Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Caitee Cooper

Book Title: Silverskin

Released:  09/15/23

Genre:  Supernatural fantasy romance with horror elements

Interview by Heather L. Barksdale

What inspired you to write “Silverskin”?

Cooper: The summer after I graduated high school, my family took a trip to Soldotna, Alaska. There, we stayed with some friends who owned a commercial fishing operation. Long story short: Alaska stole my heart and ran away with it, and I just sat there and watched it go with a grin on my face. One night, over a card game, the conversation turned to local ghost stories, and that was the first time I heard about Portlock and its infamous monsters. That night, I couldn't stop thinking about it, and by morning I had the bare bones of a book idea. Once I was back home in Wyoming, I delved deep into the stories surrounding Portlock and quickly discovered even more nightmare (and story) fuel. It was awesome. It was gonna be a bestseller, I just knew it.

BUT ... then I went to college, got distracted by real life, and that unnamed story fell by the wayside.

It wasn't until nearly ten years later that the book idea came back to me. I was pregnant with my second child and struggling to sleep one night when, out of the blue, that old Alaska story slapped me wide awake. It was one of the most insane experiences of my life. I got up the next morning and told my husband I was going to write a book. He, bless his heart, said "I support it. Let me know when I can read it." 

The next few months were filled with challenges, including a difficult delivery and severe postpartum depression (which I had also fought after having my first son.) Silverskin—and the mental health themes explored therein—was heavily influenced by my own experience fighting anxiety, depression, and the "voice in my head" that tries to define who I am, what I can be, and what I'm capable (or more often, incapable) of doing. You know the one; we all fight it. By that point, I knew the odds of the book being a bestseller were incredibly low, but I figured if this story could help even one person then it was worth it (even if that one person was me.)

How did you come up with the names of your main characters?

Cooper: Easy! I already had this handy-dandy list of baby names I liked, so I just picked a couple of favorites from it and we were off to the races. (Fun fact: Oliver's name was originally Levi. I changed it when my son was born because Levi was my favorite name of the two, so obviously, I wanted my baby to have it.)

Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?

Cooper: I'm a stay-at-home mom with two little kids, which means finding time to write is hard (let alone finding time for marketing!). However, being a young-mom-writer has its perks. I go a lot of places with my kiddos, and seeing the world through their eyes sometimes leads to really fun, creative ideas that I wouldn't have come up with on my own. The downside is that I'm not able to write books as quickly as I'd like, but for now, that's all right. :) As far as Silverskin itself: it's a genre mashup! I didn't set out to fit it into any boxes; I just wanted to write an engaging, compelling story. Love it or hate it, it's definitely a unique read.

If "Silverskin" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?

Cooper:  Tough question. For Ellie, Danielle Rose Russell. Oliver was tricky, but if we could turn back the clock on Tom Welling, he'd be perfect. Young Hunter Parrish really reminds me of Sam Forth, and Isabela Merced would be an absolutely killer Darien.

When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?

Cooper: If I have writer's block, it's usually due to one of two things: 

1) Something in the story is broken. To combat this type of writer's block, I take a step back and analyze my outline. Then, I'll use it as a guideline to analyze how the scene I'm stuck on moves the plot/characters, what questions it raises/answers, whether the characters are doing things that make sense, and where/how information is being disseminated to the reader. Usually, the answer is to work through the scene in my head as I go about my day, then get words on the paper at night. Even if it's crappy writing, I still write. I can snap a bad first draft into shape, but I can't do anything with a blank page.

2) Real-life things have piled up and are sapping my creativity. For me, motivation often follows action, so often my solution is to sit down and start slogging. Pretty soon I'll hit a groove, and suddenly, writing is fun again! If that doesn't happen, though, I take a break. I take the kids on a hike, read a good book, watch a show, go bug the feral kitten we're trying to tame—anything that gets me out of my head, lifts my spirits, and makes life's burdens seem light enough for my creativity to flow again.

Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?

Cooper: Just do it.

I had no idea how to write fiction when I first started Silverskin. I'd been a professional SEO/copywriter for years, but I didn't know the FIRST thing about crafting a good story, and boy, it showed! After querying a few agents and listening to their feedback, I realized ... I should probably learn how to actually write. So, I watched Brandon Sanderson's BYU lectures on YouTube, listened to Writing Excuses at every opportunity I got, started reading like a writer, and most importantly, I let family, friends, beta readers, and editors read and critique my writing. Creating a story isn't a solitary pursuit. You need help, and that's okay.

Also, the odds of "making it" in this industry are dismal. Don't let that deter you. Write first and foremost for yourself, because you love your craft and your characters and the worlds in your head. You'll take hard knocks, but if your driving force is love, you'll be able to shake them off, keep going, and have a fulfilling writing career anyway. Hang the odds and run with what your soul needs.

What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?

Cooper: I read whatever I want—high fantasy, romantasy, literary fiction, historical fiction, nonfiction—anything that catches my eye is fair game! I'll always have a soft spot for Jane Austen, and I also enjoy most Brandon Sanderson books. I love Kate Quinn's prose (especially in The Diamond Eye. That book was freakin' amazing.) C.S. Lewis and his ideas have also had a profound influence on me, though I don't write Christian fiction and don't really have a desire to. I love the way he saw and portrayed human nature—from our foibles to our incredible potential—and that's snuck into my books.

What are you working on next?

Cooper: Silverskin's sequel! Its working title is The Dark Lady, and I'm hoping to release it in July. If all goes according to plan, I'll have a cover for it in April and its Kickstarter will launch in May. After that, it'll be the third book in the series (tentatively called Portlock). Then, I have some other ideas, including a YA contemporary fantasy, an epic fantasy, and maybe even a historical fiction.

Interested in checking out the book for yourself?

Find it for purchase here

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