Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work.
Today: CJ Ravenna loves to tell stories where the ordinary meets the extraordinary. Her books often feature an explosion or two, possessive and protective werewolves who adore their mates, steamy and swoony romance, and of course a happy ending.
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Thanks so much, CJ, for joining me!
J. Scott Coatsworth: What was your first published work? Tell me a little about it.
CJ Ravenna: My first published work was actually with an indie publisher. I attempted to publish a fanfic I wrote when I was 17. I guess they saw something good in it. I don’t know what because COVID hit, my editor quit, the book fell through the cracks for like two years, and then it didn’t get a developmental edit. Reviewers hated it, and I ended up leaving the company to go solo. One person left a five star review and reached out to tell me they would have bought a copy if I’d published it. They’re probably the reason I didn’t quit.
JSC: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
CJ: That you don’t have to publish your first ever attempt at a book. It’s okay to let yourself learn and grow before you publish something. And that you don’t have to pay 8k for an editor who didn’t even really help you fix the core issues in the book. That was a mistake.
JSC: Where do you like to write?
CJ: I love to go to my favorite café up the street, sip on an iced matcha, and write. I can write anywhere if the vibe is right. When I’m stuck, I’ll go to the café and it puts my brain int focus mode because I’ve trained myself to associate writing with that location.
JSC: What are your least favorite parts of publishing?
CJ: Marketing. That’s probably every author’s least favorite part. I love writing but the business side of things can really kill my creative spirit if I’m not careful. It’s very demoralizing to put yourself out there, spend tons of money on ads, and not get the results you want. I have to remind myself that it doesn’t mean I’m a lousy writer. It’s just a very competitive business, and the days of “write it and they will come” are in the past. You can write the best book in the world but if you don’t know how to market it, no one will read it.
JSC: Name the book you like most among all you’ve written, and tell us why.
CJ: A Paranormal Yakuza Duet, by far. I’d been trying to write a story like this for years, but I wasn’t skilled enough. So finally being able to give Raiden and Jinta the story they deserved was so, so rewarding. I’ve gotten emails from readers telling me how much they loved the duet, and knowing people love them as much as I do made all the hard work worthwhile.
JSC: How did you choose the topic for Secrets & Sake?
CJ: I’ve always loved Japanese culture and grew up watching lots of anime. I wanted to write about yakuza since I hardly see them represented in all the other mafia stories out there. I also wanted to combine my love for paranormal, as well, and include kitsune since Japanese supernatural creatures aren’t always represented in PNR books. Hopefully this was a nice mish-mash of the two. I’ve had people tell me it was very unique, so maybe I pulled it off?
JSC: What inspired you to write this particular story? What were the challenges in bringing it to life?
CJ: By far the biggest challenge was writing about Japan and Japanese culture. I’ve never been to Japan, but it’s on my bucket list. Fortunately, I had the help of a beta reader who lived in Japan. She was able to offer me book recommendations that were so incredibly helpful in bringing Tokyo to life. The books would have been trash if not for her and a sensitivity reader I hired!
JSC: What secondary character would you like to explore more? Tell me about them.
CJ: There was a character called Charlie who is a blood mage. I have a story in mind for him and another yakuza I introduced in the books. It’s on my to-write list, but it’s not a priority right now.
JSC: What are some day jobs that you have held? If any of them impacted your writing, share an example.
CJ: I got a job at a popular pizzeria in my neighborhood. I ended up writing a book I’ll never publish chock full of stories about the crazy experiences I had there. During slow hours, I’d write out ideas on napkins. It was a terrible place to work. It helped me pay off my enormous 8k editing bill I never should have accepted, though!
JSC: What are you working on now, and what’s coming out next? Tell us about it!
CJ: Currently, I am working away at book 1 of a romantasy about fae and werewolves. My next book is about the first of four Viking werewolf brothers who meet their fated mates through time travel. It’s a very fun series, and much more lighthearted than the duet and my Lycanthrope Protection Agency series. You can preorder book 1 here: https://a.co/d/2ZAb20K
And now for CJ’s new book: Secrets & Sake:
Jinta
He’s a yakuza with secrets. I’m the reporter determined to bring them to light.
When people start going missing, I sense a story that could make my whole career. I even have the perfect suspect: Raiden Noboru, enforcer for the most powerful yakuza organization in Japan.
The plan is simple: go undercover as “Hiro” the photographer, cozy up to Raiden, and discover all he knows about the disappearances.
Problem is? Raiden isn’t the monster I thought he was. The beast beneath his skin is fiercely protective of what’s his, but he worships my body and soul, showing me a tender side of himself he hides from the rest of the world.
But I’ve got a story to tell. All I have to do… is betray the man I’m falling for.
Raiden
I stopped believing in fated mates long ago. Love only ends in heartbreak.
Ever since I was a boy, my only purpose has been to serve the Namikawa-kai.
Until him. The minute I see Hiro smile like a sunbeam and catch his cherry blossom scent, I’ve got to have him. What I thought would be a casual fling becomes so much more. Hiro is mine. Mine to care for, mine to protect. No one else can have him.
Before I realize it, I’m beginning to dream of a life outside the yakuza, a life with Hiro. Too bad that’s all it’ll ever be. A dream. I’ll never make someone as innocent as Hiro happy. I’m a criminal, and I’m no good for him…
…But I can’t stay away from him.
Secrets & Sake is book 1 in A Paranormal Yakuza Duet. It features insta-love, fated mates and wolf shifters, a sunshine undercover reporter and the grumpy yakuza soft only for him, loads of possessive touch-him-and-die vibes, plenty of searingly hot spice, and a Happy-For-Now conclusion.
Amazon
Excerpt
“Why did you bring me here?” Hiro asks.
I turn, leaning on my elbow as I face toward him. “I don’t feel like a lost boy or a yakuza grunt when I’m around you. I’m a different person.”
A little smile hooks the corner of Hiro’s mouth. “Yeah? And who is that?”
Reaching out, I curl my fingers in the soft material of his sweater and pull him close. I lean down, touching our foreheads together, and close my eyes. I breathe in the sweet, clean scent of cherry blossoms emanating from him.
“Raiden,” I answer. “Me. Just me.”
Hiro hums, a soft, happy sound. “I’m thinking I like Raiden, surly bastard that he is.”
I can see it so clearly. If I let him, Hiro could be my sanctuary. I’ll never be free of the yakuza. I’ll never have a normal life. Since I was eight, Namikawa has owned me, body and soul. My whole life has been dedicated to serving him, protecting him. I’ve never had something, someone, that’s mine and mine alone. I want Hiro to be that person for me. My port in the storm. My first taste of a normal life.
This is… dangerous. I’ve never felt this way around anyone. It can’t last. This thing between us could bloom bright and beautiful, but it will inevitably die. I know that. Nothing good ever lasts. People leave, or die, or betray me. Hiro could do any of those things, especially if he finds out about the beast lurking beneath my skin. The smart thing to do is to get my fill of him, then let him leave.
And yet, a darker part of me snarls at the idea. Thinks that if he even tries to leave, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him. Even if he hates me for it. I lock that dark, animalistic urge in a box with all my other demons. It scares and thrills me… the things I want to do to him. The things he might let me do to him.