At Gothic Bite Magazine we love welcoming new patients to become part of our asylum. We question them and learn about them. It doesn’t matter what creative field they are part of because they’re our patient now. This week, we welcome Indie Author M. Sinclair!

Patient Name: M. Sinclair

Born and raised in Chicago, I live in Missouri near Whiteman AFB but definitely miss my city traffic and busy coffee shops. I am a parent to 3 cats who support my writing career nearly as much as my cute British husband. 

Recently, I became a full-time author to devote more time to expanding my multiple series, and I couldn’t be happier. I tend to focus the majority of my writing on gothic horror and romance, currently focused on the reverse harem subgenre in particular. 

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I’ve always enjoyed writing, and somewhere between eighth grade and freshman year, I considered pursuing it, but getting to this point took a lot of twists and turns. I only started publishing and actively writing for the public this past January. 

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Before that, I had been focused on my Masters in Communication. I have studied everything under the sun from political communication, gender studies, and even briefly focusing on organic chemistry at the start of my bachelor’s degree. 

Yet somehow, I still ended up exactly where I had started in eighth grade, wanting to be a writer. 

Overall, this new year I plan on focusing on my pathway to creating multiple storylines within the shared paranormal gothic universe I’ve crafted. 

THE QUESTIONING!

ALEXA WAYNE (A.W.): When did you find out you would want to write novels?

M. SINCLAIR: As I mentioned in my introduction, I’ve always enjoyed writing, but sometime last year, I started to really focus on developing the storylines that I’ve ever played around with. 

At the start of 2019, I published my first book, and the ideas started flowing. Nearly a year later, I can have the good fortune to pursue my passion as a full-time employment option. 

A.W.: Which genre would you think you write, and what category is best to describe your writing?

M. SINCLAIR: I would generally categorize my novels as paranormal and fantasy reverse harem romance. However, specifically, many of them are considered gothic fiction, romance, and horror. 

A.W.: You mentioned to me your work, all set in paranormal or Gothic settings, would you let our readers know why you are more attracted to that genre?

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M. SINCLAIR: The appeal to gothic fiction has always been two-fold. First, I’ve always found darker themes and undertones attractive. Secondly, though, gothic literature has been defined as focusing on the internal monsters that lurk within us rather than the things that go bump in the night. 

Most of my characters, while often dealing with horrifying situations, have the most massive battle within themselves. They are usually struggling with whether to accept the monstrous side of themselves or to hide that element. 

A.W.: When writing about paranormal, do you research, and how far do you go with your research?

M. SINCLAIR: I think it differs depending on the situation. For several of my series, I created the world from the ground up, so the research was more on the creative element of developing those aspects. 

However, my Descendants series, for example, brings in Egyptian mythology, which required several hours of research and no doubt more since it is a nine book series. 

A.W.: What is most important to you when writing your novels?

M. SINCLAIR: The depth of the characters and the reality of communication. As I mentioned, most of my stories are fantasy and paranormal, but the one factor I like to keep realistic is interactions. 

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If characters don’t communicate or have ‘real’ dialogue and depth, it’s hard for me to connect to them, and I would imagine it is the same for readers. 

Additionally, I think it is easy to fall into troupes for romance, specifically in the reverse harem romance, when it comes to the male characters. 

I include multiple points of view to avoid that but also introduction conflicts that make my characters more real, despite the sometimes uncomfortable and painful situations it puts them in. 

A.W.: Which authors influenced your writing?

M. SINCLAIR: Since I was young, I’ve always been a huge fan of more modern authors such as Stephen King and Anne Rice. I think both have very different but unique writing techniques. 

Of course, some more modern authors have influenced me, but they are by far the most notable. On a classic element, I am an avid Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelly fan. 

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A.W.: Which of your novels is your favorite, and why is it your favorite?

M. SINCLAIR: Probably one of the hardest questions to answer as an author, but I would have to choose the Red Masques series. 

It is one of my original series, and the entire series has references and themes from Edgar Allen Poe’s literature. 

I have actually continued that habit with each of my series, basing and introducing themes from several of my favorite classic gothic authors. 

A.W.: Do you believe in the paranormal by what I mean in hauntings, that there are creatures out in the wild we still don’t know the existence of?

M. SINCLAIR: Oh, absolutely. I have always subscribed to the notion that we really have no idea and will probably never know the extent of our universe, so anything is possible. 

I like to think that an open mind and wild imagination are essential tools for authors. 

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A.W.: What made you decide to be self-published?

M. SINCLAIR: I think there is always a risk of becoming a self-published, independent author.

I made sure to not overthink the process too much and focused on publishing my first book because I know from academia that half the battle is starting. 

Once I had published my first two books, I was better able to plan for future books and was ready to begin refining details of my process going forward. 

A.W.: What sets you apart from other paranormal and Gothic authors?

M. SINCLAIR: I would like to think that there are a few things that set me apart from other authors. 

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I want to focus a lot on details and the human connection, as I mentioned, but more than that, I really try to develop emotional themes through the story plot. 

I don’t consider the story done until that occurs, whether it is three or even nine books in some cases! 

A.W.: What can readers look forward to from M. Sinclair in 2020?

M. SINCLAIR: I started this entire process of publishing with one goal in mind. To have fun. I have been in jobs that I’ve hated, and now that I have found something I genuinely enjoy, I plan to hold on to that. 

I publish at least once a month or more, and while that may seem stressful to some, I find it really fun. Whenever I feel stressed, or it starts to feel like a responsibility, I tend to step back and breathe a bit. 

My PA Sarah Klinger is fantastic at telling me to take personal time to maintain that balance.

I really hope to continue to grow my fan base with audience members and writers who love the characters and worlds I build. 

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As much as sales and profits are essential, I couldn’t imagine not caring about my characters or the worlds I’ve placed them in. So while I do hope to continue to grow, my real goal is to continue to enjoy what I am doing.