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Today, I welcome the wonderful fantasy author CM Fritzen to my blog. She has reviewed both ‘Anne‘ and ‘Every Last Psycho‘ on her blog so I wanted to happily return the favour by featuring her today. Enjoy!
Hello Christine! Thank you for agreeing to do this interview with me. Tell me a bit about yourself and your writing background.
No problem! Thank you for interviewing me. Well, I am currently a math Instructor for a company called Mathnasium and have taught math for the past three years as a public school instructor. I have written stories since as long as I can remember. I loved to read as a kid and it followed that I wanted to create stories. In school, my friends and I created worlds that eventually found their way onto paper.
Your book ‘The Promise’ sounds super cool! What is it about and what was the inspiration?
Thanks! The Promise is a fantasy with allegorical elements following a half-werewolf, Silver, who attempts to avenge his father, but discovers that he cannot do it on his own. It is based on a game and characters my friends in Jr. High and I created. I was the only one that really wanted to write the adventures down and so, over a decade later, I published The Promise!
What are you currently working on?
I am working on the sequel to The Promise. Legacy takes place about 40 or so years after the conclusion of The Promise and follows a werewolf named Talon as he strives to understand his parentage after being abandoned as an infant and taken in by a human family in a small town. Some characters from The Promise make appearances in this tale of what comes after the bad guy is defeated.
Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
Yes and no. I always knew I would write, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized that I really want to be writer. My family thinks it’s neat that I write, but never really took it seriously and so neither did I. But since I’ve finished one book and am almost done with my second, I am serious about doing the best I can with it!
Do you prefer to be known online as ‘CM Fritzen’ or ‘Christine Fritzen’? Genuinely curious.
C. M. is just the name that I put on my works. They are my initials; however I’m not attempting to hide my name or write anonymously. My name is difficult to pronounce correctly, and I am 99.9% that everyone who sees the name Christine pronounces it wrong in their heads. My name comes from the Austrian side of my family and the ‘e’ is pronounced as a hard ‘a’ sound. I think that C. M. is a way to avoid people mispronouncing it or misspelling it.
You’ve been really supportive of my literary works which means a lot! Why do you think it’s important for authors to support one another?
I’ve really enjoyed your works! I think it is important to support each other as authors in part because we are sharing parts of our souls with the world and that deserves to be recognized and celebrated. Often independent authors have an uphill battle getting their words in front of people who will enjoy and cherish them, and I am glad to be a small part of the marketing an indie author can use to be successful! I also love the networks we can create online!
What is your favourite genre to read?
I will devour pretty much anything, but my favourite genre to read is fantasy. I love how one can take everyday problems and difficulties people face, surround them with magic, and still create a relatable journey. My favourite fantasy series is The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and I am so excited it is being made into a TV show on Amazon!
Do you write full-time or do you have another job?
I work part-time as a math instructor for a Math only tutoring center called Mathnasium.
Traditional or independently published? What are the ups/downs of each?
I am independently published. I chose to do so because when I researched the difference I found that even with traditional publishing I would have to do much of my own marketing and I wanted full creative control over my words.
What kind of marketing/promotion do you do?
I try to keep my online presence up to date and active. I have a Facebook page, an Instagram, Twitter and a blog. I also have participated in review circles and an author interview or two (like this one!). Other than that, I am really a terrible marketer. I have ideas to talk with local libraries and book stores, but have been on hold until I finish my sequel and a few updates on The Promise. I hope to also publish some short story collections from the world my stories are set in as a teaser for Legacy.
What are some challenges you have faced as an author?
My main challenges are procrastination and marketing. I love writing, but sometimes it feels like something that can be done later, even if I have words I want to put to a page. And marketing, well, it’s tough to sell yourself, but I’m working on both things!
What made you want to review books on your blog? When did you start?
When I first published my book, I realized that reviews were a part of the equation in getting my book in the hands of others. Amazon has some algorithms tied to reviews and often it appears that no one has read your book if you do not have reviews. So I started looking to review other indie author’s books to help them garner the reviews they needed to be successful and to hopefully build connections with other authors.
Finally, what advice would you give to inspiring authors?
Keep writing. Get it all down on paper. If you don’t like a section, make a note in your document and leave it until you are completely finished. You can’t fix a blank page.
CM Fritzen Social Links:
Blog: cmfritzenbooks.com
Facebook: facebook.com/cmfritzen
Instagram: instagram.com/cmfritzen
Twitter: @cmfritzen
Amazon: bit.ly/ThPromise18
CM Fritzen interview of me available here
Other Author Interviews:
Author Interview with Joey Paul
‘Jill of all Trades’ Author Interview with Kylie Jude
Author Interview With PD Workman
An Interview With Author Lauren Alder
Great interview!
Glad you like it!