Liddie Cain on toddlers, writing, and paranormal romance.

Alabama writer Liddie Cain interviews herself about the writing life, Tuscaloosa, paranormal romances, parenting while writing, and following her dreams into writing.

What part of Alabama do you call home—and why?

I am originally from Walker County but currently live in Tuscaloosa and we love it here. The Riverwalk is beautiful and we go there often when the weather is nice. My daughter loves the parks and there are so many to choose from. We also enjoy being so close to the University of Alabama campus, hearing Denny Chimes (especially when it plays Harry Potter), and listening to the Million Dollar Band practice. There are so many fun concerts the University does at Moody Music Hall. If you've never been to the Spectrum Concert, it is a MUST (when there isn't a pandemic). 

What gets you to the page—and what prevents it?

My three year old makes it her mission in life to make writing a book take as long as possible. There are times when she is actually hanging onto my back or sitting on my shoulders as I’m trying to get a scene wrapped up. She’s a super cute distraction.

 What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?

I wrote a poem when my grandfather passed away that my family really loved. It was read out loud as a part of his funeral service. He was a well-loved southern preacher and I got dozens of letters and many people coming up to me telling me how much it helped them deal with his loss and how proud he would have been to hear it.

The protagonist in your paranormal romance series is named Rozalyn. What made you want to write Rozalyn’s stories and are we going to see more of her in the future?

We are definitely going to see more of Roz! Her second book releases on July 14th and is titled The Thrice Marked. The third book is titled, The Glittering Halo and it will release on August 11th. So far, Roz’s series will end with this trilogy but I would be very open to revisiting these characters in a future series. After Glittering Halo releases, my next book will be a new and unrelated series that I am currently writing.

I really love the feel of southern vampire stories. This series ended up being more of a demon/angel story than I had originally planned, but that just means I can do a more vampire central series in the future. I wanted to write a story that was like the many many paranormal romances that I love. I also strongly appreciate the polyamorous lifestyle and chose to write a reverse harem romance, which could also just be called polyandry. It's something that is a little taboo in our culture, but love is love!

Why did you choose to self publish and what are the challenges you face with self publishing?

It came down to control. I have queried plenty and gotten manuscripts back from editors plenty of times that wanted me to take away this or that element, be more conservative, be less conservative, change the main character in this or that way, etc. I know they are basing it on their industry experience, and making those changes would be a valid marketing choice, but when the story I want to tell gets that much guidance it no longer feels like my story. It takes the fun out of writing it. So I am sacrificing some level of success to do it my way, but it's more enjoyable to do it!

Do you enjoy hearing back from your readers?

Absolutely! I get messages Facebook, Twitter and Instagram almost daily. It is so exciting to hear from someone who wants to talk to me about the characters I've created, and for them to be as real to them as they are to me. I haven't really gotten used to it yet. 

How do you relax?

We have a pool and we spend a lot of time in it! I love a lot of fantasy movies and tv shows, me and my hubby are both big Trekkies. Making a pizza and cuddling on the bed with our daughter while we watch a movie is my favorite way to spend any night. 

What is your current project?

I haven't chosen a title yet for my next book, but it is going to be another paranormal reverse harem romance in an old west setting with shifters. Gunslinger cowboy werewolf sounds like a lot of fun to me!

What are some of your favorite places to eat, when there isn't a quarantine, in Alabama? 

I love Bahama Bob's when we are in Gulf Shores, and Barefoot Island Bar and Grill, also in Gulf Shores. Closer to home, I always love going to Dreamland BBQ. Lai Lai is my favorite Chinese place in Tuscaloosa and Sitar has amaaaazing Indian cuisine!

What is something you want to do when the pandemic is over?

We really want to buy an RV and do a cross country road trip. I want to see Yellowstone! I think it would be a lot of fun and I would still be able to work from the RV. 

Liddie Cain grew up in Alabama right next door to her poet Grandmother. Writing has always been a large part of her life. She grew up to marry her high school sweet heart then spent a few years working in health care. Once her daughter was born in 2016, she resolved that it was time to focus on her dream of writing. When not writing, she enjoys watching Disney and Harry Potter movies, hiking, swimming and making arts and crafts with her daughter. Her paranormal romance series is now available in Kindle format on Amazon. Learn more about her writing online at www.liddiecain.com.