GREETINGS, BOOKWORMS! I’m Aisha Kandisha, Head Librarian at Kandisha Press. Join me in the dusty stacks of the library I will never leave again as I chat with some of my favorite Women in Horror. Today we feature author R.A. Clarke!
R.A. Clarke is a former police officer turned stay-at-home-mom living in Portage la Prairie, MB with two busy boys, a sport-aholic husband, and a couple of quirky dogs. She maintains her sanity by guzzling copious amounts of coffee and diving into fantastic worlds of her own creation.
Rachael loves fulfilling dreams and seeking new inspirations. As an artist, community theatre actor, and writer, her creativity never sleeps. She’s currently working on a little bit of a lot… which includes writing a YA fantasy novel, a sci-fi adventure novel, and writing/illustrating picture books (under the name Rachael Clarke). If you have kids, feel free to check out her children’s chapter book, The Big Ol’ Bike, just released in November, 2020.
What made you want to become an author? Ddi you have an “Aha!” moment when you knew you were born to write? Or perhaps a beloved book inspired you?
I’ve always wanted to create, by either writing stories and poems, making art, singing/songwriting, and even in my youth, I dreamed of publishing a book someday. I suppose I had an “aha!” moment back in 2019 when I dove back into writing seriously. After the unfortunate loss of my policing career due to trauma related CPTSD and panic that left me unable to work in any capacity, I shifted into being a stay-at-home-mom facing a journey of healing. I sought ways to reclaim my confidence, as well as my sense of identity and self worth, and eventually figured that it was the perfect time to chase my creative passions. I joined a supportive writing group and entered a few short story contests on a whim. I tanked magnificently in the first one. A judge ripped my story apart. But I dug my heels in and tried again. With the next contest I tried, my story placed 2nd! I was shocked. Then, a few months later, I entered that same contest again, and my story placed 1st. That win yielded a publishing package and I put out my very first children’s chapter book called “The Big Ol’ Bike.” It ended up being a top three finalist for the HIndi’s Libraries Females of Fiction Award in 2021, and you know, it was the combination of those things that really bolstered my confidence and solidified that writing was the right thing for me to be doing. I’m a believer in fate, and at that time I truly felt called to write. It became my new dream. Adding to that, I also fell in love with the escapism of it. I’m somewhat obsessed with being able to create fantastical worlds and then experience them through the eyes of my unique characters.
What do you believe are your strengths in writing? And when you feel you need to improve on a particular writing skill, how do you go about it?
My strengths…that’s tough, because others may not think the same as me on this. Haha! But, I think my ability to build fantastical new worlds, to create tension, and to write cinematic-style action/horror scenes is strong. I also see my creative thinking as a strength. Even when I don’t want to – like times I only want to write a flash piece – I chronically come up with these huge novel-worthy ideas. To go along with that, I tend to step outside the box with ease, as well, as I get a kick out of subverting tropes or planting twists to surprise readers and hopefully keep my tales feeling fresh. Lastly, dialogue flows easily from my fingertips, and since I’ve heard good feedback in this area – that it sounds natural – I’ll name that as a strength, too.
As for how I improve on a particular writing skill, when there’s something not working right or throwing the flow of my piece out of balance, I dedicate time and energy to figuring it out. So, sometimes I’ll take a writing class, or read articles online, or soak in tricks and tips by reading other authors’ work and seeing how they approach it.
I’ve bought craft books before, but I find I don’t dive into them much, but rather prefer to learn more organically through practice. Now, that may sound crazy to some, but it works for me. I watched a video once on the four types of writers and learned I’m an intuitive plotter, which made so much sense, helping me understand why I do what I do. And while we’re talking improvement, I’ll admit my ability to edit with merciless efficiency always needs work!
What are your thoughts on the book industry today, or more importantly, about the book community? Do you feel it is getting harder or easier to make it as an independent author these days?
I think overall, it’s always been a bit of a challenge to find monetary success. Some hit it big and have that luck, which is incredible (the dream!), but I think the larger percentage of authors are just out there working hard to get their books read/noticed.
Being a perfectionist and liking the control self-publishing afforded, I started my teeny press, Page Turn Press, as a home for my own books, with a hopeful future plan to grow it. That was back in 2020, which wasn’t long ago, so I certainly can’t claim to have long-standing experience, nor am I an expert by any stretch. But I do recall hearing of stigmas surrounding self-publishing and weighing that while deciding whether to go that route. I’d heard some considered self-published books to be low quality, or for writers who couldn’t hack it in the traditional publishing world. I believe that kind of thinking still lurks in the background today, as it remains a fair challenge for indie authors to convince some readers to take a chance on buying their books… but, I do think it’s way less than it used to be.
Views are changing. Being an indie author is not seen as taboo so much, but rather, as a strategic choice. It’s growing increasingly popular because authors can have full reign over their book design, details on their sales, and can keep more of the royalties. That said, some authors also prefer publishing via small presses rather than chasing after the big five traditional publishers, because they can sometimes be more approachable and open to niche genres/concepts. I’ve even read of popular traditional authors who’ve chosen to self-publish (Brandon Sanderson comes to mind), though it stands to reason, their prior success and pre-established following gives them a leg up in the sales department.
I personally think as long as anyone who plans to release their book(s) into the indie market does so with thoroughness and quality in mind – making their work as good as it can be, proving it’s just as worth the read as any book the top five could pump out – then I can’t see why there’d be any reason for negative stigmas to resurface or gain strength.
Tell us about your work. What story are you most proud of?
I’m proud to say I’ve had numerous short stories published in various publications, many of which were horror, but one of the tales I’m most proud of is “Stillness,” a psychological sci-fi/body horror about a woman who systematically loses her five senses. It was named as a finalist for the 2022 Dark Sire Award, and it’s simply a gut-punching story that sticks with me. Another story I’ll mention here is “The Bubble,” which is about a soldier on the cusp of fatherhood, and his team, who enter a perilous quarantine zone erected around an infectious meteor. I love both stories because they made an emotional impact on me, and I’ve also had great feedback from readers who enjoyed them. I hope to expand The Bubble further someday. That one was published alongside nine other unsettling tales in my press’s first multi-author themed anthology titled “Spread: Tales of Deadly Flora.”
Though I’ve written a little bit of a lot over the years, I tend to gravitate to speculative fiction for both short and long fiction (novellas and novels), most often writing sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. I adore crafting terrifying tales that will give readers thrills, chills, or the creeps, and thus, I often write for the monthly Ladies of Horror (LoH) flash project, found on www.spreadingthewritersword.com.
As for my longer fiction… Well, I’m insanely proud of my novel, “Race to Novus,” which is a thrillride of a sci-fi western tale. It has tons of intrigue, elements of fantasy, a hint of romance, a loveable bionic horse, and is a creature feature to boot.
What are your upcoming works and plans for the future?
My debut novel, “Race to Novus” will officially hit the shelves on April 4th, 2024, I’m hoping readers will love it. It’s my first full-length novel, which is so exciting, and it’s also the first book in a planned trilogy. I often tell anyone who’s curious, think: Firefly X Aliens X Hidalgo X Avatar. I started writing it during Nanowrimo in 2020, and over three years and many drafts later, it’s wild to know my story-baby will finally meet the world. I’ll be forever grateful to Cloaked Press, LLC., who read it, loved it, and signed me on.
Here’s a brief blurb: A debt-ridden cowgirl enters her bionic horse in a nebulous race at the edge of explored space. The prize: free land and a fresh start. But as deceptions mount and vicious beasts spawn in a stifling jungle infused with inexplicable magic, her race turns into one of survival.
I’m currently working on the sequel, and I also have a couple of novellas in the works – one being sci-fi/action and the other sci-fi/horror. Once my Race to Novus trilogy is complete, I’ll dive into something shiny and new that I have waiting in the wings. I can’t say much about it just yet, but I can confirm it’ll be a dark sci-fi thriller.
My future plans also include curating the next short story anthology for my press. It’ll be titled, “Forgetting Something?” and the theme will veer to the lighter side this time, focusing on humorous alien stories, which should be fun. Submissions for that open in August, 2024, and I look forward to reading through my inbox while enjoying the warm weather that better be coming soon. Seriously, winter just needs to go away!
Follow and read more at:
www.rachaelclarkewrites.com
https://linktr.ee/raclarkewrites
www.pageturnpress.com
Check out Race to Novus:
https://mybook.to/Novus
KANDISHA PRESS 