Last year, I came across a fan page on Facebook for an upcoming novel written by a young woman from Canada, called Crystal Crichlow. Brilliantly assertive and determined, Crystal used the fan page to promote and market her first book ‘Winter Rose’ by submitting a sample chapter each time the fan-base increased. Being an addictive novel that it is, with a supernatural theme of good vs. evil, readers on the fan page began creating hype by getting their friends to like the page in order to read the next sample chapter. And by the time she got picked by Solstice Publishing late last year, she’d already gained a fan following for Winter Rose. She is now writing another novel, ‘Farnum’s Land’, which she hopes to complete by October this year.

Unafraid and ambitious, the 24 years old Crystal tells me about the inspiration behind her first novel, why she used social media to target her readership and her tips to aspiring authors who are struggling to get noticed.

Your first published novel Winter Rose has a supernatural theme; why did you choose a supernatural theme? 

My uncles were fanatics of the supernatural and occult, so growing up I was exposed to these types. At first like all kids, I was afraid but eventually I saw it as a whole new world; one that had no limits or boundaries. There’s only so much you can do with realistic themes. I saw a documentary on Greek mythology and the events surrounding Pandora’s Box. This is what influenced my idea for Winter Rose. What really drew me to Pandora’s story was that even though a great evil escaped from this magical box there was still good inside. There is always good in evil. Always hope.

In life there is always a division between good and evil, the light and the darkness. Darkness is always seen in a negative light as is this particular genre. I don’t believe that. You can always find good or hope in darkness. When people hear the word supernatural or horror, they start running for the door, but the supernatural genre doesn’t have to be a bad thing and I guess that’s what I’ve been trying to do with this book; twist the bad into something good.

In the book, it seems you have a vast interest in Greek mythology. How much of a research did you do to prepare yourself for this novel? 

Lots. Before I delved into the meat of the novel, I did weeks of research on all the Greek gods and the stories that surrounded them. The hardest part was trying to decide which of the Greek gods and titans to use in my novel and then trying to figure out how to turn it into a modern day tale of hope.

How long did it take for you to complete your first novel?

8 months

On which age group does your book focus on? 

I write young adult novels. I find that most of my readers are either teens or adults in their early twenties. My goal is to write books that are suitable for all ages.

You used social media to promote your first book Winter Rose; what advice would you give to the first time authors in marketing and promoting their books? 

Facebook and Goodreads are your best friends especially if you decide to go the self-published route. You can purchase an ad that suits your budget and target a specific type of audience. If you haven’t found an agent, just start the ball rolling yourself. Create a Facebook fan page and promote it by posting sample chapters. Wattpad and Webook are some other good choices which I’ve also used and still using. Start a blog but don’t just sit there and wait for people to come to you. Visit other blogs and be sure to include a link in your signature where people can either buy your book or like your fan page.

What insights do you have for aspiring authors? 

RESEARCH agents before you send out a query. You want to find an agent or publishers who are looking for books in your genre. Rejections are a part of being an author. It doesn’t mean that your work isn’t any good; it just means that the right person for your book hasn’t received it yet. Don’t just query agents. Query book publishers who do not require an agent. Social media is your best friend, learn it and embrace it. Bad reviews come with the territory, just keep your head up and keep writing. Like a wise person once said, “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.â€� In other words, don’t give up.

After having my book rejected so many times, I’ll admit that a small part of me died. You start to think that maybe your book isn’t as good as you once thought. It casted a lot of doubt but I kept sending out queries until I got that one response I wanted and everything changed. I never thought that any of my books would ever be published and I’m proud of my work, grateful for my readers and my publisher and happy that I never gave up.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book? 

That it doesn’t only make sense in my head but also on paper. This was one of the things I was afraid of when I started writing. I used to think that no one will get my stories but me. I was wrong.

Are there any occupational hazards to being an author?

Your mind is so wrapped up in a place far away, in the pages of your book, that sometimes you zone out…on numerous occasions… at the oddest of places. Sleep eludes me every night and it probably has something to do with the fact that I can’t turn my brain off because all I’m thinking about is the next chapter and the chapter after that.

What is the best advice you have received from somebody? 

To check over your work for grammar and spelling and even when you think you’ve gone over everything thoroughly, go over it again. Never rely solely on your editor. They’re not perfect and sometimes things can just slip through the cracks. It’s your baby after all; make it the best it can be.

Despite the successes of JK Rowling, Stephanie Meyer and E.L James, do you believe women writers are still under-rated? 

I think they still are to be honest. I saw some statistics where the percentages of female authors were microscopic compared to the amount of male authors. I’m not sure what the reason is behind these numbers. There are more female readers than they are men, shouldn’t the authors be at a higher percentage too? Either there aren’t many female writers out there or the female writers aren’t giving the same opportunities as male authors. I believe it’s the latter.

Where do you see yourself in the future? 

Hopefully I’d still be writing. I’m also interested in taking a course in screenplay writing.

Aside from writing, what makes you happy? 

Reading, movies, music, the beach and food.