Author Spotlight: Chynna Pace

My Author Spotlight for the week shines on author Chynna Pace! I connected with her on Instagram — if you don’t already follow her, check her out here! Without further ado — here is my interview with author Chynna Pace!

1. When did you first start writing?

I was around 5 or 6 when I first started writing! As a homeschooled kid, I would spend hours typing up stories on my mom’s computer.

2. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

When I was a kid, everyone around me used to say I would be an author when I grew up. I always knew that writing would be an important part of my life, but I never envisioned myself as a capital A “Author”. But when I realized that writing was something I didn’t just love but wanted to make a career out of as well, I started moving in that direction of publishing and becoming an author.

3. Was there any author or book in particular that inspired you to write? Or a teacher/mentor?

I’m not sure about a specific author or book that inspired my writing as a child, I just know that I was reading and reading ALL the time. In fact, one time I got in trouble with my local library for putting 50 books on hold haha. But I really wanted to read all of them! I was big on mysteries, so I read a lot of Nancy Drew and A to Z Mysteries and Bailey School Kids books. Those were probably a big inspiration at the time.

But now, some authors that inspire my writing today are Ray Bradbury, H.P. Lovecraft, Agatha Christie, J.K. Rowling, and Jonathan Stroud.

4. How many books have you written? What are they called? Where can they be found/bought?

I’ve written too many books to count, but the ones that are published are Sweet Nightmares, Bitter Dreams, Grim Fantasies, and Dark Wishes. They are the books in The Dream World Chronicles series, and they’re available on Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, and most other places people buy books from! Check them out here.

5. What genre do you write?

I primarily write contemporary fantasy. My current series is of the paranormal/urban fantasy subgenre, which is sort of like my first love. But I’m planning a portal fantasy for my next series, and I even want to try epic fantasy in the future! My books tend to be a genre mash-up, though. There are always elements of mystery and horror and suspense sprinkled in there as well!

6. Are any of your characters based on people you know in real life?

I don’t usually intend to base my characters on real-life people, but it happens occasionally, sometimes without me realizing it. Mostly though, I feel like there are tiny pieces of myself in each of them, whether it be a favorite food or a personality quirk.

7. What inspires you to write the most?

I’ve tried asking myself this question and its one that always stumps me. Writing is just the thing that comes the most naturally to me. It sounds cliché, but it’s honestly like breathing for me. More than being inspired to write, putting words on the page is kind of like a necessity. Of course, I am always inspired by really good books and authors that I love, but the majority of the time, I get up every day to write because I love it, because it’s my greatest passion and biggest dream, because it’s so vital I can’t function without it.

8. What is your favorite thing about writing?

There are so many things I love about writing. Writing in and of itself is just such a cool feat. The fact that we can take a wispy thing of imagination and, through words, put it on paper and give it life and make it a real, tangible thing, is something so amazing to me. It feels nothing short of magical.

But my favorite thing about writing is probably when the plot and characters take a life of their own, and they do something totally unexpected, yet awesome.

9. Do you listen to music while you write or read?

I don’t usually listen to music while I read, but I LOVE listening to music while writing. There are some songs that have inspired whole scenes, or even entire characters! Getting up early, putting on my writing music, and sitting down at my keyboard is one of my greatest joys.

10. What do you write — short stories, poems, novels, novellas, blog posts etc. — and which do you enjoy writing the most?

I write all of those! Although, poetry is something I did more frequently as a kid. I haven’t written any poems in a while, but it’s still something I find fun. But my favorite to write will always be novels, and I also love writing blog posts. My blog is great because it’s sort of like a palate cleanser for me when I need a break from my manuscript but I still want to write, and it also gives me an avenue to talk about the joys of writing and encourage fellow writers!

11. Have you tried to go the traditional route with publishing? — (getting an agent to sell you to a publisher) How did it go?

Yes, I initially had plans to do the traditional route for my debut novel, Sweet Nightmares. I listened to so many podcasts and read a million articles about getting an agent, then spent forever crafting my query letter. But I never ended up sending one out. Right when I was about to, I realized that traditional publishing didn’t seem right for me, so I went in another direction.

12. Are you self-published? How did that go and what route did you take? What advice would you give to others who want to self-publish?

Yes, I am self-published. It has only been a couple of weeks since I put my books out into the world, but so far, it has been great! I published through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Draft2Digital, doing both eBook and paperback. For anyone else interested in self-publishing, I would say, just go for it! Do some research and make sure it is a good fit for you, then check out some blogs and videos from other indie authors who have done well. But don’t get too caught up in the rules and advice — just take what works for you, and don’t be afraid to neglect the things that don’t work for you.

It can be easy to think there is a one-size-fits-all in this world, but there are many paths to success in indie publishing! Just focus on your individual goals, and what you want out of your career, then take the steps you’re comfortable with to make that happen!

13. What is your favorite genre to read?

My favorite genre to read is my favorite genre to write! Any kind of fantasy, but usually contemporary or paranormal fantasy. I also love reading horror and mysteries, any kind of ghost story, anything dark and whimsical, and anything with magic in it!

14. Who is your favorite author now? What is it you like about them?

Oh man, I have so many favorite authors, it’s hard to choose. But right now, the one at the top of my list is probably Ray Bradbury. Discovering his books was honestly like a “chorus of angels” kinda moment. I love the way he writes, both as a reader and a writer. His book “Something Wicked This Way Comes” is one that has changed my life in numerous ways. I read it any time I need inspiration, motivation to keep going, or just a good, familiar read.

15. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

My advice for aspiring authors is just to write a lot and read a lot. Follow what interests you, what makes you happy, what sparks your creativity. I think books are a writer’s greatest teachers, so always keep reading and learning how other authors work and soaking in the principles of a good story. Then, write, write, and write some more! And don’t give up or be disheartened when things get tough. Writing is always going to be hard, but if you focus on the joy of writing, on what excites you, on what you love about storytelling, you will get through it! Always keep the dream in front of you!

16. Do you have any favorite books you recommend right now?

Well, I’ll probably always recommend Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, and the Lockwood and Co series by Jonathan Stroud because those are my favorite books of all time. But at the moment, I’m going to recommend Frozen Charlotte for anyone who wants a good, twisty horror/ghost story, Strange Luck by Amie Irene Winters for anyone who likes darkly whimsical fantasy, and The Faire Folk Saga, just because that is my current favorite read, and it’s full of all kinds of cool elves, faeries, and terrifying trees!

17. Besides writing, do you have any other hobbies?

Aside from writing, I love learning languages and have been studying Korean for many years now. I actually almost become a translator for a Korean web novel company, before I realized writing was what I wanted my career to be. I also love baking, drawing, reading of course, and listening to music!

18. Are you on Twitter or do you have an author website we should check out as readers?

I do have a Twitter account, but I’m not very active on it. Instagram, and my author website are where I am the most. You can check out my website at www.chynnapace.com!

19. Is there anything else you want to share about your writing or that you want your readers to know?

Well, if anyone likes stories about dreams, magic, imagination, sisters, creepy monsters, and the cool warriors who fight them, check out the first 2 books in The Dream World Chronicles, Sweet Nightmares and Bitter Dreams! It’s a six-book paranormal fantasy series full of twists and turns, and book 3 will be releasing in a few months! Also, if you’re a fellow writer, check out my blog and my podcast, The Joyful Writer Podcast. I’m all about encouraging writers and helping others in the writing community accomplish their goals by getting rid of self-doubt and fear and focusing on joy and excitement in the writing journey!

-End of Interview with Author Chynna Pace-

I hope you enjoyed learning more about the author of the week, Chynna Pace, I know I did! She had some great advice for new and aspiring authors that I hope you all take and run with! I read her first book — Sweet Nightmares, and loved it! Chynna does an amazing job with details and keeping you wanting to read more. Be sure to check it out! Remember to follow her on Instagram if you want to keep up with her, and check out her website — www.chynnapace.com. Thanks for checking out this author spotlight with Chynna Pace!

If you’d like to comment/share thoughts, feel free! I respond to all comments.

If you want to show your support for my page, you can 1) share my posts with friends and family, 2) follow me on social media/engage with my posts, or 3) buy me a coffee ❤

Thank you for reading!