I can't believe August is almost over!
But before we let it go, let's have another author interview.
Christine Layne is a contemporary romance author based in Colorado, where she lives with her husband and two sons. Christine started her writing journey relatively recently, penning her first complete story at the age of 36 in 2020. Her books are known for their emotional depth and relatable characters, often exploring themes like love after loss, enemies to lovers, and complex relationships. When she’s not writing, Christine enjoys spending time with her children, painting, and indulging in her love for movies, always with a mug of tea in hand. She’s a self-published author who values the creative freedom that comes with it, allowing her to craft stories that resonate deeply with her readers.
In her writing, Christine finds herself returning to the "enemies to lovers" trope, which has become a recurring theme in her recent works. Her published titles include "Because of Blake," a reverse age-gap romance, and "Mud, Love, and Chemistry," a college romance that showcases her talent for blending humor with heartfelt storytelling. Christine’s books often feature strong female protagonists who navigate personal challenges with resilience and grace, making her a beloved author in the contemporary romance genre.
Whether it's painting, spending time with her family, or creating new worlds through her writing, Christine approaches everything with passion and dedication. She continues to explore new ideas and is excited to bring more stories to her readers in the coming years
DCU or MCU?
MCU all the way, though I do love Batman.
A book that pleasantly surprised you?
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
Coffee, tea, or cacao?
Tea
When did you write your first book and how old were you?
I wrote my first story from beginning to end, something I had never done before, in 2020 when I was 36. I started out with about 30k words and kept building until it grew to over 90k.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
If I’m not writing, I’m most likely spending time with my kids. We do all kinds of things together and I want to make the most of their childhood. In the off chance that I do have free time and I’m not writing, I’ll either be painting or playing Nintendo.
Is there a trope you find yourself going back to in multiple works? Or one you avoid?
My most recent release was an enemies to lovers college romance, and it was super fun to write. I’m finding a lot of the ideas coming to me now are enemies to lovers, so that’s probably going to be prominent in my works for a while.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I’ve written eight books, but only three have been published. Of my published works, it’s hard to choose. I’m torn between my debut novel and my most recent release. My debut, Because of Blake, is super emotional, and I put a lot of myself into it, so it holds a special place in my heart. My recent release, Mud, Love, and Chemistry, is more upbeat, so it’s more fun in a way. I also feel like I’ve learned so much since I released my debut that my writing in my recent release is stronger.
Do you have any suggestions to help someone become a better writer? If so, what are they?
The biggest thing is to read. I would say to read in your genre, but it helps to read across the board. And don’t just read traditionally published authors. Read indies, read ARCs, do beta reading. It will all help in one what or another. You’ll either pick up things to enhance your own writing, or you’ll learn what not to do.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
It depends. If I get into a groove and the words just flow, then it energizes me. But if I try to force it when I’m not in the right head space, it can be exhausting.
Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
In my opinion, it would hurt. It’s okay to be proud of yourself for your accomplishments, but one should stay humble. No one is an “expert”. No one is exempt from learning. I would think having a big ego would hinder you from being able to see imperfections and being able to make your work as good as it can be.
What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I have two very close author friends, Maren Jenner and Shayna Astor. Both are contemporary romance authors, and both have helped me throughout my journey. We swap our works and give each other notes/opinions on them. Sometimes they catch things that I would otherwise not see. They have helped me be able to analyze and scrutinize my writing better, they’ve taught me things I never knew, and they’ve helped me grow in ways I wouldn’t have without them.
What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
I don’t know that it’s under-appreciated, but it’s The Princess Bride. I see more people talking about the movie (which I do NOT like), and the book is hardly ever mentioned. It’s a fantastic read. There are so many things the movie leaves out or skims over that are just golden. It’s definitely a book I wish I could read for the first time again.
Do you write novels, novellas, short stories, episodic fiction, poems, screenplays, or something else? What is your preferred format?
I mostly write novels, but I have dabbled in short stories and novellas. My published works are all novels, but I’m not opposed to trying something new!
Are you traditionally or self published? Or both? Do you feel there are advantages to one over the other?
I am self-published. I queried a project for a long time and never got any traction, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and published my romance novels myself. It was a way to say “I did it. I’m an author.” Now that I have done it though, I don’t know that I’d want to do traditional. I have so much freedom in what I do with my books, the timeline for releases, and I get to say what I write when. There’s no one telling what to do, and it’s nice. It’s expensive, but nice.
What does literary success look like to you?
Literary success is having people love my books. Sure, making money is great, but honestly, if I have a solid fan base, then I’ve already succeeded.
What do you have coming next?
My next novel has yet to be named. It has also yet to be finished. But, it will be an opposites attract, fake-dating, age-gap romance that is full of fun banter and sweet moments. I’m very excited to share it with the world, but it is also taking a while to finish. I’m hoping to have it published in early 2025. I have several other stories in my head, so they will all be coming as well.
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