⭐️🌟⭐️Spotlight Author Interview: CC Monroe⭐️🌟⭐️

by CC Monroe
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
I have gotten to meet several authors through going to signings. I had read CC Monroe when I reviewed Steal You, one of her co-writes with KD Robichaux so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I met her. CC was an absolute love and I was super excited to meet her. She was so friendly and sunshiney. She was on my wish list of authors that I wanted to interview. So I was super stoked when she got pulled. CC did not even know she was on the list lol, but she agreed!! I told y’all I stalk my authors.

I have so much fun coming up with questions for my interview. I put a lot of thought and research so that each interview is specific for the author. I hope you enjoy getting to get to know CC Monroe.

K: How does it feel to have celebrated four years in the book industry? How have things changed from 2016 til now in your opinion?

CC: Surreal. If i’m being honest, when I was writing Always the One, my debut novel, it was supposed to be fan fiction! Yes, you heard that right. I had just left a signing as a reader and everything that happened there–the people I met, the authors, readers and bloggers–they all ignited my passion to start writing again. I have always written but never had any plans to publish. This fan fiction was for Chris Pine and my best friend, Lashelle! HAHA! Dude, I’m laughing so hard right now, I’ve never told anyone this. But half way through the second chapter in a six hour layover at the airport, Lashelle read what I wrote and said–i’ll never forget these exact words– “Publish this. Sierra. This is a novel that needs to be out in the world.” So to be here after that is just insane to me. To see a story meant for me and my best friend –start my writing career–that shit is mind blowing.

I’ve changed. I’ve evolved into loving my words more and trusting my talent. 2016 CC was insecrue as fuck. 2020 CC, bitch ass pandemic or not, is thriving and damn proud that she never stopped trying. My stories have drastically changed, my relationship with other authors, bloggers readers and reviewers has transpired to life long friendships. Really, this book industry has shown me bad at times, like all industries do, but not as much bad as it has shown me good. I’m proud to be in this industry. I’m proud to be the CC who didn’t give up.

K: You and KD Robichaux have the cutest friendship. Which makes me curious as to how did co-writing with KD Robichaux come about?

CC: KD (Kayla) is a possessive sociopath who would rage if anyone came near her man. I remember her going through infertility, as was I, and she was taking insane drugs that make us women actually mental. Anywho, she called me after J did his sperm analysis and she was crying saying “what if those nurses think he’s hot and steal his sperm to knock themselves up and they try to take him away?” Then in two point five seconds she turned it into, “I want to write a dark novel, but don’t want to do it alone.” I responded with a hell yeah! Then we both plotted it together and just wrote. No one was assigned a character, we just wrote and then passed it off when we were done and picked up where the other left off. I find it comical actually how a lot of readers think that some scenes I wrote were written by Kayla and vice versa, we’re just so damn insync that it came natural to us. We were one mind–swear it! Creepy, right?? Also, people often don’t even know that I wrote 50% of the book. Even with my name on the cover, I still get PMs, DMs, Messages and more saying–holy shit! I didn’t know you helped write this! I sure did 😀 Shes my best friend. My tits to my pits, my sisterwife.

K:  What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

CC: Aurora Rose Reynolds paved the way for me. I used to always write very possessive alphas in my stories. Growing up I thought that wasn’t okay because people associated that word with abuse. Coming from abusive relationships I knew the difference, but I digress. Others wouldnt see it that way, I thought. Until I read her. Until–ha! Get it! But really, it was her who made me feel secure and proud to not only write possessively hot alphas, but to love them too. I’m inspired from all different authors, but she by far has paved the way for me to not be afraid.

K: You are in a way coming back from a hiatus, do you find it harder this time around versus when you first started writing? If so, how?

CC: Yes. This time is harder. The industry grows exponentially every year, hell every day even– which is amazing! This is the best job ever. But when you leave and take a break, you lose those connections with your readers, because you became inconsistent. I also came back with a whole different CC. The old CC didnt market herself, she didn’t spend time putting in effort to sell her work. I left it as a hobby, but now i’m trying to give my readers the best that I can. I want them to get the real and raw CC Monroe. The stories, the content, the relationship. all of it needs to be real. I can’t be something I’m not. So rebranding happened and I had to start from the bottom. Very fucking bottom, but thats okay, because I know this CC is the better version of herself. I’m also very hard on myself and knowing all of this has made me have a lot more journeys down the self doubt road, but I can’t do that. I can’t put that negativity or self doubt into the world. I’m all about being proud of yourself and seeing the glass half full versus half empty–that sounds cliche, but it’s one hundred percent accurate.

K: Are there any secrets from Loving Kate Beckett (that aren’t in the synopsis) that you’re willing to spill?

CC: Tissues, maybe a bottle of tequila to get through the novel. I can’t share too much because this is a complex book. The plot, the relationships–all of it, is the hardest book I’ve ever written. It has taken me nearly three years to write it because it has challenged me emotionally and creatively. Which is great, but also terrifying. This book changed the game for me. That’s the tea! Lol!

K: In your reader group, CC Monroe’s Queens, you are very open about your life and struggles do you find this therapeutic for you and your fans? 

 

CC: Im an open book, no puns intended. Listen, my readers are family and they don’t just inspire me to create books that they love, but they save me. Ive struggled with infertility, miscarriage, PCOS, and mental health. And not once have I ever gone to my Queens and felt ashamed of me and what I have to say. They often say thank you to me for writing, or inspiring them, or giving them stories that helped them, but I feel me saying thank you to them should have been their birthright, because they deserve it that much. I’ve never felt more secure in who I am with a group of people, like I do in my Queens. I call them My Queens because that’s what they do, they lead, they inspire, they help you be the best you. Fixing crowns is my fucking jam and these Queens are the best. I wouldn’t be me, without them.

K:  You live a very busy life. How did you find time to add book model to your resume? For those that don’t know CC makes an appearance on the soon to be released book, Doc by KD Robichaux. 

 

CC: This is actually a funny story. That picture is a selfie. Yes! A selfie! Kayla saw it and it was after I just played with my new makeup palette. Make up, hair and fashion are my second passion BTW–back to it, CC. Lol. Kayla saw it and immediately called me and said you are my Astrid and remove the picture. She surprised me then and put me on the cover as a birthday present! Damn that bitch, I love her. Ive loved Doc since I read him. I claimed him, licked him, and slapped him on the ass and called him sessy! So when she saw that picture she was like “now you really are his.” Astrid being a makeup artist just made sense due to the style of make up I did in the selfie. That picture was taken about three years ago. I will say though, the amount of readers +and people who said such nice things about it. Thank you. That shit is dope. I appreciate the love and the positivity!

K: Out of all of your characters who do you feel you connect to more and why?

CC: Lana and Kingston from Forever the One and Forever Us…hands down. It’s my story. I was in a toxic  relationship and I carried that pain for many years, when I was writing Always the One, I knew early on that writing Lana into the story, that she would be broken from her ex. When it came time to write their book, it came easy because it was me telling my story. Lanas experiences were different, because I wasn’t ready to share ALL the things my ex did. But her story was so easy to write. There is a catch 22 however to that because I knew people would think Lana was weak or a tease or so on. I worried people who had not been in toxic relationships, wouldnt understand and they would hate her. Well, if they hated her then that means they low key hated me, because I felt the things she did, put my husband through things like she does to Kingston. So as reviews came in I knew that they may hit different–they would hit personally. But surprisingly, my readers loved Lana and Kingston, more than I would have ever imagined and they were so incredible to me. Thank you, Jesus! Because I was really worried! Those two will always have my heart. When I wrote them, the reason I did is because it was therapeutic. It was like I was taking my pain and my burdens and handing them to someone else. Even though it hurt to give a character I love so much pain and heartache, it felt freeing. I felt like I wasn’t alone anymore. Crazy, I know but that’s why writers write.

K: What do you want your legacy in the indie community to be?

CC: To leave behind love, light and great stories that help people. I write love that has no limits. Heart break, trials, flaws, cheesy and even the unpredictable. I want readers to remember me for being thankful for them. If I left the industry today, I would hope that I would be remembered for being light and not being a dick lol.

K: What is something you’d like the world to know about you? 
 

CC: What you see is what you get. My heart is on my sleeve, I stand behind the things I’m passionate about with great conviction. I’m stubborn when it comes to political and social issues. Equality for all. Don’t you dare think you can change my mind on that. I have a beautiful son and a husband that I would be nothing without. I’m an open book, pun heavily intended this time 😉

Bio:
Author CC Monroe is from the hottest city in the world, Phoenix, Arizona. She spends her days working and her nights with her face in her laptop telling the stories of the voices in her mind. She left Arizona a few years back and now lives in the beautiful snow state of Utah, where she married her true love!
This author loves to write insta love that will leave you blushing during the steamy scenes and crying when romance gets a little angsty!
When she isn’t writing or working, she is making people laugh with her mad sense of humor and tip of the tongue one liners.

One Comment

  • KD Robichaux

    Yaaaaaaas, beech!! That’s my girl!
    Just one thing, since it was a million years ago. I wrote Astrid as a makeup artist in Seven, and then I saw that pic of you and said “OMG, CC is my Astrid!” LOL!
    Y’ALL NEED TO READ HER BOOKS! This girl is brilliant and writes gut-wrenching, panty-exploding romance.
    So proud of you, babe!

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