A native of Philadelphia, PA, Ms. Santiago is author of the Blood Touch series and the all-new paranormal romance series, "Abraxas".Writer, artist, and gothic photographer, she always keeps herself occupied with creative projects and encourages others to let their individual talents shine, having created Dark Gothic Resurrected Magazine for that purpose.

Her Yahoo Group, (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Gratista_Vampires) is an extension of the magazine where other talents of the genre can join, share interests, network, and have the opportunity to be published in her Group's bi-annual anthologies. She also has two erotica stories published with ForbiddenPublications.com under her pen name, Mistress Rae.

She received the Author's Site of Excellence Award in December 2007 from Preditors & Editors, and is also the Cover Artist for Jaded Silence Press and individual clients. An avid fan of 'old school' horror movies and its villains (Freddy, Jason, Michael, Pinhead, etc.) Halloween is her favorite time of the year.

She is a very private person and loves photographing cemeteries or whatever eerie objects catch her eye, listening to a vast array of music, drawing, musing, and spending quiet times in nature, although she is partial to checking out a Goth club/event every now and again. She has always been drawn to the flipside of life--the supernatural, odd, bizarre, Gothic and 'darkly beautiful' always being an inspiration to her. She has a vast collection of gothic and fantasy art prints, handmade jewelry, and B&W gothic postcards available at her website.

She can be reached through her Yahoo Group or at www.BloodTouch.com..

 

How would you describe yourself? Who is Cinsearae Santiago?
Sometimes I can't even describe myself, lol. I'm not 'moody', but my verve changes week by week! But that's what keeps folks guessing... *grin*. I don't do this on purpose--don't get me wrong!--I'm a bit private, but never one to shirk a friend in need. I always try to be as helpful as I possibly can. For some strange reason, people confide in me as well. I've kept so many secrets, I've forgotten a whole lot of them, lol.

What sort of books did you enjoy as a child and what do you like to read now?
I always was a fan of the quirky or paranormal stories--the mainstream ones were so 'limited'! Lol. As a kid, my first books were "The Vampire Diaries" by L.J. Smith, then I was on a Christopher Pike/R.L.Stine kick for a good while. In Junior High I progressed to King--nothing but King. My classmates ALWAYS used to look at me funny. When it comes to classics, Poe is and always will be a fave of mine. Nowadays, it's been J.K. Rowling and her Potter series, Mary Janice and her "Undead" series, and I'm now cracking Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" series. Other than that, I like reading New-Age non fiction.

What were your dreams or ambitions as a child? How do these compare with where you are now?
I always wanted to write, that's for sure. I was always writing something--little short stories and whatnot, and wanted to see my works published one day. I never stopped. Unfortunately, I never had the help or guidance to see my ambitions come to fruition earlier in my life, so I had to learn things by trial and error as I got older.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer? Has your career progressed the way you thought it would be?
3rd grade. That's when I wrote my first story, and it exploded from there, lol. The field of publishing is so competitive, and this is something I had to learn, as I got frustrated easily in my early 20's. Thre were lots of references, tools and technology I did not have access to back then which made my career seem at a standstill then, but things have taken a much more positive turn over the past 5-6 years.

Are there any particular authors who've been influential to your work?
King's older works, mostly. Certain movies helped me out 'visually', lol.

What is the greatest challenge of being an author?
Building a fan base, and promoting. your work! Everything else is a piece of cake compared to those two!

How can writers avoid scams and pitfalls on the path to publication?
Investigate publishers, editors and agents throughly. It can be as easy as Googling them on the internet. Not all of them are great! Read contracts carefully or have a literary lawyer go over them with you, even ask someone who has 'been there, and done that' to give you advice.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Keep your distance from negative people in general--especially those who will try to discourage you from achieving your dreams, as they have none of their own and don't wish to see you succeed. They're the worst. But most of all--NEVER give up! As one door closes, another one opens--always remember that. And make friends with other authors and writers--you all can be a big support to each other.

Do you ever get writer's block? And, if so, how do you overcome it?
When I feel like I'm running low on creative juices, I just stop and take a break from what I'm writing. It may be days or weeks, but it helps me recharge. I take walks, read, even watch movies. By the time I'm ready to write again, I reread over what I've done and practically pick up where I left off instantly!

Do you see the internet as a good tool for upcoming writers? How should they be using it, if it is?
Oh absolutely. Some publishers frown on POD technology, but I feel it's a very useful tool for the entrepeneur, or that writer determined to have his voice heard, or someone who has a story to tell. It all comes down to, "if you want somethig done, do it yourself". If you want it bad enough, you'll go those lengths to see it achieved. Check with others who have gone down this avenue, listen to their successes and failures with POD technology. Again, not all are the best--it'll take a while to find the one best suited for your own personal needs.

Are there common mistakes you see new writers making? What suggestions would you give to them?
Not editing throughly. Everyone makes mistakes, but gleaning errors are the mark of someone too much in a rush. Even I've done that in the past and had to learn very quickly from that. Publishing takes time and patience! Make sure your work is EXACTLY like how you'd want it to be seen in the public, and that means no typos! Easiest trick to do: When your book or story is done, put it away for a week or two, then look at it again. I can guarantee you'll see more typos you swore you caught before, lol.

Has writing changed who you are or how you see the world? Are there themes that matter most to you?
The only thing I can say is, it has helped me find new friends all over the States and some overseas! It has definitely opened my eyes over the years to things both interesting and scary. I do have certain themes that I stick to, mostly paranormal romance, and horror here and there, though those subjects often have a tendency to meld, lol.

Do you have a writing schedule?
Not particularly, lol. I write whenever the muse hits me on the head and hangs around with me for a while. In the day, it's nice and quiet, and I do my 'editing' then. Nighttime is when I just write, write, write.

What's the best thing about writing? What's the worse?
The best thing is that I have my own world and my own characters, and I lead them into whatever (mis)adventure I choose, lol. The worst? Completing a story and leaving that world behind!

What have you found to be the most lucrative means of marketing yourself? The least?
Most lucrative? Spreading the word via internet through groups, forums and friends, newspapers, specialized magazines, and places that offer free advertising and such. The best thing to do is join groups that discuss such things. It's easier to find out what works for others and what doesn't. Try not to spend hundreds (even thousands) for marketing. Start small, especially with good old-fashioned word-of-mouth, posting fliers etc. You don't want to exceed your budget!

What do you have coming out that we should look for? What sort of things do you plan, or hope to write in the future?
Right now, I have my ABRAXAS series that I'm working on *grin*. I also publish a bi-annual magazine, Dark Gothic Resurrected, and my fall issue is always packed with Halloween-themed stories art and poetry. Details and writers guidelines can always be found at my website. For those who are part of my own Yahoo Group, I also publish a bi-annual anthology comprised of stories, art and poetry by them, which have definitely garnered lots of interest from readers and reviewers! I'm not sure what I'll be doing after my ABRAXAS series is over, but I DO know it's FAR from being through, lol!



Thank you SO much for the interview Carrie! It was a pleasure!!

Thank you Cinsearae Santiago!

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