I began my author career writing Historical Romance as Celeste Barclay (I still write under that name).
After reading tons and tons of Historical Romance and having taught both literature and composition, I decided to give it a try.
I had an idea for a series with four brothers and their younger sister. I jumped in headfirst with His Highland Lass about the sister. By book three, His Highland Prize, I knew I had a viable second career.
After a year-and-a-half, I left my teaching position to write full time. I published my first book April 15, 2018 and became a full-time author in Dec 2019.
Did you have any influencing writers growing up?
My mother’s English, and I grew up reading English classics. I particularly like the Bronte sisters.
Are any of your characters based on people in real life?
None of my Mafia books written as Sabine Barclay are, as of now. Real people have influenced several characters in my Historical Romances written as Celeste Barclay.
Where do you draw your book inspirations from?
That’s always a really hard question for me to answer. I don’t look at famous people or even just photos of people to use as muses. One story plants the seeds for another. I go from there.
Do you use have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?
I have a very general story arch in my head that is subject to and usually changes. The characters and the plot, as they develop together, drive the story.
When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?
Never. They might remind me of an actor or actress, or someone like that. But there is never an inspiration or a model for the character.
Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?
I enjoy reading, not surprisingly. But I also like to watch movies or binge shows with my husband and two sons.
I live in Southern California, so the beach is my favorite place to go. I can spend hours there and not notice the time going by.
Who are your favorite current authors to read?
My favorite Contemporary authors all write Mafia.
I would say Bianca Cole, Jagger Cole, Maggie Cole—there’s something about that last name apparently—Jane Henry, L. Steele, and M. James are a few.
What are your favorite books by others?
My first love was Historical Fiction, so I really enjoy anything by Philippa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl).
If we’re going with Classics, then all things Austen and Bronte, Voltaire’s Candide, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.
I also really enjoyed all of Dan Brown’s books (The Da Vinci Code).
Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?
For my Historical Romances, they’re the places I’d like to visit in Scotland for the most part.
The vacations that each couple has in my Mafia series are places I would like to go, such as Turks and Caicos, Greece, and Croatia.
Do you write in single or multiple POV?
I always write in multiple. My Historical Romances alternate across multiple characters. My Mafia alternate between the MCs by chapter.
What do you find to be your best research tool?
The internet. I use Wikipedia as a launching point for a lot of things to give me a general understanding. Then I look for other vetted sites to give me depth.
I do miss the days of going to the library and digging through the microfiche, but I’m a research nerd for my current fiction and was for the nonfiction I used to write.
Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?
I do write under pen names because I began my career when I was a teacher, and what I write is positively, completely, and utterly inappropriate for children.
I write Historical Romances as Celeste Barclay and Contemporary Mafia Romances as Sabine Barclay.
What genre do you write and why is this your preference?
Mafia is my sole Contemporary interest right now.
Highlanders are my primary interest in Historical, but I have written Vikings, pirates, and I’m starting some Regency.
Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky trait...what led to you being you?
I’ve been married almost 20 years and have two teenage sons.
I was a teacher for almost 16 years. I hold three degrees which I use every day as an authorpreneur, so no, being an author didn’t waste my education. None of my degrees are in English or English Literature.
And I love to sing, even if that isn’t one of my gifts, and the cringier to my teenage sons, the better.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Learn more than craft.
Learn the publishing industry: your options and the work it takes beyond writing.
If you want to write, then get on with it. Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Don’t worry if the first draft isn’t perfect; it’s not meant to be.
Find your village or tribe, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
How do you deal and process negative book reviews?
Well, of course, they’re wrong.
After thinking that, I see if there is anything I can learn from it. If I can’t then, I chalk it up to a “it’s them, not me.”
I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, and I’m all right with that.
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
Making myself stop and take breaks. I get extremely immersed in my work, and I don’t take breaks. I work for very long stretches, six to twelve hours and barely look up.
A little five-minute social media break here and there, but generally, I plow through.
What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you focused?
I can write with noise around me, but I prefer to be by myself.
I only listen to music if I’m working in a public space, which isn’t often these days.
Natural sunlight is a definite plus.
What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?
I am not and never will be a coffee drinker. I tell my friends I can lick mud for free.
But I do love my Coke Zeros. One a day is usually my vice.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose? And why?
That’s really hard. Several of the popular authors in my genres are already friends now. I see them at conferences and reader events.
I’d like to meet Maggie Cole since her Mafia books are among my absolute favorites.
I met Emma Prince this year, and her Highlander books were the nudge I needed to jump into writing.
What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or drink?
I start early and work late. I sit down around 6am if I don’t have a Clubhouse room to join in the morning. I’m on PST, so I’m behind pretty much everyone. That’s why I get an early start. Then I work until at least 5pm, if not later.
Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of music is your favorite?
Only if I’m going to be writing in public for a while. Then it’s either Classic Rock or HipHop.
Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?
Yes. My cat, Sheba, loves to walk across my lap since I work on my sofa. My other cat, Roscoe, will stare at me or cry until he gets some attention. Then he sleeps next to me like a boulder.
What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?
I’m pretty singularly focused when I start writing. I do fall down some rabbit holes with my historical research.
The other is scheduling too many non-work things in one week that’ll pull me away from writing when I’m mid-manuscript.
Have you ever killed off a character that your readers loved?
No. I kill off a lot of people in my Historicals and Contemporaries, but they’re always people readers are cheering for their demise.
How do you celebrate after typing THE END?
I never type that because my ninth grade English teacher, Mrs. Russell, taught us that there was no need. Readers get it because nothing comes after. That’s just stuck with me decades.
After my metaphorical The End, I usually watch TV or read for a couple days, even a week, to let my mushy brain rest. Sometimes I have enough time for more than a week to catch up on admin tasks and take a break from writing.
There’s nothing particularly celebratory to be honest. I love every word I get to write, but it’s my job. I completed a task. I move on to the next one.
I hope you enjoyed this interview!
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