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​Where are you from?

I was born in Utah but moved around a bit—living in Utah, Kansas, Texas, and Hawaii. Hawaii was my favorite place to live. I absolutely adore the ocean and would love nothing better than to live close to the shore again, but alas I’m back in landlocked Utah—but my husband and I have aspirations of someday buying a winter home in Fiji.

When and why did you begin writing?

It’s funny, but I’d never considered writing fiction until nine years ago—when I started writing my first “practice novel”—I actually wrote three of those. And no, they will never see the light of day. That ship has sailed.
Why did I begin writing? Well, I’d always been an avid reader, but it never crossed my mind that I could write a book myself. Then eight years ago, I read something Stephenie Meyer wrote. It was rough, it was unedited—it was a scene her publisher cut from Twilight. When I read it, I thought it was horrible. And then the thought struck me. I bet I can write better than that.  That moment, I opened up Microsoft word and started writing. I didn’t think it over. I didn’t plan it out. It was an impulsive thing. But then, once I started writing, I couldn’t stop. And when I wasn’t writing, I was imagining scenes in my head, thinking out characters, and basically spending my time in the world I was creating.  And this is how I live even now—always with one foot in the real world, and one foot in the world of my imagination.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

​I considered myself a writer when I started writing. I think people put too much stock into what it means to be “a writer”. To me, if you write, you’re a writer—end of story.

What inspired you to write your first book?

My first book was a mishmash of everything I’d been reading. But my first published book, Rising, was something special. I actually got the inspiration for Rising from a picture. It was a picture of a mermaid, but this mermaid’s tail was unlike any I’d seen before—it was flesh colored. And it got me thinking, what if a mermaid was born on land, but she didn’t know she was a mermaid? She simply thought she was horribly deformed. That day, I started writing.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I’m a pantser—which means I don’t outline, I write by the seat of my pants. I’ve tried outlining; in fact, I spent a lot of time outlining Avenging—the third book in the Rising Series. I hoped that it would speed up my process. It turned out to be a complete waste of time for me. I couldn’t for the life of me, stick to it. It felt constrictive and unnatural, and it actually slowed me down—a lot. I ended up abandoning it and just wrote. I just let the story lead me, and often I’m just as surprised as my readers when something exciting happens or when secrets are revealed.

What books have most influenced your life most?

This is a really hard question! I simply love books—paranormal, fantasy, contemporary, romance… there are just so many. It’s easier to say what authors have influenced me. My favorite author is Amy Harmon. She writes mostly contemporary and a few paranormal. Her books are powerful! I’ve never read an author who has more heart than Amy Harmon! With her books, you laugh, you ball your eyes out, and you become so involved with the characters, that you literally feel you are inside the story. Some of my other favorites are J.K.Rowling, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Julie Garwood, Janet Evanovich, Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Mull, and Rick Riordan.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Actually, I consider a Facebook group my mentor. I’m a member of The Author’s Think tank. There are many amazing bestselling authors—including New York Times bestsellers—who are active in that group. I would be lost without them. Any question I have related to writing and publishing, they can answer and have. I wouldn’t be where I am without them.

What are your current projects?

I’ve got two projects right now. I’m currently working on a new book called Cursed by the Fountain of Youth. It’s a paranormal romance with a crazed, murdering lunatic; ghosts; forbidden love; and the curse of eternal youth. And then next book introduces a twisted version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This one comes from my love of all things Halloween. It’s a spooky story with witches, headless horsemen, severed heads, and a Beauty and the Beast-style romance.

What would you like your readers to know?

For those who are aspiring authors, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. I heard it all myself—even from close family members.  I heard I would never get published, and that I would never write anything people would want to read. I didn’t believe it, and you shouldn’t either. Use criticisms as a spring board. Prove those naysayers wrong!  It’s not an easy journey, it will take time and a heck of a lot of writing under your belt to get there, but you can. If you just move forward and never give up, you too can become a published author!

​C.J. Hart is a full-time writer who lives in Sydney, Australia, with a crazy pooch named Abbey and a boisterous, somersaulting rescue budgie (parakeet) named Kaleb. Her days are spent living in her fictional worlds and consuming way too much caffeine. She has an (unhealthy?) obsession with all things cupcake- and coffee-related plus Kerouac and YA dystopia/fantasy books. C.J. can often be found surrounded by books, marathoning crime shows and munching on vegan goodies, on Twitter (@authorcjhart), Pinterest, or dancing in a rainstorm.

C.J. hopes to one day visit Rio and is currently learning Brazilian Portuguese.

​​C.J. Hart is a pen name for Renee Shearer, who also writes adult fiction as Renee Swann.

​Do you read for pleasure from the same genre you write in?

My favorite books are young adult and fantasy. I have always been a big reader, but in my early twenties, I was mostly reading romance novels. Harry Potter was the series that reopened my eyes to middle grade and young adult and reminded me those stories are not just for kids. (I’ll always be young at heart!)

What is the biggest influence/interest that brought you to this genre?

I always wanted to be a writer, but after high school, I let my creative writing go, trading it in for the world of business, which was in some ways still creative, just different. When I started discovering the early indie writers on Amazon, like Amanda Hocking, that’s when I first thought that I could do this too, if I just put my mind to it.

How long does it typically take you to write a book?

Never Forgotten took me five years of on and off writing and revising. The remaining books in the series were about 9 months each. I am not a fast writer, and I do not write every day. I find that it does me no good to force my writing; I’ll just end up junking those pages.

When writing a book, what is your favorite part of the creative process (outline, plot, character names, editing, etc)?

My favorite part of writing a book is when I finish the first draft. It’s such a sense of accomplishment. My favorite part that has little to do with me is when I get to see the cover art for the first time. It’s so exciting!

What is your favorite thing to do on your day off?

What day off? I kid, but not really. I work full time during the week and fit my writing in around the rest of my life. Between writing, blogging, and promoting my books, I don’t have a lot of free time. When I do, I like to shop or hang out with my family.

Do you have pets?

We have a soft-coated Wheaten Terrier/Poodle mix named Clyde and a tank full of fish.

Money being no object, what is your dream getaway?

That’s easy. Hawaiian cruise.

What are your current writing projects?

I’m revising a dystopian short story that was the result of being a finalist in a Utopia Con/Little Bird Publishing contest. I’m writing a contemporary romance short story with a breast cancer theme that will go into a fundraiser anthology to raise awareness for breast cancer research, and I have started two new books that are very different from each other. One is a clean young adult fantasy novel, and the other is a historical fiction adult novel.

​Sandy Goldsworthy was raised in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, blocks from the rocky shores of Lake Michigan. As a child, she fantasized about becoming an author. She jotted story lines in spiral notebooks and drew images of characters that never came to life. Her passion for putting pen to paper began when her high school English teacher inspired her to be more descriptive in her work. Ever since, Sandy dabbled in creative writing, searching for that perfect shade of red and that character you want to get to know.

Admittedly, Sandy is addicted to coffee and dark chocolate, and is obsessed with all things paranormal. She records more movies and television shows than is humanly possible to watch in a lifetime, and swears there's a ghost in her house. When not writing, Sandy can be found curled up on the couch nose-deep into a book, or trying to catch up on that recorded season of some paranormal series.

Sandy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where she majored in marketing. She spends her days managing corporate client programs, and her nights and weekends drafting new plot lines in spiral notebooks. She resides in southeastern Wisconsin with her husband, two children, and an energetic puppy. 

After losing her father, Emma Bennett moves to her aunt's small town of Westport to finish out her senior year of high school. Emma wants to forget the pain and loss of the past few weeks, and finds relief in the company of Ben Parker—a local boy who she has an instant attraction and uncanny connection with. When Ben seems a little too preoccupied with other responsibilities and has no time for her, Emma turns to the town's hottest flirt—Lucas Crandon, for affection. Unfortunately, she realizes a little too late that sometimes bad boys, really can be bad for you. 

Life as an undercover agent for the Afterworld's Bureau of Investigation isn't an easy job. When Ben Parker finds his soul mate, Emma Bennett in a small town, he finds himself forced to choose between doing his job or rekindling a relationship with the love of his existence. After Ben is notified that a notorious criminal immortal is loose somewhere near Westport, he realizes that his love life will just have to wait. There is a criminal to apprehend before he can have his girl. 

When lives are at stake and immortals are on the loose, can two soul mates find their happy ever after?

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What was the inspiration for your story?

The concept of Ben Parker’s character came to me a few years ago. I had a very visual dream about a train derailing. Railcars tumbled off a ridge, landing on top of each other in a ravine. There was a young man on the train that was untouched by the accident. Once everything settled, he pulled victims from the crash site and escorted them to heaven. I ended up writing a short story about this, and eventually, Ben’s character came to life.

What kept you going throughout the writing process?

Initially, writing was just a hobby I did it in my spare time. But after a friend invited me to join his writing group, I began to take it more seriously and set writing goals. That really helped me stay on track knowing I had to finish a set word count, by a certain date. I also had a lot of support from my family and friends. They encouraged me to keep going any time I felt like giving up.

Who is your most meaningful character and why?

That’s a really tough question… like asking a mom to pick her favorite child!
I really enjoy all of my characters (even the dark ones), but if I had to pick just one, I’d choose Ben as the most meaningful. He spent decades searching for the love of his existence, so his dedication and perseverance is remarkable to me. As an agent in the Afterworld’s Bureau of Investigation, he proved himself loyal and committed. Overall, he’s just a good guy—someone you’d want on your side.

How has this story touched your life?

In Aftermath, Emma Bennett experiences the loss of a parent and is faced with moving to another state to finish high school. I had a similar experience growing up, although I was much younger than Emma. Nonetheless, I could relate to the feeling of abandonment and starting over that Emma faces.

What motivated you to start writing?

​I enjoyed writing ever since high school when my teacher challenged me to be more descriptive. She didn’t want to read that the front door was red; she wanted to see the shade. It was very motivating to me, to slow things down a bit and detail the setting.

This is it. This is my moment, and I'm not going to let some stupid boy and a bunch of his idiotic friends scare me into failing. Closing my eyes, I float through the closed door, letting myself enjoy that slight pull on my soul as I meld with the wood for one second, feeling its aliveness, its purpose. This is one part of being a spirit that is genuinely cool. Everything is alive.

Once through, the brightness in the room surprises me. As unexpected as that is, what amazes me even more is that the glow radiates around one person in particular.

Brecken.

​He sits sprawled at his desk, his feet clad in heavy, black combat books, his ankles crossed. A thick, ratty sweatshirt stretches over his wide shoulders, and even though his hair is a mess, it fits him, making him much sexier than is healthy for a seventeen year old boy.  (pg 62)

What inspired you to write The Bionics Series?

I was really struck by the state of America in current times, and toying with the idea of how things could be if we don’t wake up and make some changes. Conflicts are popping up all over the world, we’re destroying our environment, politics has gotten out of control and divided people … I loved the idea of exploring the possibilities of a world that has advanced so far in technology, yet has had so many political and social setbacks that it’s crippled us.

When you sit down to write do you listen to music, and if so what do you like to listen to? 

I do listen to music when I write. What I listen to depends on what I’m writing. The music sets the mood for me. For the Bionics series, I like to listen to Fallout Boy, Evanescence, Ellie Goulding, Lana Del Rey, Florence and the Machine, and sometimes movie scores from films like The Hunger Games.

What is the one thing (or multiple) you always have with you while writing?

My Beats by Dre headphones (they’re noise cancelling), my laptop of course, a snack (usually something crunchy or sweet), coffee or water, and a blanket to drape over my legs (I’m cold natured).

What should we expect from you in the future?

​Who knows, really? I’m so eclectic in my writing that people should always expect the unexpected. I have ideas for suspense, time travel, romance, fantasy, you name it! But at the heart of all that, always expect strong characters (particularly strong young women), as well as diverse characters!