Indie Author Spotlight: Spring 2019 - C.H. Knyght - Part 1
Hooray! The Indie Author Interview at Robin Takes the Scenic Route lives! I'm so happy to introduce you to another fabulous indie author. C.H. Knyght writes shifter fantasy, short stories, and writing help books. She's also a wonderful artist and I'll get to share some of that with you, too! Stay tuned all month to catch each portion of the interview, as well as my reviews of three of her books. You don't want to miss it!
Read on...
Book Review: Nightvision - Twilight Shadows by C.H. Knyght
Nightvision Twilight Shadows by C.H. Knyght
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
As soon as I read chapter one, I thought to myself, "This is going to be an awesome book!" The action starts right away, just as it should and so far the characters are super interesting. I can't wait to see how it all plays out.
Update: I was so happy to finally purchase my copy of "Nightvision Twilight Shadows" after following C. H. Knyght's artwork on social media. True to form, I think she's hit on the start of something awesome here.
I love that the action starts right away. You're swept right into the story and the current just pulls you right along. It was hard to put this book down and I found I had to make myself stop in order to get enough sleep for the next day.
The world she's created is rich and full of promise. The magic system is interesting and varied from many others I've read. I'm intrigued by the elementals and I'm enjoying the world peopled with shifter clans.
My favorite characters are probably the twins, Derrick and Raiven, and Keer. I have a tendency to like supporting characters. This is perhaps because much of their stories are left to my imagination. But it could also be because they add a richness to the story, especially in this case. The way each character is fleshed out was so well done, I found myself being able to relate to all of them at various points in the story, even to the shedding of tears when the characters themselves couldn't or wouldn't allow them to fall.
All in all, this was such an enjoyable book. I'd recommend it to anyone who's looking for a fun fantasy tale.
View all my reviews
I know I've shared this review before but I've gotten some new followers who may not have seen it. It's too good a book for any fantasy lover to miss!
Indie Author Interview With C.H. Knyght - Part 1
Me: Hello, Readers! Join me in welcoming C.H. Knyght to Robin Takes the Scenic Route. C.H. has a website you can visit to read more about her work. Just click here to visit. Please introduce yourself! What do you want readers to know about you up front?
C.H.: Hi, I am author C. H. Knyght. I primarily write fantasy or things with a supernatural twist.
Me: That's great! I know there's a lot of supernatural fiction in circulation right now. It's always good to hear there's another option for fantasy lovers. How long have you been writing and what prompted you to start?
C.H.: I’ve been writing with intent to publish since I was seventeen so, about twelve years. I’ve always loved books and reading. Writing was a natural progression highly encouraged by my parents.
Me: Wow! With family support, you really can't beat that. I know that's a struggle for a lot of writers. So could you tell us a little about your earliest writing memory?
C.H.: Ooh, the first one I properly remember was a short story when I was about eleven. I still have it, it makes me die a little now. But, we all have to start and learn on something. There was a mix of poetry dabbling and fanfics for a while, before I devoted my writing time to my books.
Me: So true! I know my own attempts at writing in elementary and high school leave much to be desired. *chuckling* Do you write full time? If so, what do you like most about it? If not, is that one of your future goals?
C.H.: I do not write full-time for a pay check as of yet, but I devote a significant amount time to writing. I do want to pursue my writing as a career, which means I need to give it everything I have to build the foundation for that.
Me: That's so true. Writing takes an enormous amount of thought and effort. Considering that, do you self-publish or submit your work to a publishing company?
C.H.: I am currently self-published, with a couple shorties out in published anthologies. I would adore being traditionally published in the future.
Me: What's one piece of advice you'd give to writers who are just starting out?
C.H.: Don’t stop. And that’s a hard one sometimes. Writing can be hard. Editing is necessary and painful. I don’t care who you are: edit, and have an editor. Publishing is complicated. Selling…that’s a whole ‘nother ball of wax that I’m still working on. But don’t stop. If you want to put it out there for others to enjoy and find a reader base, you have to build on it, one book at a time. One brick does not a foundation make.
Me: That's so true. I'm sure my readers are gonna be glad to hear they are not alone in the struggle, whether they create through the written word or some other medium. Let's talk about book one in "The Mother Series," Nightvision - Twilight Shadows for a few minutes. I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened up Twilight Shadows. I've read a lot of books about shifters but nothing like this. To be honest, it blew me away! How long did it take you to finish this book?
C.H.: Well, the first draft took me about a few years to finish, and then it took me a couple more to revise and learn the process of getting it edited, and published, so altogether about ten years. I’ve since stepped up the pace, obviously, since Midnight Sands is out under two years later.
Me: Well, your effort certainly paid off, as did the time you spent on it. What was the toughest part to write?
C.H.: Oh, definitely the scene in the mountains where Dante has Raphael step in to protect Korren. That one was very rough to write. I gave myself a tension headache over it.
Me: Ouch! I know what you mean. When you know you're hurting for your characters, then you're almost assured you're on the right track with making them relatable to readers. My favorite characters are actually Dante, Nakai, and the twins. It's not often I feel I can relate to an MC, but I could do that with yours. Do you have a piece of advice for anyone trying to craft relatable characters?
C.H.: Make them real. They have doubts, fears, pain, they’re silly and obnoxious, serious or light-hearted. They’re people and they often conflict with themselves and the people around them. And they don’t immediately recover from traumas and injuries.
Me: Those are good things to remember. I know that's one area I struggle with in writing. I often forget what I've put my poor characters through and lose that sense of reality necessary to create a believable character.
(Stay tuned for part 2 of the interview on next Wednesday!)
Thanks for spending time with us today. Don't forget to come back next Wednesday!
