Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing for over twenty years, and I was first published in the small press when I was eighteen years old. I have eleven books out now with many more coming soon.
In 2013, I won a competition that was hosted by Wattpad and Harlequin, which opened up a lot of opportunities for me including providing me with a publishing contract with the largest romance publisher in the world. I’ve written three books for Harlequin so far, and my Harlequin debut novel, Hustle, is due out on the 1st September 2014.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent release was Selkie, which is a fantasy romance novel about the Fae in a real world setting. The story is the first in The Celtic Witches series, which I plan to continue in the future.
I was working closely with a group of writers in Dublin when I came up with the idea for Selkie, and I really wanted to explore Celtic mythology and put my own slant onto it. The story developed into a nice mix of steamy romance and a magical adventure, which hopefully readers will enjoy.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a guilt trip every morning if I don’t write a chapter before breakfast. I think that one might be pretty unique lol.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, that’s a long list. I think that my first influence was James Herbert. I loved his books, and they inspired me to want to write scenes that caused the readers pulse to race. I also love Jane Austen for her wit and heart-stopping romance. Oscar Wilde, Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett–all of these authors showed me how comedy and action could create a truly captivating story. My reading preferences are so varied, from Shakespeare to Christopher Pike, so I think I can credit many great writers with influencing me at some point or another.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently finishing off Hitman, which will be my third new adult romance story for Harlequin. The book is a mixture of romance, mystery and action. I’m hoping to see a hot hitman with bright blue eyes on the cover, but I’ll have to wait for a cover reveal for that.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
At the moment, Wattpad has been my main place for promoting my books. I have over 5 million readers there. It is a wonderful place to connect with readers. I love their reactions to reading the stories, and they seem to enjoy my book giveaways.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn about structural editing as early as possible. It’s the rite of passage that you must complete if you want to write popular fiction successfully. I didn’t learn it until much later in my career. Now, I have hundreds of unedited stories in a filing cabinet that all need editing when I get the time. Taking the time to get your head around story structure will save you countless hours of rewriting later on. It’s worth it for you and for your readers.
Also, you never stop learning as a writer. If you think you know it all, think again. No writer ever knows it all. They spend their life learning as much as they can. Keep learning and keep writing. Good things will happen if you do. 🙂
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Delete the prologue and rewrite the back story into active sentences.” It was my first edit from Eileen Gormley (also known as Evie Hunter), who taught me to structurally edit my stories. She ripped my first book apart, and I’m glad that she did. I’m a better writer because of her wonderful advice.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading ‘The Contract’ by Avril Tremayne at the moment, and it’s a fantastic read. I love it!
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to be finishing off my paranormal comedy series, The Demon Diaries, by writing the third book in the series, Divine Dora, next. I’ll also be doing some promotional things for the release of Hustle in a couple of weeks. I’ve got three books coming out with Harlequin over the next year, and four indie novels that will be coming out, so the future is brimming with things happening in it for me as a writer.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde, Douglas Adams Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Series, and a blank notebook with a pen in it. (I so cheated. Box set FTW :p).
Author Websites and Profiles
Claire Chilton Website
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