Interview with Alexis R. Craig

Author of This Rose Has Thorns

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

Originally from Indiana, now I reside in North Carolina since 1999.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I was born and raised in Indiana, near the Michigan line. My parents were originally from West Virginia. They decide to move back to West Virginia when I was around 12 years old. After college, marriage, kids, and a divorce… I moved to North Carolina and made it my home.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I’ve always loved to write. My first love was poetry but after becoming a writer, editor, and poetry mentor for an online writing group, one of my friends from the group asked if I wanted to be a part of an anthology to help with a charity. I said yes, was accepted into the anthology and the rest is history.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

I write romance; some are more erotic than others. They all have a story line and a strong female lead. I don’t believe there is any subject off limits. Life has no restrictions, why should my stories.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

I think everyone can connect with my stories. I have had both men and women tell me how much they loved that they could with my characters.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

How much editing there was to do! I’m not the type to write everything and then go back and edit (the editor in me can’t do that). The publishing process is easier than the writing process to me.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Just go for it! Don’t second guess myself, don’t think what if they don’t like it… just do it!

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I would love to reach as many as possible. One of my goals is to reach a best sellers list!

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Just getting my name out there, getting my books out there, getting reviews. I would say the marketing side of it all.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

A. Writing – I believe I come up with great story lines and characters.
B. Publishing – I have an editorial background, I format, and I sometimes design my own covers.
C. Marketing – That’s the side I still need a lot of work on.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Procrastination. That’s my biggest weakness in the writing and marketing process.
In the publishing process, I guess it would have to be writing the description, blurb, etc.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I have so many in different phases of being written… One is my major project that I want to finish before the others, but I always have something going.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I am self published, as well as being published through a publisher.