazon. I’ve tossed
around the idea of traditional books, but it takes a lot of time.
Also, to make any money at all, I would have to price my books around
$12 whereas my e-books are all under $4. Perhaps if I wrote something
more literary, I would consider it, but my books are genre escapism. I
reach a lot more of my target audience through e-books.
How do you go about marketing your books?:
 Terribly. I’m a bad salesperson, which is half the reason I’m
a writer and not a sales rep. I do take advantage of the promotions
that Amazon offers including both free and discounted books. I offer
the first book and the prequel to my series for free on the first
Sunday of every month.
Aside from that, I dabble in social media, but I have to admit, I find
a lot of it confusing and hard to navigate. This is somewhat
embarrassing to admit, given that I am not that old yet!
Have you ever had to deal with harsh criticism in a
review, and how do you handle it?: 		I have been lucky in that regard. I have had people point out
mistakes, which is understandable. I did get one three star review
that said I got too bogged down in world building and explanations. I
felt it was fair because it was an opinion and I know I am not going
to appeal to everyone.
What I find frustrating, however, is the poor star rating with no
explanation that can happen on Goodreads. Why only two stars,
anonymous reader? Why?
What are your favorite genres to both read and
write?: 		I write what I read, which is sci-fi, urban and contemporary
fantasy, young/new adult of the same genres, and some horror. Clearly,
I’m a bit of a geek, but I love that this is becoming widely accepted
because there are a lot more options out there.
What authors have influenced or inspired you?:
 Octavia Butler is my biggest inspiration, but the list is
huge. In one respect, it was indie authors that really changed the
game for me. When I saw that there were so many talented writers out
there who were making it on their own, I decided to give it a go. It
was the best decision ever.
What kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you’re
not writing?: 		I read a lot. Whether it’s books or articles on the internet,
my down time is spent reading. I also love cooking, which I consider
another form of creative expression. I’m a fan of the arts and have
dabbled with painting, drawing, and sculpture, but there’s a reason I
write books instead of selling art on etsy.
What software do you use for your writing? Did you
try others before you settled on the one you’re currently using?:
 I use Word. My covers are made using Inkscape and Gimp, which
are a free drawing and photo manipulation program respectively.
What is it that you like about the software you’re
currently using that makes it the best solution for you?:
 Since I only publish through Amazon at the moment, I don’t
require any type of special software.
What’s the best advice you could possibly give to
your fellow authors?: 		Write because you want to. Write what you want to read. Don’t
feel as if you are restricted by the narrow scope of a particular
genre or category. And most of all, don’t get discouraged when the
pieces don’t fit together the first time. Everyone struggles at some
point.
Where can people find out more about you and your
books?: 		My Facebook page is http://facebook.com/mcmullenwrites
I also have a blog called Vampires and Robots, which I happen to think
is highly underrated: http://mcmullenwrites.blogspot.com
And of course, my books are available through Amazon.

 

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