My Q and A:
- How do you relax once a book is finished?
There is no relaxing, once it’s finished I immediately start the opening chapters of the next to keep the energy flow (my books are mainly part of standalone series). Then the hard work starts, a writer wears three hats; writing, editing, and marketing. Luckily I love all three.
- How do you celebrate publication days?
I open a bottle of wine and toast the baby leaving the nest with a friend/family, followed by a dog walk on the beach, thinking about the next. Possibly because I’m in love with my characters and want to still hang out with them. Pathetic really, but there it is.
- If you could co write a book with someone past or present, who would it be?
Agatha Christie, she had a wonderful cheeky, twisty, clever brain. I think it would take forever to write, we’d spend too much time chatting!
- Do you have any hidden talents? if not, what would you like one to be?
Part of my writing process is shabby-chic painting recycled goods. It’s my procrastination time, I zone out and storyline ideas surface from my subconscious. And, I like to think that when interviewing a ‘no comment’ prisoner and they start talking, much to the disdain of their legal advisor, that’s a talent (am a CID crime investigator).
- What does happiness mean to you?
Happiness is being sat at a desk, with nibbles and coffee, writing exciting storylines to the snores of my cats and dogs, knowing that its grandma day tomorrow – where I get time to hang out with my daughter and grandchildren. Bliss! That’s a good day.
Thank you for your questions, just in case you need some more, I had previously prepared a few Q&A’s for FOR MY SINS, listed below. Ignore if not needed.
Thank you again.
Kindest
Siobhan x
S C Cunningham
Q&A’s – FOR MY SINS by S C Cunningham
Q: What inspired you to write this book?
A: A few criminals have crossed my path, my questioning ‘why?’ brought me to my writings.
Q: Can you tell me about the book?
A: A seasoned criminal escapes prison to fulfil the final kill on his revenge list. With a target on his back and time running out he joins forces with rogue MI6 operatives to close down a sex-trafficking ring and protect the love of his life. But someone has other ideas…
Q: What did you learn when writing the book?
A: How attached I can become to a character. David was way too good to put down, so have crossed him over to another series, The Fallen Angel Series.
Q: What surprised you the most?
A; That my beta readers felt the same way. Everyone wants a piece of David.
Q: What does the title mean?
A: It’s a throwback to David’s time at boarding school, he was abused by his headmaster and school priest, from the age of seven to seventeen. The silence of the betrayal was instilled through fear and shame. Young David gave up on his faith and turned to evil to survive, killing those on his penance list. Decades later, for his sins, he now understands his purpose, and has found his calling.
Q: What was your inspiration for this book?
A: My time at a catholic boarding school, my crossing paths with a few criminals, my ten years in police investigations, my belief in karma, my love of romance and doing the right thing.
Q: What’s your favourite character in the book?
A: I have a few, I like the balls of Moira, and the steamy confidence of David. They both know their worth and are sexy as hell.
Q: Did you have any challenges writing this book? And if so, how did you overcome them?
A: My only challenge was time, I worked part-time in crime.
Q: What’s the best part about being an author?
A: The air-punching joy when a scene, twist, shock, is nailed, causing a mouth-drop moment for the reader.
Q: What made you want to tell this particular story?
A: My storylines have always chosen me, I have no say, I wake up and they are there, pushing at me to be written. I cannot take the credit.
Q: What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
A: Dealing with some of the harsher crimes, working the words through suggestion rather than in your face detail. Keeping it a comfortable read for the faint of heart.
Q: What did you learn while writing this book?
A: Through research and my crime work, that there is still a lot to be done to reduce the silence around abuse. And that social media is an increasingly powerful tool to help make that happen.
Q: How long did it take you to write this book?
A: This standalone trilogy has taken ten years, I worked on 18 others in between.
Q: What are your favourite scenes in the book?
A: I started to answer this question and deleted it, to answer would give away the storyline, so I’ll shut up on this one, if you don’t mind. 😊
Q: Was there anything you had to research for the book?
A: Yes, lots, there always is with writing. I hope I never have my laptop seized for evidence in a crime, forensics would find an abundance of strange stuff being researched, ie; blood splatter, gun usage, hanging, length of time to bleed out, S&M behaviour, how deep can a scalpel cut? etc.
Q: What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
A: To smile, laugh, be inspired, empowered, and punch the air with a karmic ‘YES!’.
Q: Did you have any say in the cover design?
A: Yes, it’s one of my favourite bits of publishing, along with the audiobook and film versions, bringing the characters to life.
Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors out there?
A: Just do it, write a little and often, no matter how small, make it a habit. Get the story down on paper, forget punctuation/spelling on that first draft, no one will see it but you, just get it out, sort out the rest on the second draft. You’ll learn to wear three hats; writing, editing, marketing.
Q: What can we expect from you in the future?
A: I’m halfway through the eight books of The Fallen Angel Series, with David now in the mix, things are hotting up, I love the power he brings.
Q: Do you have any movie or tv adaptations in the works?
A: Yes, fingers crossed. Although I’ve had five producers over the years trying to get my books into film, finance seems to be a hard stumbling block. I’m humbled that they see the potential when the time is right they will succeed.
Q: What other hobbies do you have outside of writing?
A: I love chalk paint, I shabby chic preloved items as part of my procrastination process.
Q: Are any of the characters in your book based on people in your real life?
A: Oh yes. Each character is a mixture of few that have crossed my path. But that’s my secret to take to the grave. 😊
Q: Do you have any personal connection to the story or characters?
A: Yes, each series is based on something that I have experienced and asked ‘why?’. Some may say that it is part of healing, I say it is part of empowering, warning and protecting others. It also allows me to write with authority.
Q: How does it feel knowing that people all over the world are reading your words and connecting with your story?
A: Humbling. My job is to entertain, I hope I do that… with knobs on! 😊
Q: Do people come up to you and tell you that they loved (or hated) your book?
A: Yes, so far so good, people tend to love David, even though he is a bad, bad, boy.
Q: Can readers expect any more books in this series?
A: Yes, they can expect more of the same in The Fallen Angel Series, the next is called Already Dead.
Q: Is this a stand-alone book?
A: Yes, all my books are.
Q: What would fans be most surprised to learn about you?
A: I guess that I’ve worked in crime.
Q: Are you currently working on anything outside of your normal genre that fans might be interested in hearing more about?
A: As respite from the grime of crime, I also write educational children’s books, and a how-to series.
Q: What do you consider to be your writing lucky charm?
A: I always have good smells around when I write, sometimes classical music, and a few cats and dogs sleeping around my desk.
Q: Is there really a such thing as writer’s block?
A: I don’t look at it as writer’s block, I see it as part of the process. There are times when my subconscious has not yet completely formulated the idea in my mind, so I step aside and do something else whilst waiting. For me, my procrastination is shabby-chicing. My mind empties as I paint, allowing the shift to happen, and boom! I’m back at my desk.
Q: How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?
A: At about 10yrs, our homework was to write about our weekend. I talked about going to the seaside. My teacher cried with laughter at the words; ‘we stepped out of the car and saw oceans of uncontrollable flesh stretched out on the beach.’ I stared at her not understanding her reaction. ‘You’re a writer,’ she said.
Q: Do you read your books out loud? If so, what are the advantages?
A: Always, it helps when editing, making sentences more succinct. And is a must if you plan to create the audiobook version.
Q: Do you think someone could be a good writer without suffering first?
A: Life experiences have definitely helped me, but as long as your write what you know, or what your passion is, you will write with authority and nail it.
Q: Do you have a hidden message in your writings for a particular person or group?
A: Only in that I want to empower those that read it. For them to come away with a better understanding, another point of view, a wry smile, a shake of head, and laughter.
For My Sins
An addictive mix of ‘Lock Stock’, ‘RocknRolla’, ‘Killing Eve’, and ‘Line of Duty’.
Knowing his days are numbered, a seasoned criminal finds his life calling, to expose and cull the sordid underbelly of the world’s elite. Delicious, charming, cunning, avenging, David Howard escapes prison and agrees to an MI6 deal, to close down a high-profile trafficking ring in exchange for his freedom – setting a thief to catch a thief.
With a target on his back, he’s helped by a rogue police unit, working behind the scenes to right cases that fall through the courts’ fingers. In an unlikely coupling, they share a goal… and will risk everything to attain it.
A page-turning, cheeky, thought-provoking, at times laugh-out-loud, contemporary psycho-thriller, that comes with a warning.
CAUTION
Adult language, sex, violence, triggers.
Purchase Links
ABOUT S C CUNNINGHAM
Having worked in the worlds of sport, music, celebrity management, and law enforcement (CID Crime Investigator, Major Crime Team Intel Analyst, Wanted & Absconder Unit), Cunningham creates psychological thrillers with a skilled mix of fuelled tension, dark humor, and pulsating passion, offering a fresh level of sincerity and authority, rare in fiction.
THE DAVID TRILOGY
The Penance List
Unfinished Business
For My Sins
Social Media Links –
https://linktr.ee/AuthorSCCunningham
Trailer – https://youtu.be/Wh0OkT8DfzQ
Inspired by my PMDD 