Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.
I go by CJ at events and in my book life. I’ve been published for about 8 years now. It sure has gone be quickly. I live in Southeastern Ohio but I travel to the Pigeon Forge area of TN frequently. That area has been the inspiration for many of my stories. Autumn is of course and beautiful season to travel there, but actually winter is my favorite. I love walking in the mountains with that crisp winter air. It makes for good thinking time. My life at the moment has become a caregiver for my parents. They have recently moved back home from Florida and I love having them here. I have two grown children, who are the world to me. We have so much fun together. My husband and I celebrated our 47th wedding anniversary 9/2022 and I don’t see how that has gotten here so quickly. Looking forward to all the books, I have scheduled for next and returning to WOTR is a priority for me.
When you are writing a book, which is harder? The first book in the series or the others after it?
Has to be the ones that come after!!! Got to remember all those names and places. My WIP write now is the 6th book in Pinkerton Man Series – The Secrets at Whitcomb Manor. This book as a boatload of new characters and I’ve had to do a lot of research for it as well.
When writing a series how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
My stories usually involve a mystery or murder to solve. I also like to change up the locations even in writing a series. This gives the reader familiarity with the characters, but also takes them to a fresh location.
Writing can be an emotionally draining and stressful pursuit. Any tips for aspiring writers?
I think getting away from the work in process. Having a cup of coffee with a friend. Also, I’d definitely suggest making friends with other authors along your writing journey. It helps so much when you can turn to someone who knows exactly what you are going through and understands. I am blessed to have such an author friend who lives close. We get together as often as we can, sometimes to write, sometimes to sound off ideas, sometimes to just another each others company and chat over coffee.
On a typical day, how much time do you spend writing?
I don’t have a typical day right at the moment. As I get my parents settled in their new home and location, I’ll get back to it. BPM (Before Parents Moved), I tried very hard to write at least 1200 to 1500 words every day. Indie authors spend a great deal of time marketing their books and themselves. I’d say that takes up just as much time as the writing, if not more.
Do you have a favorite character that you have written? If so, who? And what makes them so special.
Now that depends on if you’re talking about a character I like or one I detested. Let’s start there. Moses Lee is the villain of the Warfield Hotel Mysteries. He is mean, egotistical, totally bent on getting even if he feels wronged, and he is cold hearted. He was so much fun to write! The meaner I wrote him, the more I loved him.
Now, for the character I most like to write, that is Stiles Long from the Pinkerton Man Series, hands down. When I first started this series, he was only concerned with getting sex whenever he could and it didn’t matter with whom. He didn’t believe men like him could have a relationship. After all, it was late 1800’s and homosexuality was illegal. The sex in the early stories was heated and lusty, there was nothing personal about it. After he meets Michael O’Leary and time passes, he changes into a different man. Love really can change a person. Seeing him grow and become the character he is in book 5 of the series, was amazing. And just wait until you see him in book 6!!!
If any of your books were to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it? What book and who?
The Warfield Hotel Mysteries would make an amazing movie. I’m not sure who I’d want to play the characters, but I think Idris Elba would make an amazing Moses Lee (the villain).
What is your definition of success?
Wow that is a tough one. Sure being a USA Today or NY Times best selling author would be wonderful, but it isn’t everything. (By the way, I haven’t had that privilege yet.) When I get reviews that say they loved the story, they were swept away by it, or I took you away from real life for a little while, I feel like I succeeded in writing something good. When I meet readers at book events who loved my stories as much as I did, that means a great deal to me. I think the one thing that makes me feel like a success, is when I meet a young man who’s just becoming comfortable in his own self and stops to chat with me. I come away feeling like I did a wonderful thing by writing these story of love and romance.
Do you have anything you want to share that didn’t fit on one of these questions?
At one event in Indiana, a lady came by my table and shared that she was finally able to get her young adult son interested in reading because of my books. Also, there was the time that a young woman was in tears because she was meeting me. I assured her that I was excited to meet her as she was to meet me. Similar things have happened in the years, I’ve been attending book signing events and it always makes my day. I’m just a person who loves love in all it’s forms and I want to share that with the book reading world. Oh, and I love to write a mystery too.
What are your social links?
www.cjbaty.com – Web page
@cbaty – twitter
https://www.facebook.com/CJ-Baty-Author-344242482358480/ – Facebook
cjbaty27 – Instagram
What are your buy links? (Provide links to your Amazon/iBook’s/Koko/etc Author Home Page if you have quite a few. Also include audible links if applicable.)
https://www.amazon.com/C.-J.-Baty/e/B00K2ISIQI?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000 – Amazon Author Page
https://books2read.com/ap/nkNz6R/CJ-Baty – Universal Book Link for all other book sellers
Also coming in 2023, I’ll have a purchase link on my webpage where you can purchase paperback books directly from me. Signed. If you can’t make it to an event, these is how to get an autographed book from me.
Want tickets to Writers on the River #2023?
They are available starting November 4th at Writersontheriver.com
$45 VIP sell out quickly – 12-1 VIP hour, 1-4 General Admission time. You get a filled VIP bag and admission to the after party is included.
$25 Early Access – 12-1 VIP house, 1-4 General Admission time. You also get a filled VIP bag but NO admission to the after party.
$10 General Admission – 1-4 General Admission time. You can purchase a bag but it is not filled with VIP swag. There is no admission to the after party included.
$35 After party – 7-11 After Party with food and cash bar. Dj with a photobooth is also included in the fun.