Interview with author C.W. Rose
Hi everyone! I was able to interview author C.W. Rose. As always I’ll provide some links and information below:
a little about her:
C.W. Rose is an Award-Winning Fantasy and Romance author who writes about ordinary Asian women in extraordinary situations, and find themselves, and sometimes—okay, usually—love along the way, and the cinnamon roll (not always human) men who adore them. She is also a certified scuba diver and lifeguard with a deep love for the world and animals around us, though she hasn’t spotted any mermaids yet. Outside of writing, you can find her buried in a great book, learning to sing in different languages, and finding any excuse to spend time outdoors. She’s also a third culture kid who grew up in Singapore, and currently lives in New York City with her family, working as a Physical Therapist.
Amazon link for Oceansong:
her website:
follow her on instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/cwroseauthor?igsh=MXFibjhneWl0YTBuNQ==
I hope you all enjoy this interview!
❤️Carrie
Can you tell us a bit about your journey as a writer? What inspired you to start writing?
Hi Carrie, thank you so much for inviting me for an author interview! While I can’t pinpoint an exact moment I knew I wanted to be a writer, I know I’ve always been an avid reader. I loved contemporary, fantasy, romance (when I was a teenager and older) novels. At some point, I began to wonder ‘what if this story ended differently?’ or ‘what if the characters were from a different ethnic background / other marginalized identity, how would they relate to the world differently?” And from there I started with Disney fanfiction, before graduating to novellas and short stories, and finally, my first novel at 16.
What themes or messages do you explore most often in your work, and why are they important to you?
I’m a big advocate and believer in animal rights, women’s rights, and environmentalism and sustainability. I believe women’s rights are human rights. In terms of animal rights, I strongly believe that they exist on this planet *with* us, not *for* us. Mahatma Gandhi said “the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”, and I never forgot that. I also am a strong advocate for environmentalism and sustainability, because we only have one planet, one home, and should be doing our best to protect and nurture it, not destroy it. Natural resources are not infinite.
Do you remember the moment or experience that sparked the idea for your first book?
I was inspired by my love for the sea and all her creatures. It was actually a novella a long time ago, where it was a story about a mermaid princess and her human lover while the mer and humans were at war. Except that was a romantic tragedy – the mermaid died at the end trying to save her human lover. I all but forgot about that until about 3 or 4 years ago, where I was on a cruise vacation with my family and staring out to the open sea, and wondering, if I put on my scuba diving outfit and jumped in, what would I find? What lurks beneath the surface? …what if there were mermaids, and they were real and just hiding among us all this time? From there, I thought back to that novella I wrote so long ago, and decided to completely revamp it into what it is now.
What does your writing process look like—are you a plotter, a pantser, or somewhere in between?
I’m a diehard plotter. I physically cannot begin writing until I know what I’m going to write. I can’t look at a blank page and just go, I will just stare blankly at the screen. I likely will become a bit of a pantser as I draft, when characters do something I don’t expect, or if my plot isn’t making sense at a certain point.
How do you handle writer’s block or creative slumps? Any tricks that work for you?
Getting away from the computer and doing anything else. It might be editing a different manuscript, reading, going for a walk or a drive, working out, yoga and meditation, playing with my dog, catching up or hanging out with my family and friends, errands, car karaoke, or even just taking a shower and going to bed, because the latter two seem to be when my mind wants to fix plot holes. Sometimes we just need to give our brains a break to recharge and give room for our natural creativity to flourish
What’s been the most surprising feedback you’ve received from a reader?
I’d have to say, when one of my patients bought a copy of my book. I didn’t think he would actually read it, since he’s out of my target audience, admittedly read very little romance and to my knowledge, didn’t read fantasy. I thought he just bought my book to support me. But when I saw him a couple of months later, he told me that not only he had finished my book, but he loved it, and told me that he related very much to Kaden’s (my MMC, and a merman) struggle to move around on land, since my merfolk can’t shift. The patient is a wheelchair user and has lower limb paralysis. That was both a surprising and touching moment.
How do you balance the creative side of writing with the business side of being an author?
I definitely have to prioritize. I may work on social media posts and newsletters during my lunch breaks at work or during breaks when I’m working out, and write / edit when I get home. Between full-time job, working out, and the commute, I might only have about 1-2 hours at the end of the day to do non-day job and family related stuff. I also keep my phone with me on all times, which I can jot down notes in during the day, which helps a lot when my brain is just too tired in the evenings to be creative.
Are there any authors or books that have deeply influenced your style or storytelling?
I’d have to say Francine Pascal in my earliest stages of writing, and probably R.L. Stine, since I was a huge fan of the Goosebumps and Sweet Valley series when I was younger. I enjoyed reading their contemporary style of writing. I also enjoyed Grace Draven’s Wraith Kings series a lot and learned a lot about writing worlds and relationships from her detailed worldbuilding and relationship portrayals, and I always say that series is what got me into the fantasy romance genre. Even later than that, Megan Bannen’s The Undertaking of Hart and Mercycombined a contemporary tone with a fantasy world, and I’d like to think that also played a part in my writing style today.
What’s next for you—any upcoming projects or releases you’re excited to share?
At the time of this interview, book 2, MIDNIGHTSONG, is slated to be released at the end of 2025! It will conclude Angie and Kaden’s story, and is available to add on StoryGraph and Goodreads now. I’m also working on two separate projects on the side: a second-chance contemporary romance set in my childhood home of Singapore, and another romantasy centered around Chinese mythology. I’m really excited for all of them!
Thank you for all reading!
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