An Interview with C.A. Kincaid

I’m a wife, mom of two (plus two fur babies), and a lifelong lover of stories. My passion for books and writing began in childhood, when I filled notebooks with poetry and short stories. I earned my degree in English, and while I once thought I’d spend my life teaching, my path eventually led me to a second degree in web and graphic design. Today, I work full-time as a web designer and developer, but writing remains one of my greatest joys. When I’m not at my desk, I love reading, listening to true crime podcasts, crafting and painting, and spending time with my husband, kids, and pets – usually while binge-watching cop dramas or cooking competitions.

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What inspired you to start writing this book?

It honestly started as a joke. Any time something wild happened in college, I’d tell my friends, “I’m putting this in my book.” Eventually, I actually started writing – not because I expected anyone to read it, but because it became a kind of therapy. It helped me make sense of what I was experiencing. Over time, I began shaping those pages into a real narrative instead of just a timeline, and that’s how it slowly grew into the book it is today.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

It definitely took me a while to land on the title. For years, I held onto one ‘dream title,’ but I kept jotting down new ideas whenever they came to me. When it was finally time to choose, I sat down with that list and started playing with different combinations – swapping words in and out until something clicked. I wanted a title that hinted at the coffee theme but also carried a deeper, dual meaning. Eventually, all those pieces came together to form the title it has now.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

The soundtrack would definitely include:

Blue October’s Hate Me, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ Your Guardian Angel, Pink’s So What, Daughtry’s Home, Jaron Lowenstein’s Pray for You, MAGIC!’s Rude, and Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger. These songs capture the emotion, attitude, and themes woven throughout the story.

What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?

I’m currently finishing The Mindf*ck Series by S.T. Abbey, and next on my list is Ashley Flowers’ The Missing Half. I love mystery and crime books, but the biggest inspiration for the tone of my own story actually came from the Harry Potter series, which I’m also a huge fan of and truly cherish.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I actually started out planning to be a high school English teacher, but after student teaching I realized it wasn’t the right path for me. From there, I became a photographer at a studio and eventually went back to school for web and graphic design. Since then, I’ve worked as both a web developer and designer – and I still do today! It’s a part of my life that many readers might not expect.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I’ve always loved writing. In grade school, I wrote poetry and collected inspirational quotes, and when Microsoft Word first came out, I would type up my own short stories and print them just for fun. I even had a poem published in eighth grade, and ever since then, publishing a book has been a lifelong bucket-list dream.

It may sound cliché, but the books that really kept me inspired while writing were the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling’s journey – her dedication to her story and the impact her books had – motivated me to keep going and to believe in my own work. Harry Potter holds a special place in my heart, as it helped me through other personal situations (that would be in a second book) and Rowling’s success as an author has been a huge inspiration in seeing this project through.

What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?

I’d tell myself to just keep going. It’s worth it – the healing, the growth, and the transformation that come from the writing journey are truly beautiful. Trust the process, believe in the work, and keep moving forward.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

I hope readers walk away remembering that social media can create a lot of pressure to be popular or have a perfect circle of friends – but real life isn’t like that. Real relationships are messy, imperfect, and human. What matters most is staying true to who you are and making choices that align with your own values. The right people – the true friends – will be the ones who support you in that.

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Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.