CASSIE SANCHEZ Interview Published on: 23, Nov 2021
Where did you grow up? As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the base of the Sandia Mountains where I spent a lot of time outside, hopping from one boulder to the next and dodging cactus. Growing up, I wanted to be a dolphin trainer, which can be a little tricky living in the desert.
What is the strangest goal you ever had as a child?I’ve never been a big goal setter, but I did want a pet tiger that I could take to school with me, just in case someone wasn’t nice.
What are your favorite science fiction novels, and what is it that makes them so good?I’m more of a fantasy reader than sci-fi, but I love the Star Wars books, especially the ones by Timothy Zahn. It’s too bad the movies didn’t follow the book’s storyline.
If you had one superpower, what would it be and what would you do?This is cheating, but remember Rogue from XMen, who could absorb other people’s powers? That’s what I’d want. But if that’s not an option then telekinesis would be cool as I wouldn’t have to get off the couch when I needed something. I’d like to say I’d use my power for good, but I’d probably cause chaos and mayhem.
What inspired the plot of your novel, Chasing the Darkness?My boys were playing a video game and a certain character intrigued me. The next thing I knew, I was writing a scene about an assassin in a dungeon which became part of chapter four in my book.
Which part was the most difficult to write in the novel, "Chasing the Darkness”?As this is my first, I was still learning the craft of writing (and still am), but as I was trying to get the story down, I was learning about character arcs and how to write in active voice and that adverbs are of the devil. Commas and me don’t get along either.
How did you first come up with the character of Azrael, the Angel of Death?Originally, his name was Grim (as in the Grim Reaper), but that name just wasn’t flowing, so I searched for names that had to do with death, since he was an assassin, and found Azrael. I like anti-heroes and the “bad” boy who deep down is actually the good guy. There is so much you can do with a character like that - his flaws and weaknesses, what makes him want to change. It’s just fun to write.
If you could live out the life and story line of one character in the Harry Potter series, who would you pick and why?That’s a tough one as so many of the characters I liked died in the end. I think I’d like to be Ginny Weasley, but the one from the books. Her character is very strong, witty, and resourceful, plus she get’s the Chosen One in the end ;)
Do you still dream of having a pet tiger?LOL - not anymore. I have too much to take care of with my nine-month-old puppy. Plus, tigers really don’t make good pets, especially when they’re full grown and could eat you.
What quantity of thrill, comedy, suspense, romance, and other material should a good novel contain?I think a lot of that depends on the genre, but personally most of the books I read have to have some kind of romance and I always love a good laugh.
Which unrealistic science fiction tropes annoy you the most? Why?This isn’t really a Sci-fi trope, but I don’t like when characters fall in love too quickly, especially with the enemy-to-lover trope. I also don’t like YA books where the characters act way older than a teenager would.
What is the best advice you can give to an amateur writer to help them get from A to Z?Get the story on paper (or screen) and don’t worry about it being perfect. It won’t be. Find which writing style works best for you and learn as much as you can from the experts. Know there will be good days where the ideas flow freely and your fingers fly over the keyboard, and other days where you want to throw your laptop out the window (if you have anger management issues like me ;) )
What's the best way to write a fantasy novel? Is there one?Just kidding. For me, I started with the characters and their story and then built the world around them. I know some fantasy writers build their world first. I think you should just do what works best for you.
What are you currently working on? May we know when we can expect a new book?I’m currently working on the sequel to Chasing the Darkness and hope to have it finished by early to mid 2022.
When did you first come across the AllAuthor website and what were your expectations coming in? What are your thoughts now?As an unknown author, I wanted to get my name and book out there to as many people as possible, and AllAuthor has helped with that, so thank you.
