Although C.S. Lakin isn’t published on Kbuuk (yet), we asked for her input and advice on what was important to her as an author to help us to build the best online self-publishing platform. If you would like to provide your input and feedback on what you are looking for in an online publishing platform, we would like to encourage you to take our survey or contact us at support@kbuuk.com to let us know what you’re thinking.

Because we enjoy her blog Live Write Thrive so much, and she was so gracious with her time and feedback, we wanted to help to spread the word about her work. In a brief interview we were able to get to know C.S. Lakin better as an author, editing professional, and person. You can find our interview with C.S. Lakin below. Aspring writers will find great advice and writing tips through her blog, and if you haven’t checked it out already, we strongly suggest you visit the site.

Kbuuk: Are you a full-time writer at this point in time? If yes, can you describe the path of how you got there.

C.S. Lakin: I’m actually writing very little this year as I’m working full-time as a freelance copyeditor and writing coach, and I host a blog with writing instruction for authors, as well as teach and serve in an editorial capacity at conferences and workshops. For a few years I was able to write full-time, and I wrote quite a few novels with that free time. As much as I love writing novels, I so enjoy helping writers get their books polished and published and so I hope to keep editing indefinitely. I’ve been able to write two books a year, so maybe I’ll be able to keep that up. I have two slotted to write next year—the last book under contract with my publisher—book seven in The Gates of heaven fantasy series, and a fun dark humor novel that I’m not saying anything about. In addition I’m putting out a nonfiction writing craft book each year, beginning this winter with The Heart of Your Story—a writing craft book based on my year-long blog posts.

I’ve been writing all my life but I didn’t start writing novels until about 25 years ago. I wrote three while working full-time and raising my kids (running a bed and breakfast), and then I quit for about ten years, discouraged that I hadn’t sold anything. I then felt a strong need to be creative again, and writing was the best thing for me to fulfill that need. So I prayed and pondered what to write, and instead of writing more psychological suspense, I decided to writer full-length fairy tales for adults with an inspirational basis and hope-inspiring, not dark. On the advice of an author I talked to, I attended a conference, where I learned so much on how to improve my writing and also pitched my new series. A year later I had been offered a contract for the first three books (which I had written already) and won a big publishing contest that gave me another publishing contract with Zondervan for my novel Someone to Blame. I can’t say there was any one moment when I knew I wanted a career as an author, but finally getting a contract validated my efforts and so I just kept writing. I’m currently finishing my thirteenth novel.

Kbuuk: If you had to imagine your readership as one person what would he or she look like? How old? Manner of dress? What does he or she like to do with free time beside read? What kind of food do they like?

C.S. Lakin: I’m not too sure how to answer because I write in numerous genres. For my contemporary books, they would be someone maybe middle-aged, educated, restless, loving literary writing and a great story, and possibly an animal lover. Either a man or woman, but picky about wanting to read a great book and loves chocolate, of course.

Kbuuk: What is one thing about you that people would never be able to know just from reading about you on your website or through your writing?

C.S. Lakin: I’ve been asked that before and I never know what to say. I ran a commercial pygmy goat farm for many years and I’ve pulled out a lot of stuck kids. I don’t think too many people have had their hand up inside the uterus of a goat before. I’m not sure if it’s a talent, but I usually could get those kids out, and sometimes it was not easy!

Kbuuk: What does your writing routine look like? Do you write on a daily basis?

As I mentioned before I don’t write all that much, But because I have a novel due in to my publisher in three weeks and I’m only halfway done, I’m taking this whole month off to write every day until I finish. My clients are restlessly waiting for me to get done so I can edit their books! I keep trying to find time to write and I hope I can work something out where I write two days a week and edit the other days. It’s hard for me to say no to all these clients that want me to help them now!

Kbuuk: What authors or writers have influenced your writing style? Do you look to anyone you admire to try to emulate their work?

Yes, my favorite fantasy author is Patricia A. McKillip and I try to write like her but fail miserably. She’s brilliant. I like a lot of authors across many genres, mostly ones with literary flair and intelligence. I enjoy Elizabeth George (mystery writer), Charles Martin, and usually assorted NYT best-selling authors with unique books. I also like most of Jodi Picoult’s and Anita Shreve’s books.

Kbuuk: Is there anything else you would like the readers to know? 

C.S. Lakin: I would love readers to enjoy my books, post reviews, share their thoughts and give feedback. The greatest compliment you can give a writer is to post a terrific review online and spread the word about her books. Thanks for taking the time to have me here and share my writing thoughts! For any aspiring writers out there, be sure to follow www.livewritethrive.com to learn great tips of thriving as a writer!

You can find C.S. Lakin’s most recent releases, Innocent Little Crimes (Imajin Books) and Conundrum in both ebook and print format. Innocent Little Crimes, a psychological suspense take-off on Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians achieved top 100 finalists status in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest out of over 5000 entries.  Conundrum is mostly an autobiographical story about her father’s mysterious death. It’s fiction, although she would say about 95% of it is true. For more info on all of C.S. Lakin’s books, please visit her website: www.cslakin.com