Ask the Author: C.J. Darlington
Answered Questions (17)
C.J. Darlington
First thing that came to mind was Narnia! I'd love to meet Aslan. That would be awesome. :)
C.J. Darlington
I had to think long and hard on this question as I don't normally read novels featuring a lot of romance. But then I remembered Aravis and Shasta from The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis. I like their relationship because it is not a romantic one at first. They start out adversaries and become friends. Only later do they realize that maybe they could love each other. Seems more realistic to me!
C.J. Darlington
Thanks so much, Angie! I'm glad you've enjoyed my books. I get the ideas for my stories from all over the place. :) For example, with my novel Bound by Guilt the scenario of people stealing rare books from bookstores came from an article I read of a real-life crime. Running on Empty came from the question I asked myself, "What would it be like to discover you had a younger sibling you didn't know you had?" Every life experience has the potential to be a story! I have found that the best way to get story ideas is to live a full life. Have fun. Try new things. I am working on this!
C.J. Darlington
Well, I am definitely writing the sequel right now! My goal is to finish the first draft in February, and then I will need to edit and revise (as is always the case when you write by the seat of your pants!) but it is underway. I am excited to see where the Alexander family goes in this one, and who they meet along the way. I will say that a subplot that's taking root involves Dana. Thanks for asking, Sierra, and feel free to check in with me in a few weeks. It helps to know readers are waiting for the book!
C.J. Darlington
I am no Grey Alexander, so in short: No. :) I would however be very interested in hearing about their findings. Wouldn't that be amazing if everything we knew about Jupiter was actually wrong?
C.J. Darlington
Great question, Sierra. Right now, March 2015, I'm working on a contemporary novel with ties to my Thicker than Blood series. I tend to write by the seat of my pants, which means sometimes I don't even know exactly what's going to happen until it does (sounds weird, I know) but I say that because I could change things in the next draft. Right now the story is about a down on her luck young woman who wakes up in the middle of the night to find her eight-year-old half sister at her apartment door. Only she didn't know she had a half-sister. She can barely provide for herself much less a little girl (and her dog) so it puts her into a tailspin. Stay tuned!
C.J. Darlington
Well, I do believe I have that handwritten manuscript somewhere in my boxes, but I never thought about publishing it. I have fond memories of telling that story though. I actually never completed it, but I knew how I wanted it to end. I won't give it away in case I ever do publish the story! So I would say I don't have plans right now, but never say never. I appreciate your interest!
C.J. Darlington
Hi Arielle! Lately I have been adding in reviews of books I read many years ago. I posted the reviews on Amazon but never made the switch over here to Goodreads. I've been getting my profile caught up. I really don't read 3 books a day! LOL I'm lucky if I read a book a week.
C.J. Darlington
Well now. That's an interesting question. I think if the person spilled a triple shot, wet cappuccino (with sugar free peppermint or caramel flavoring) they just might have a chance to see another day. If not . . . well . . . ;)
C.J. Darlington
Hi Claire! I'm thrilled you both enjoyed the novel. When I first began writing Jupiter Winds I wasn't sure if there would be a sequel or not. I figured I'd wait and see what readers wanted. All that to say, I DO have plans for a sequel! As of today, its working title is "Jupiter Fire". I have a chapter or two written as well as some ideas for what could happen. Not sure on a release date or anything like that, but keep bugging me so I get it written! :)
C.J. Darlington
Hi, Sierra! I'm happy to see Jupiter Winds has caught your interest. :) There aren't any giveaways going on right now, but you made me think about adding one soon.
C.J. Darlington
The idea for Jupiter Winds came to me after writing three contemporary novels (the Thicker than Blood series). I wanted to write something a little different, and I've always had a fascination for science fiction stories. For quite some time I'd also wanted to write a YA novel. I began asking myself "what if" questions, and the rest is history. Interestingly, I had the title Jupiter Winds before I had anything else. I just thought it sounded cool. I ended up building the winds of the planet into the story based on the title!
C.J. Darlington
Often reading a really good book or watching an exciting movie will inspire me. Other times something simple can have impact. Like seeing a person do something unusual or hearing about something in the news. Inspiration can come from anywhere!
C.J. Darlington
Never give up. And write your heart. Markets will change, but if you write your heart (i.e. what burns in you to write) it will show on the page. Get that story down that you can't stop thinking about. In this day and age there are countless resources to teach you how to write better (I recommend the books of James Scott Bell.) And even in the face of rejection you will carry on with joy knowing eventually readers will find you.
C.J. Darlington
Not having to dress up to go to work! Ha ha. Only slightly kidding there. But really, for any creative person, there is nothing like telling stories and sharing them with readers. I love being able to take the characters and situations from my head and painting a picture with words. As a writer you get to make things right in the world, or show evil for what it is. I love to write about redemption in all its forms, and that's an amazing feeling.
C.J. Darlington
Sometimes I'll pick up a notebook and pen and start talking about the story with myself, asking questions and trying to answer. Usually if I feel blocked it's because I don't have an answer to a plot question. Other times I might sit in a chair, close my eyes, and try to picture the story like a movie. I'll ask myself the question, "If I were watching this film right now, what would I like to have happen most?" The answer to that can be interesting! Getting away from the computer for a few hours or even a day can also help stimulate the writing juices.
C.J. Darlington
Thank you so much for your kind words, Arielle. I'm glad to be able to connect with you here! I love Goodreads. :)
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more