AMoRaR Interview: Nikki McCormack

A Month of Rain and Reads Interviews3 months ago10 min read

Welcome to A Month of Rain and Reads, a celebration of self-published and indie SFF throughout the entire month of November. To find out how you can take part and view the whole list of content, visit our introduction post.

Today we have an interview with Nikki McCormack, author of The Girl and the Clockwork Cat and The Path of Blood and Amber.

Our theme for November is A Month of Rain & Reads. Do you subscribe to the idea of curling up with a good book while the rain pours down outside? What book would you read? Would you bring tea and a blanket? What would make the moment perfect?

Autumn is my favorite time of year for just this reason. When it’s rainy and cold out, it’s the perfect time to curl up with a blanket, tea, and a good book (whether you’re writing it or reading it). I’m also a big fan of Halloween because we all get to dress up like some other character and be silly.

My reading selection tends to be a bit unconventional, mostly because I’ve been doing a lot of beta reading. Right now I am reading The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence before I dive into another beta read. After that, I have a bit of a backlog, but I might try Beyond the Humming Downs by Ellen Starsmore.

What else do you want our readers to know about you?

I am a devoted cat mom and truly exceptional spider wrangler (if I do say so myself). I’ve made my living writing most of my life and learned so much about working with editors and refining my craft in my career as a content and game writer. I feel very fortunate to have that experience.

Why did you decide to self-publish, and what has been your biggest success so far?

My debut, The Girl and the Clockwork Cat, was originally traditionally published. I didn’t love the experience for several reasons (some of which can be attributed to my own inexperience). A miscommunication between myself, my agent, and my publisher led me to believe they didn’t want book two (which was not exactly the case). Since I didn’t feel like the publisher was a great match for the series anyway, I bought back the rights to the book and self-published it. I’ve been self-publishing ever since.

The Girl and the Clockwork Cat still sells consistently (it’s the cat), but my best seller since then is The Path of Blood and Amber, Silverblood Raven 1. The cover art on that one seems to draw attention. I actually ended up turning down a contract with an indie publisher on that one because they wouldn’t let me use my cover artist, and I loved the direction he was going with the art. It has also gotten good ratings overall.

The Warden’s Son series I released last year is chasing the Silverblood Raven series. The first book, Child of Vanris, is doing well in a couple of contests right now and getting great reviews, so I’m hoping it can become my biggest success. I love the main character and that world so much!

What is your favourite thing about being an indie author?

Honestly, having creative control and not having to wait on publisher timelines is nice, but I think my favorite part is working directly with other creatives. I love the cover artists, editors, map-makers, narrators, and formatters I have worked with. It’s amazing to get to know them and to have that collaborative experience in bringing the book out into the world. Unfortunately, the cost of all that is not my favorite, and finding the time to manage it all is challenging on top of working full-time.

When I looked up your bio on Goodreads, the first book title that stood out to me was The Girl and the Clockwork Cat, and I immediately pinned you as a steampunk writer. Looking through the rest of your books, that doesn’t necessarily seem to be the case. What are your favourite genres, settings, and tropes?

The steampunk was actually an outlier for me (though it did earn me an agent and publisher). My heart lies in epic fantasy. I love psychology and I love worldbuilding. Creating new worlds and exploring how my characters might face the unique challenges presented by those worlds is so much fun. I am a huge fan of found family, friendship, and the idea of real people rising to the challenge. My settings vary, though I do base a fair bit of technology and society in my books on elements from real human history (including medieval, Roman, etc.).

What themes are important to you, and how are they reflected in your writing?

I think human connection is a big one for me, as well as our relationships with the creatures and world around us. Trust, belonging, and acceptance are common themes, which naturally leads to betrayal, discrimination, and exclusion often being counterpoints in my work. I enjoy weaving in politics, different aspects of romance where applicable, and the challenges of magic into my work too. I like contributing to diversity and visibility as well because those things are part of my real world, so some of my works include non-white and LGBTQ+ characters when they fit naturally into the narrative.

What are you working on next? Can you tease us?

My new project takes place in a secondary world with a slightly older protagonist (think late 30s). She’s an accomplished warrior who was on the losing side in the last war. The story is gritty and brutal at times–almost enough to qualify as grimdark–but the heart of it centers around an unlikely pairing of two characters on opposing sides trying to survive when their world is thrown into chaos. I’m really happy with how it’s coming so far. I’m about halfway through the first draft now.

And a few quick questions. What’s your favourite…

…book, in recent times?

Honestly, I think the book I got most excited about was Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff, but the sequel was a bit disappointing for me. I also was delighted to discover a cozy fantasy I loved in Liz Delton’s The Witch at the Edge of the Wood. That’s not my usual genre, but it was such a delightful escape from the chaos of the real world.

…game, in recent times?

I think I would have to go with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Just the opening section of that game moved me to tears. It inspired the kind of deep emotion I always hope to inspire with my writing and I was truly impressed.

…writing advice?

Honestly, I’d say that the first most important lesson to learn is that everyone is happy to tell you how to write. At the end of the day, it is a very personal experience and you need to find what works best for you or you risk becoming paralyzed by trying to do everything the way someone else says you should.

That isn’t to say you should ignore all conventions and advice, but when you are first trying to get a story down on paper, you are far less likely to become blocked if you focus on the method that lets you enjoy creating it. Every book will be a learning experience. If you love the journey, you will open the door to learning and improving at a much faster rate.

…advice for someone who wants to publish their own book?

Write it first. Make it the best you can possibly make it and get feedback from others (beta readers, critique groups). Learn as you go by writing, reading, researching, etc. Enjoy the journey. Getting obsessed with the end product can destroy the best parts of the experience. Remember it isn’t a race. Once you publish, the creation you put your heart and soul into becomes a product that can make or break your reputation with readers.

When you are ready, there are so many people who are willing to help you get your book out. Do some research on your own and ask questions on reliable forums (beware scammers).

…source of inspiration?

I started writing when I was 11. My inspiration comes from so many places. I’ve gotten ideas from dreams, songs, friendships, D&D characters I created… There are so many places to find inspiration.

…way to clear your mind when everything gets a bit much?

When I had horses, I used to go clean the horse stalls or do some other physical labor when I needed to step away and give my subconscious time to work things out. I got past so many blocks while slinging horse poo around. 10/10 recommended. Now I still try to do something physical, like walking or cleaning. I also find that my mind likes to solve book problems when I drive, so a long drive can help clear my head too.

Do you have any last words? Any shoutouts to authors who have supported you or whose books have inspired you?

I would love to recognize all the authors who have supported and inspired me, but this has been a long journey and there are so many people I’m not sure I could list them all. I’ll just offer a heartfelt thank you to the people here and everyone who helps to give authors and other creatives visibility and a place to be heard. You are so appreciated and I wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors.

Nikki McCormack

Outside of her career as an author, Nikki is a professional technical and creative writer, spider wrangler, animal lover, and devoted cat mom. Writing fantasy and science fiction stories has been a lifelong passion for her. She loves to draw upon her myriad life experiences, doing everything from wild cave exploration and competitive horseback endurance riding to practicing iaido and archery. She invites you to join her on some fantastic adventures.