I MADE THE COVER OF A MAGAZINE
This interview was originally published on Books and Pieces Magazine, which gave me a spot as their featured author.
B&P: You’ve had 20 years in pop radio and decided that becoming an author was a great idea. What brought that about, and how did you make that happen?
FC: I’ve always been a storyteller. The gift of copywriting and sharing stories on the radio gave me longevity in an industry where many only last a few years. The decision to leave was more about reading the proverbial room. And just like our favorite books, all good things must come to an end.
B&P: Allow Me To Ruin Your Christmas is a great title and works for our December issue. How did that come about, and what’s the story about?
FC: During episode forty-three of season one of Freddy’s Huge ASK Podcast, I spoke with bestselling author Tui T. Sutherland. She asked me about my work, and I revealed to her that the working title (at the time) was Allow Me to Ruin Your Christmas. She loved it. So I promoted it from a working title to an official title.
B&P: What’s the best and worst part of writing?
FC: I love getting into a flow state. There’s no other feeling on earth. At least to me, there isn’t. That’s the best part. The worst part comes when I can’t access the flow state. That’s when the demon of self-doubt starts chipping away at my creativity with his pick axe.
B&P: How does being an author compare to being a radio personality, and do you find that the latter benefits from your built-in audience in terms of readership?
FC: The creativity required of both always happens in solitude, before an audience of one. Me. Just like writing, creating a radio show—or, in my current situation, a podcast—is done alone. Not everyone writes alone, and there are shows with multiple characters, but I work alone. The success I’ve had as an author has come from advertising and PR (thanks, Mickey!).
B&P: What makes success for either an author or radio personality and how important is content or substance versus presence and popularity?
FC: Being a creator means being consistent. This means quality and quantity. There’s a reason why names like King and Baldacci are always top of mind. It’s because they deliver both. And the same applies to any type of creative. Do you want to be a successful podcaster? Release three episodes per week instead of one. Do you want to grow your social media audience so they can buy your stuff or listen to your show? Post multiple times per day per platform. Creativity is a muscle. Use it or lose it. Do bodybuilders end up with twenty-four-inch biceps because they only lift once a week? Nope. So get to work!
B&P: Several books in, what are your future plans?
FC: A fifth anniversary edition of my debut novel When America Fell Silent. It’ll have a new cover and bonus material. I’m in the early stages of development and look forward to seeing what some of my favorite characters have been up to.
B&P: Any advice for new authors?
FC: Write. The. Book. If you really want to have a story to your name, you must stop procrastinating and get it done. You owe it to your future self to do it. And you owe it to future readers who will be impacted by your story. They’re waiting for you.