Love in the Stacks: A chat with Carolyn Crane

About 10 years ago, I took the plunge and self-published my first romance novel, The Butterfly's Dance. And a few years later, I did it again for my second novel, Wildfire. Back then, self-publishing was still considered a dirty word and it often got little reverence. Almost a decade later, that has seriously changed. Thanks to the explosion of e-publishing and e-books, writers have found a wider audience and, thankfully, some respect. Proof of a higher status in the writing world is Carolyn Crane, this year's romantic suspense RITA award winner. She's the first independently published author to receive a RITA, the Romance Writers of America's (RWA) annual award for outstanding writing in the romance genre.

Christyna: Congratulations on winning a RITA! How does it feel to be a RITA winner?

Carolyn: Winning the RITA has been an incredible honor. It's funny, I won it about a month ago now, and maybe it's dorky, but I still sometimes wake up and remember that I won it and feel happy. It's extra special to me because so many of my favorite authors have won it. And it's a peer-judged award, so it's other writers recognizing your work, which means a lot. And being the first self-published author to win it has felt special. I was just so grateful that RWA opened the contest to indie authors like me.

Christyna: Could you tell us about the winning book, Off the Edge?

Carolyn: The charming and deadly spy hero of Off the Edge is a linguistics expert. He uses language to hunt a weapons dealer, and his only clue is a voice recording. The book takes place in Bangkok; along the way he gets mixed up with a beautiful hotel singer who is on the run with problems of her own. I love spies and I love words and language, and this book let me combine those passions.

Christyna: Could you tell us a bit about your journey to self-publishing your work?

Carolyn: I began on the traditional route with an urban fantasy series, but like so many writers, I didn't sell enough and got cut loose not long after my first book hit the stores. I was devastated, but now I kind of look at it as a blessing in disguise. I feel like it pushed me out of the nest and into self-publishing, where I'm very happy.

The biggest thing about my self-publishing journey is the way other authors have reached out to help me. There are so many smart authors developing and sharing knowledge and so many great resources — writers like Courtney Milan and Bree Bridges have really helpful blog posts about it, and books like The Naked Truth About Self-Publishing and others have really helped me, as well as forums like Writer's Café on the Kindleboards. And I'm e-mailing friends all the time with questions. I sometimes have the feeling like this is the Wild West and we're all figuring it out together.

Christyna: Any advice for writers who are thinking of going the self-published route?

Carolyn: Everybody does this differently, so no one person has the answers, but I would say, you have to look at it as a long game — the people who break out and shoot up can make other self-publishers feel like they're doing it wrong, but you can't look at that as the model. I think it's smarter than ever to focus on consistent quality. Get a few good books out there and connect with readers in a genuine way. Don't rely on gimmicks or short cuts or think that companies can do it for you — there are a lot of scams out there and you can do it yourself. You just need to educate yourself.

Christyna: Care to share any great experiences you've had over the years with your public library?

Carolyn: Growing up, the library always seemed so full of treasure and possibility. So many of my best childhood experiences were at the public library in our town. We had great librarians and even as a child, I felt like they respected me as a reader, and as a person with preferences and seriousness, and that is something I didn't really get in other areas of my life. I still get this wonderful feeling in my chest when I walk into a library, just from the smell. Today, my mom is really active in our hometown library, and I love going there and seeing how it has changed.

Find out more about Carolyn and her books at authorcarolyncrane.com.

Despite being born with a disability, Christyna Hunter has surpassed all perilous predictions. She graduated from college where a friend introduced her to romance novels, started a freelance writing career, self-published two romance novels, and worked at a non-profit organization. Currently she works as a library associate with Loudoun County Public Libraries in Virginia, reads romance novels in her free time, and prays often to her writing muse. Check out her blog at christynahunter.wordpress.com.