Claire is a breast cancer survivor who lives in Miami, Florida with her husband, two adorable boys, three bulldogs, and two stray cats that she refuses to admit are hers (even though they live on her porch, she named them, and continues to feed them). When she’s not writing, she’s usually lost in a book (the more suspenseful, the better).
Claire recently sat down (metaphorically) for an interview with IndieReader’s Rachel Moulden.
Rachel Moulden (RM): What fueled your passion to start a career as a writer and how has this passion continued to this very day?
(CC): From an early age, I used to sit down next to my father with a pencil and a notebook and write short stories while he wrote speeches. My love of writing grew from there. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing.
RM: What was one of the most surprising things you learned about yourself in creating your books?
CC: How romantic I can be.
RM: You say you’re a romantic at heart. How does this help you to create your romance novels?
CC: I don’t think I’m very romantic in real life. I don’t do many romantic things, but I’m a hopeless romantic in that I’m always dreaming of happy endings for everybody. I spend my days wondering, “What if?” and that’s usually where my ideas come from.
RM: What do you do to get book reviews and what are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
CC: I don’t read reviews unless a somebody sends me their link for me to read. I respect and value that everybody has the right to vocalize their opinion about everything/anything, but I don’t think a review– good or bad can help or change my story once it’s published, so I try not to get caught up in them.
RM: Do you let your books stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit?
CC: It depends. Normally by the time I start writing a book I’ve already stewed on the idea and characters for over a year. If that’s the case, I try not to stew too much once it’s written (but I have been known to trash forty thousand words and start over every once in a while).
RM: If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
CC: Harry Potter. I think that’s enough of an explanation on its own. It’s a brilliant storyline with incredible characters that appeal to all ages.
RM: What are your favorite books to give-and get-as gifts?
CC: The Bronze Horseman is always a favorite of mine to gift. The Nightingale is another. I love when people get me books that I wouldn’t have otherwise picked up or heard about.
RM: You’re newest book The Player, features a male lead that is a “bad boy”. What is it about bad boys that are so alluring to romance readers? Women readers in general?
CC: I think everybody, men and women, like the idea that they’re the reason somebody changes for the better. In the grand scheme of things, we all want to be that special person to somebody.
RM: How has being a breast cancer survivor changed your outlook on life?
CC: I’ve always been an appreciative person, but surviving cancer has made me even more so. I see every day and every moment as a gift, which is something that I took for granted before. I never stopped in the middle of a hectic day and just took a moment to breathe and smile because I’m here. I make it a point to do that every single day now.
RM: What has been your favorite book/series to write and what would the main character in that book/series have to say about you?
CC: The Hearts Series because the characters were interconnected and I got to see them through different eyes with each book I wrote. I hope the main characters would say that they want to be my best friend, because I totally want to be theirs lol.