Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
They Stay is a YA thriller with supernatural elements and the first book in a new series. When 16-year-old Shiloh’s little brother goes missing, she sets out against all odds to find him. But when she is approached by the weird girl in school, Francesca, who claims that a ghost told her where Shiloh’s brother is and that he’s going to be murdered, Shiloh doesn’t know what to believe. They Stay is the story of Shiloh and Francesca, and how they have to work together to try and find Shiloh’s younger brother before it’s too late. They Stay’s release date is October 12, 2021, and the next book in the series will be released on April 12, 2021.
Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
I totally did. In my first draft of They Stay, Francesca was an incredibly minor character. She was a girl who could see ghosts and stayed on the sidelines of the main character’s adventure to find this missing boy, but when I sat down to try and figure out how to turn They Stay into a series, I saw potential in Francesca and her ability to see ghosts. So she became a lot more important and is now one of the two main characters of the book.
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?
While I considered pursuing traditional publishing for They Stay, I decided against it for two main reasons—artistic control and timing. When you self-publish, you operate as your own publishing house. You have to find editors, cover designers, and formatters for your book, as well as decide how to distribute and market your book on your own. Nobody does it for you or pays for it. Doing this is hard, but I wanted to have that top-level amount of artistic control over my work. Many authors who traditionally publish also have to do a lot of self-promotion, so I wanted to just do it all and be able to start building a readership on my own. Also, it was important to me that I could control when the book went up for sale, as well as things like pricing. I’m a relatively fast writer, so I wanted the ability to create a publishing schedule that fit my writing speed and my reader’s preferences. Why make them wait a year for the sequel when it will be ready in 6 months?
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?
I’m a hardcore outliner. Before I start writing, I spend around two weeks only focusing on my outline. I brainstorm, work through plot holes, and do all that character work in advance so, when I start writing, I already know all my plot twists in advance. By the end of the first draft, I usually deviate from that outline, but just having it there helps me get through the book as fast as possible.
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?
Yes! They Stay is published wide, so it is available on most online book retailers. Find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, and more. Buy They Stay on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/They-Stay-Suspenseful-Young-Mystery/dp/1737225301/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=claire+fraise%27&qid=1628649544&sr=8-1, on Barnes and Noble here (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/they-stay-claire-fraise/1139953490?ean=9781737225300_), and on most eBook retailers here (https://books2read.com/u/m0BwEW).
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?
I run a YouTube channel called Write with Claire Fraise where I am active in connecting with other writers. I watch a lot of writing videos on YouTube, but I used to always be frustrated that some of the big channels gave a lot of vague writing advice—telling me what to do, not necessarily how to do it. So I set out to start a channel dedicated to providing specific and actionable writing advice. If you’re interested in checking out the channel, visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaHnxn6RT1-8k-08ym8pO3A.
What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?
Work hard and don’t give up. Starting out as a self-publisher, it takes A LOT of work to connect with readers who like the sort of book you’re writing, so put in the work and try not to get discouraged when things don’t happen right away.
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?
I’m a really big animal person. In middle school, I ran a 501(c)(3) dog rescue and have stayed active in rescue ever since. I volunteer for the local dog shelter near where I live and am working towards getting my dog trainer certification so that I could work with foster dogs before they go to their forever homes. Oh, and I also love crocheting! I make amigurumi animals for my loved ones which I enjoy doing.
Some fun facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?
Dogs, vanilla, coffee, talk (always!), and day. I’ve become more of a morning person as I’ve gotten older.
What’s next for you?
I’m hard at work on the next book in the They Stay Series, getting it ready for publication in April 2022. If you enjoy book one, keep an eye out for the sequel coming your way soon!
Author bio:
Claire Fraise earned her B.A. in English from Tufts University. She is also the author of YA dystopian novel Imperfect (winner of the San Francisco and Beverly Hills Book Festivals), which she published when she was 16. When Claire’s not writing, she likes crocheting amigurumi animals, reading, and hanging out with her dogs. Even though it goes against every introverted bone in her body, she is on social media. Connect with her on Instagram at @clairefraiseauthor, on YouTube at Write with Claire Fraise, or visit her website at clairefraise.com.
- A copy of They Stay
Thanks for hosting today, Debra!
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