C.K. Brooke writes pirate romance and young adult fantasy romance with historical elements. She is the author of the American Pirate Romances and Mythic Maidens series, and a recipient of the 2020 Best Indie Book Award in Young Adult Fiction.
What genres do you like to read? – I read mostly young adult, women’s fiction, and non-fiction. Sometimes I go dark and enjoy a bit of paranormal horror or thriller.
Do you have a favorite book or movie? – I’m sure you hear this all the time, but I have too many favorites to choose! However, right now, I’d have to say my favorite movie is The Secret of Roan Inish. It’s a foreign film about a young girl searching for her long-lost brother among the seals on an Irish island. It’s a simple, poignant slice-of-life story, with some magic and myth thrown in.
Which is your favorite mode of writing? Why? – I prefer to outline my books first, to help keep my thoughts organized, then write. I do all of this outlining plus writing on Microsoft Word. It’s how I’ve been writing stories since I was nine years old. I love the flexibility of being able to change and move text as often as I wish, as opposed to handwriting, where moving things around gets messy. Also, I can type much faster than I can write out my thoughts by hand.
What is your primary or favorite genre to write? – My primary and favorite genre to write is young adult fantasy with sweet romance, especially in worlds with a historical or old-timey feel.
Do you have other genres you write for? – Occasionally, I write adult historical romance. While I incorporate plenty of sensual tension, I don’t get too steamy! Perhaps someday, that’ll change, if I use a different pen name. However, for now, I enjoy keeping the romance on the sweeter side of the palate.
Which project is your favorite so far? Why? – My favorite project (besides the one I’m currently working on right now, and it seems my favorite is always my current project!) is probably my award-winner, Marian, Princess Thief: A Robin Hood Retelling. I got deeply connected to all of the characters and had a blast reimagining one of my favorite pieces of folklore!
How long have you been writing? What does your path look like? – I have been writing professionally since I finished my first full-length novel in 2013. At the time, I was a stay-at-home mother in my early twenties, with no formal education. My first seven books were published by independent presses, including 48fourteen (no longer in operation) and Limitless Publishing. Over time, I switched to self-publishing since it helped give me more creative license and got my work out faster.
My path so far has been considerably positive, growth-filled, and rewarding. The best part by far has been all of the friends and connections I’ve made in the writing world, particularly in the metro-Detroit area, and with the Greater Detroit Romance Writers organization. Also, I fell into freelance copy and line editing, which I got certified for and did professionally until recently and may resume in the future after more schooling.
Currently, I’m entering my junior year of college, minoring in Creative Writing. Also, I’m completely rewriting my first novel as an experiment to see how far I’ve come in the last decade. I’ve learned so much in ten years and am fortunate not only to remain in this business in any capacity but to continue learning as well! I can’t wait to see where in the writing world I will wind up next.
Where is your favorite place to write? What kind of atmosphere do you need? Quiet, music, coffee, wine? Any tricks to get in the zone? – I can write just about anywhere, with anything going on in the background, so long as I have a pair of noise-cancelling headphones playing some instrumental music: usually classical, Celtic, medieval lute, fantasy/adventure soundtracks, or whatever fits the mood and setting of my current project. When my son was a wild toddler, I would retreat to the library to write on Saturdays. Now, I write mostly from home. Silence is golden, but if my family happen to home on a given day, on go the headphones!
What do you do for fun when you’re not writing? – For fun apart from writing, I like to keep it simple: reading, visiting bookstores, walking the dog, listening to podcasts, streaming shows, spending time with my family and friends. But… podcasts, mostly!
Website/blog: https://ckbrookewrites.wordpress.com/books/
Facebook author/business page: https://www.facebook.com/ck.brooke
Amazon author page (for authors): https://amazon.com/author/ckbrooke
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