Featured Author: Cassidy K. O’Connor
I’m so pleased to share Cassidy K. O’Connor with all of you this week. Before we get to the interview, let me share her bio.
Cassidy K. O’Connor
Cassidy K O’Connor is a born and raised Floridian who loves to travel but never forgets where her roots are. She married her high school sweetheart, they have 3 kids and a crazy dog. Travelling and reading are her two favorite hobbies. Cassidy loves all things Ireland and has been lucky enough to visit twice. Her dream is to watch a baseball game in every MLB stadium in the country.
She is passionate about Building Women Up and helps run a site dedicated to enriching women’s lives.
Find out more about me on my website. Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.
The Interview
Tell us about your latest release?
Forever Yours, Casey started out with this idea I had about a grandmother on her death bed admitting she had been keeping love letters written to her daughter hidden away for many years. I quickly became obsessed with the storyline and managed to write the story in a very short amount of time. I did change the main idea a little, though. Casey is a successful lawyer, engaged, running for D.A. He has everything he ever wanted, but he isn’t happy. One day he gets a phone call that the love of his life who disappeared when they were 16 is in jail and needs his help. Desperate for closure he goes to her rescue. Secrets are revealed, passion is burning between them, but he’s engaged, and they both have a lot of hurt to get past. I’m not able to write a straight up dramatic story; I have a lot of humor in my story, including a kooky grandma that really did hide away some letters but not exactly like my original idea.
Are you a plotter or pantser?
I am pretty much a panster, I get a general idea and then let it flow. I can never say how long a story will be or when I will be done with it since I don’t know what’s going to happen. I actually have a huge eight book series I want to write, and I have tried plotting it out, and I think that is why I still haven’t written it. I am intimidated by the plot lines. Hopefully, I’ll get the guts to sit down and write it one day. I might even be more relaxed about it if I accidently spilled tea on my plot sheets and had to start from scratch.
What was the most difficult part of the publishing process for you?
Anyone that says there is an easy part is lying…writing ‘The End’ is hard, editing is hard, don’t forget about designing a cover and shoot me when it comes time for that blurb. Every single step is hard, but when the step is done, I feel accomplished. I think the most difficult part was and always will be marketing. I’m a small fish in a giant ocean, swimming around like Dory, lost and begging for friends. I truly love the Indie community and met some amazing women; they definitely make all of this much easier.
How about the most fun?
Conventions…I love meeting people, talking about my books, hearing what people liked, and getting that face to face time with people that I think we as a society need more of.
What inspired you to write your first book?
My husband was my inspiration…that man hates to read (I know, cringe right?). He was always giving me crap about reading so much. I became convinced I could get him to read an entire book if it was written specifically to his likes and tastes. The Evolution of Sam was born, his version is slightly different than the copy you all read but almost identical. I’m happy to say he read the entire book and enjoyed it, but he never did fully change his ways. Now instead of grumbling about reading too much he says I write too much.
Do you have any writing rituals? (Time of day to write, must have beverages? Etc?)
The only must I have is silence. I can’t have a T.V. on or anyone home making noise. For me, this means I really only get writing time in after ten p.m. when everyone in the house has gone to sleep. Unfortunately, I can’t stay up too late as I have a day job too. I did just purchase noise canceling ear muffs so I’m hoping those will help me to write when the family is around. Or I’ll be completely unaware of the house being robbed or some other calamity and I’ll have to stop using them. One of the best parts about being Indie is making my own schedule so I don’t have to sacrifice family time to meet a deadline.
Who is your go-to author, the one you know you can always count on to deliver a great story?
I am fanatical about historical romance, I follow Tessa Dare pretty closely and pick up every book of hers as soon as they release. Other than that I read a lot of YA and it’s usually whatever book my teen throws at me and begs me to read. Sadly, like most authors we rarely have time to read for pleasure and I do miss it. I guess I’ll have to start scheduling reading time in addition to writing time.
What projects are you working on at the present?
So I have an obsession with anthologies. I love the variety, and the opportunity to throw out a quick, fun story on a topic you may not normally write in. I did a Gargoyle for an unusual creature antho which became hugely popular. I just released a twisted Fairy Tale antho where I gender bended Robin Hood and now I’m working on a Halloween antho that is going to be so much fun. Right now we have ten authors working on it and we’re all intertwining our stories and characters. It’s the hardest one I’ve done yet but also the one I am most excited about.
I’m also working on the fourth book in the Love’s Protector Series. It’s been a long time and readers have been begging for more Keara so I think it’s time to continue her story.
What do your plans for future projects include?
Besides the two stories mentioned above I also plan to get out the second book after Broken Dreams, the second book after Wicked Wonderland and then I have a five-book YA series I want to write in addition to the eight book Contemporary series I have plotted. I’m sure in the middle of all of that I will come up with the idea for another antho. Of course, I have to write what is in my head so if a story comes along that wasn’t on the list but demands to be written I am always happy to jump in and get it done.
Forever Yours
When you’re a mother, you do whatever it takes to protect your kids, even if that means landing yourself behind bars.
Brittany Celdonio made the toughest decision of her life 15 years ago, but was it the right one? A lot has changed in that time, and now she’s a hardworking single mother of two. When her daughter is threatened and Brittany finds herself in trouble, the past may be the only thing that can get her out.
Casey Sanders has been writing a letter every single year for the last 15 years, since the love of his life disappeared without a word. Attempting to live a new life, he has the job he dreamed of, the perfect fiancé, everything he could want…except her. An unexpected phone call could change his life forever.
What do you do when your past comes calling? You drop everything and go.
Buy Link: Amazon
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