I'm delighted to introduce Caitlin Denman, a Southern California native whose passion for storytelling has led her to craft immersive fantasy worlds that captivate readers. Growing up surrounded by animals, including three horses, three dogs, and a cat, Caitlin's love for adventure and the fantastical was nurtured from an early age. She graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a bachelor's degree in agribusiness, a testament to her diverse interests and dedication.
Caitlin's literary journey began with the She Awakens series, a young adult fantasy saga that introduces readers to Attina, a protagonist navigating a world where fae rule and humans are in hiding. The series has been praised for its compelling characters and intricate world-building.
Her latest work, Blood Queen, delves into the realm of romantasy, following Queen Layla as she strives to protect her kingdom amidst turmoil and arranged marriage. The novel has garnered attention for its rich narrative and engaging tropes, including enemies to lovers and arranged marriage dynamics.
Beyond writing, Caitlin is an avid equestrian, training and competing in disciplines such as barrel racing, breakaway roping, team roping, and mounted shooting. Her lifelong connection with horses, having owned and ridden them since the age of twelve, adds a unique depth to her storytelling, often infusing her narratives with themes of freedom and resilience.
In our conversation, we'll explore Caitlin's creative process, her experiences in the publishing world, and the inspirations behind her enchanting tales. Whether you're a fan of young adult fantasy or romantasy, Caitlin's works offer a captivating journey into worlds where magic and reality intertwine.
To stay updated on Caitlin's latest projects and connect with her, visit her official website and follow her on Amazon.
Firefly – gone too soon or overrated?
Definitely gone too soon. It was such a good show!
A book that pleasantly surprised you?
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Sam Hall. I wasn’t expecting to love it but now all of her books are an insta-buy for me.
Favorite hangover recovery recipe?
It’s not really a recovery recipe but more of a prevention recipe. Drink one bottle of water for every drink you have and you’ll never get a hangover. HYDRATE people!
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
When I’m not writing I like to ride my horse on the trail or go mounted shooting
Is there a trope you find yourself going back to in multiple works? Or one you avoid?
I find myself going back to the enemies to lovers trope time and time again. It’s probably because its a trope I absolutely love to read myself.
What does your family think of your writing?
My family is very supportive of my writing and read everything I write—much to my embarrassment.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
How cathartic writing in general can be. Yes I put my characters through hell, but it helps me deal with the hell I’ve been through in some tiny way.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I’ve written seven books. Five are currently published works; the other two will hopefully be published in the next six months. My favorite published book is Blood Queen. Here’s the blurb for it.
Death gave her the throne, now death is how she’ll keep it.
She may be called the Blood Queen, but Layla will do anything for her kingdom's peace.
As queen of a kingdom plagued by murders, Layla struggles to live up to the expectations her parents had of her. Whispers of rebellion and dissent grow daily, and a murderer stalks the townspeople.
In agreeing to marry a foreign prince, she hopes to find a way to bring stability back to the land. But, she fears the marriage, unlike her parents, will be devoid of love.
On the eve of her betrothal's arrival, Layla sneaks away and enjoys one last passionate night with a stranger. But doing so threatens everything her parents laid out for her. As more lies come to the surface, Layla will do whatever it takes to keep her kingdom safe—even murder.
Do you have any suggestions to help someone become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Just write. Like everything else in life, you won’t get better unless you practice. And challenge yourself by stepping out of your comfort zone. Write scenes you’re nervous to write. Sometimes the only thing holding us back are ourselves.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I know a lot of writers say this, but I really do have the greatest readers. I’ve had so many readers reach out to me and tell me how one of my books have helped them in some way and it’s seriously the greatest feeling to know one of your books really touched someone or helped them through a hard time.
Do you like to create books for adults?
While I do have a young adult series, I prefer writing for an adult audience. I feel like I’m more open and honest in my writing when I can write something a little more r-rated or controversial. I also like that I don’t have to edit my cursing so much in adult books. What can I say? My characters like to cuss.
Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
I think ego can be a killer for writers. At some point you’ll have to put the ego aside and listen to your audience, your editor, your cover artist, etc. Someone will have an opinion you don’t like and just because you don’t like their opinion doesn’t make it right. There’s a fine line all writers have to walk because to sell a book you have to know it is the greatest story ever told and make others believe that to get them to pick up your book, but you also can’t have such an overinflated ego you can’t see when something in your writing needs work.
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
I actually do write under a pseudonym but it is completely separate from my Caitlin Denman name. All of the books are in a completely different genre even.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I try to be more original. I still like to hit points in my stories I know my readers will like, but I want to stand out from the crowd.
Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
That’s a tough one. The short answer is yes. The long answer is I think it would be so much harder to be a writer who doesn’t feel emotions strongly. You would have to put a ton of work into your craft to figure out how to write emotions readers would want to read about.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you building a body of work with connections between each book?
I want each of my books to stand on their own. While I completely admire authors who are able to do that and weave huge worlds between multiple series, I don’t think I’ll ever be that author. With my ADHD it’s hard enough for me to remember the details of one series, let alone multiple.
Are you traditionally or self published? Or both? Do you feel there are advantages to one over the other?
I’m self published. Self publishing has the huge advantage of the author getting to decide everything in the entire process of publishing and receiving all of the proceeds. Yes, it’s a ton of work to do as an individual what it takes teams of people to do, but I really think in the long run it’s worth it.
What does literary success look like to you?
If I could just make enough money to pay my bills with what I made off of my books I would call that literary success. I don’t need to be a New York Times best-selling author or be world renowned, if I could just pay my bills every month with my books, I’d be happy.
What do you have coming next?
I just released the second book in the Blood Queen series, Broken Queen in November. In January I have a short story coming out in an anthology. The anthology is called Waves of Desire and my story is called Creating a God. It’s a story about the Norse gods Ran and Aegir and how they met. Then I have an Urban Fantasy coming out called A Life to Take. It’s a more gritty murder mystery than I typically write but I hope everyone loves it.
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