Indie Interview Spotlight: CC Hartly - Heir of Stardust and Secrets
Book Summary:
In the shadow of war, love may be her greatest enemy...
Nyleeria has always lived in the shadow of loss, with only her childhood friend to bring light to her days. But when an ancient power is discovered within her, everything changes. Her family is torn apart by tragedy, and she is thrust into a conflict that has smoldered between humans and fae for centuries.
King Thaddeus, a human ruler hardened by the endless war against the fae, seeks to protect his kingdom at any cost. When he discovers Nyleeria's dormant magic, he knows it could be the key to his people's survival. But the closer Nyleeria gets to the King, the more she realizes that her greatest danger may not be the Spark or the fae-but the feelings he stirs within her.
As the veil between realms grows thinner, Nyleeria must navigate a path filled with peril, where trust is a luxury and love could be the most dangerous weapon of all. Torn between duty and desire, she must decide what they are willing to sacrifice-for her people, for him, and for a future that hangs in the balance.
An Interview with CC Hartly on all things writing and the Mythic Spark Series
Brooke: On your website, you share a bit about your personal life prior to becoming an author. Getting a masters degree is a feat in and of itself, let alone climbing the ladder in the corporate realm (As one corporate girlie to another, it’s quite a challenge). Do you mind sharing what it was that finally pushed you to pursue writing the Mythic Spark series? What was the most challenging part of this transition for you?
CC Hartly: Compulsion! A deep, unfettered, NEED to write it.
Nearly twenty years ago I had this thought; “I’m going to be a published author.” It was a truth that settled in my bones, but I had no idea what I was meant to publish. Then on November 28th, 2022, the Mythic Spark series came to me in a flood—and that’s how this all began.
So, you can see, it wasn’t a choice per se.
From November 28th, 2022 to May 21, 2023 I wrote the first three books in the series while working full-time. I started writing book four and realized how much more joy writing gave me than my corporate job as a marketer.
This is when I started to reevaluate my priorities.
A couple of my friends—and even one of their moms—read book one, which we all know now as Heir of Stardust and Secrets; and they LOVED it! So I began to think, “What if?” What if I was a good writer? What if others would fall in love with Nyleeria’s story as much as I have? What if I published? What if the words, the vulnerability, in my books helped others see themselves through a different lens; to let them know they’re not alone? And this is when everything shifted—when I began to believe.
I knew I had to stop writing book four and start editing book one. How I went about this as a brand new author is a different story for a different day. What I will say is that the mental shift from writing to editing allowed me to start focusing on what it would take to become published. There are many answers to this, but for me it boiled down to one that’s rarely stated: commitment.
The marketing agency I worked for had quickly become very toxic. I was the new girl with a lot of experience who’d known the owners for over a decade on a professional level—which apparently is threatening and the breeding grounds for a Mean Girls environment. Something I didn’t tolerate in high school, and something I most certainly wouldn’t tolerate fourteen years into my career.
Knowing I was looking to transition into authorship full-time, I gave the agency a very clear ultimatum: I either go contract, or I quit.
As I was managing two of our largest clients, they chose the former, which meant I could choose my hours. Slowly, over time, I reduced them completely.
Sounds simple enough, right? Well, this is where my challenges come in.
First, it takes balls of steel to transition out of a job that provided financial security, especially when you’ve never written fiction in your life, have zero contacts in the space, didn’t even know that booktok and bookstagram was a thing, didn’t have an agent, and didn’t have a publisher.
So the hardest part? Believing.
That might sound trite, but it’s the truest way to describe what aspect in all of this was hardest for me. And there were many, many, moments when the tears of doubt stained my cheeks.
The second hardest part? Money.
My bills are mine alone. I don’t have a partner to share them with. So, I’ve been on my own in this—in more ways than one. The mental stress of knowing you only have X amount of time until you’re bone dry is not for the faint of heart. Now, I wish I could tell you that as I write these words that the financial drain of becoming an author has been soothed by my debut being wildly successful as a new author, but that would be a fallacy. Yes, my first cheque from my publisher was more than the average author receives in a year, but when you haven’t drawn a paycheque in over fourteen months, it’s a drop in the bucket.
I don’t share this to garner sympathy. I chose this and I knew, with great clarity, what I was getting myself into. Not to mention, I have two degrees and over a dozen years of experience that I can leverage in an instant to fix this issue. No, I share this for aspiring authors out there who look at my success and think, “oh, she’s so lucky,” to knock it off. Luck had nothing to do with it. And if you dig deep enough success stories, you will find that you have to be committed before you get lucky.
Brooke: Many moons ago, you made a thread saying “Might be kicking the hornet’s nest here, but can someone please explain to me why I’ve heard ACOTAR referred to as ‘smut’ but not GoT?
I have my own theories, but I’d love to hear yours!” What’s your theory??
CC Hartly: Misogyny. It’s that simple.
For those that weren’t part of this thread that went viral, GoT stood for Game of Thrones. Yes, I know I posted the TV series name and not the book name, let’s just accept that fact and focus on why I felt the need to post it at all.
I knee-jerk at the word smut—and hard. Not between us girlies that love the genre, but from those that use derogatorily.
As an author, I have had my work reduced and laughed off by some as smut. Why? Because there are a few sex scenes in it? Heir of Stardust and Secrets’ open door scenes account for less than 3% of the novel. I know, because I did the math. This novel is about personal identity, self worth, loss, betrayal—all set in a high fantasy setting—and that 3% reduces the artistry and connection of my art? Why?
George R. R. Martin’s work hasn't been reduced because of his explicit scenes. Yet female authors have been.
Did you know an article came out this year after the release of Onyx Storm? The headline: The Rise of Rebecca Yarros, Mother of Dragon Smut. Let’s contrast this to the NYT’s article on George R. R. Martin who was dubbed An American Tolkien.
Let’s sit with that fact for a moment and see it for the reductionism that it is.
Now, back to what I believe. I believe there are three reasons why ACOTAR etc. is referred to as smut. One, it’s written by a woman. Two, it’s predominantly read by women. Three, the FMC/FC actually enjoys sex.
Brooke: You’ve shared before that your ideal writing session includes 3-4 chapters. What’s your dream set up that helps you achieve this goal? Essential oils, coffee shop, music, etc?
CC Hartly: Yes! I love—like really love—writing anywhere between 7,500-10,000 words in one session. As a discovery author it kinda feels like when a reader just can’t put a book down; and it’s the most delightful part of what I do.
I’m not terribly picky in this regard. There’s only really three things I need: silence, solitude, and aftercare.
The first two are self-explanatory, and anyone in my inner circle knows that they won’t be able to get a hold of me while I’m writing. You either come to my house and knock on the door, or you wait until I reemerge.
So that leaves aftercare.
When I’m writing, our world melts away and is replaced with the one my character resides in. I don’t eat. I forget to drink water. I don’t even know what time it is. If it weren’t for Finnigan (my mini aussie) straight up pushing my laptop closed to let me know it’s well past dinner time at the tender hour of 1AM, I probably would’ve written the night through. A session like that will be closer to 14,000 words (~5.6 chapters)—which I’ve learned is my max in one sitting—is exhilarating as I write it, but has me feeling hungover and a little out of sorts for the next few days to a week.
Knowing this, I have more of an ‘after’ writing ritual than a writing ritual, which include the following:
Reconnect with myself: baths, yoga, no-screen time, acoustic music, snuggles with Finn, naps, time in nature, etc.
Zero commitments: consider this my no-fly zone for personal or professional commitments.
Nourish: I’ll normally order in something and then after that I crave nutrient-dense foods, and a lot of water.
Spoilers ahead (stop here if you haven’t read the book, and GO ORDER YOUR COPY SO YOU CAN COME BACK HERE)
Brooke: There’s been some conversations in your discord channel about the power of manipulation, and narcissism, which we see through Nyleeria’s journey. Was it emotionally taxing to write about her experience, and the whiplash of emotions she goes through? How do you prioritize your mental health while writing challenging scenes and perspectives?
CC Hartly: Emotionally taxing? Yes, but not in the ways you’d expect—at least for the most part.
You see, when I write, I viscerally feel what my characters do. This accounts for how I’m able to truly connect readers to the moment; because I allow myself to sink into the experience. It’s no surprise then, that certain scenes (like when Nyleeria’s power is pulled from her) are taxing to the point that when I edit or even scroll by the scene, my body physically reacts in a sort of strange second-hand PTSD response.
Luckily, moments like those don’t linger. It’s the moments when I expose deeper truths lying dormant within me through my writing that make me take pause. Feel it. Wrap my mind around it. Settle into a new truth.
There’s a quote in book two that pressed on past trauma hard enough that I had to process for a week before I could continue to write again. I cried. I mourned. I talked it through with my bestie on our morning walks. And ultimately, I was able to heal an old wound I hadn’t realized festered in that way.
Now, there’s another side to this. The side that offers a deep catharsis. I’m able to express sentiments in my writing that I’ll never be able to express in real life for a multitude of reasons. Namely, they’d fall on deaf ears and cause me more harm. But through my characters, I’m able to say the unvarnished truths in my heart—and that is one of my favorite things about being an author.
As to how I prioritize my mental health, that’s a great question. While it’s not something I actively think about, I’m good at taking breathers to process as stated above. This is probably an area I could improve in, but when a story is flowing through me there is little I can do to stop it—no matter what my characters and I are being put through in the process.
Brooke: The plot twists just kept twisting throughout this novel. Should readers expect to be kept on their toes in the sequel (assuming but I wanna hear you say it!)
Additionally, are there any juicy details you can share about book two?
CC Hartly: YES! Now, I’m going to speak to the whole series for a moment. Mythic Spark will continue to steal your breath away until the very last moment. In fact, a couple of characters still have to decide their fates—and it could really go either way. You’re going to love me, and hate me, and scream at me, and throw your kindles across the room. You will mourn, and laugh, and be awed. But mostly, you’ll ultimately love me for not holding back anything—including the punches.
Now, turning our focus to book two. I will share this, Nyleeria’s unfolding in this book is vastly different from HoSS, and yet, just as powerful. You don’t have a naive villager who flees to the mountains when she’s scared anymore. No, you have an untrusting, deeply wounded, eyes wide open version of her who overcompensates with independence and regresses hard. She’s quick to snap, and slow to apologize. And honestly, who could blame her?
As for the storyline, you’ll need to remember that this is not a duology—or a trilogy for that matter. A lot of the answers you craved in book one will be sated in book two, but many of them won’t be. Each book layers onto the last, meaning its purpose isn’t to ‘solve’ what’s been cracked open. Instead, its purpose is to add depth to what we know, shift perspectives, and continue to build for when everything comes to a head.
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