An Interview with Christopher Renna

Christopher Renna is an author and developmental editor. He lives in New York with his husband, two children, and their rescued dogs.

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

I started writing when I was seven or eight years old. I’d always enjoyed reading, and I always had my own story ideas tumbling around my head. For years, I wrote short stories but put writing aside to focus on music as a young adult. Later, I rediscovered my love of reading and writing, steering me onto my path as an author.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

After Darkness Falls is the third installment of my Darkness on the Horizon series. A lot of readers had reached out to me, asking when the third book would be released. I’d written a dozen novels since the first book’s release, but I finally felt like it was the right time to return to Morgan’s world and continue his journey.

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

The title is a continuation of the series’ themes: Darkness on the Horizon (#1) is about the drama and chaos as darkness approaches, Before the Sun Rises (#2) is about the violence and transformation during the darkness, and, the third installment, After Darkness Falls, explores the idea of Morgan embracing what his life has become.

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

I listened to a lot of ambient music and soundtracks while writing After Darkness Falls. Hazy, Arn Andersson, Hans Zimmer, and Mark Richter.

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

Before pursuing writing, I worked as a regional manager of coffee houses in Los Angeles, interior painting, and management of businesses.

What books did you read (for research or comfort) throughout your writing process?

According to my Goodreads account, some of the books I read while writing my novel were A Light Amongst Shadows by Kelley York, A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young, Burn by Peter Heller, and The Lamb by Lucy Rose.

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

I wouldn’t have set aside my writing ambitions, and I would have continued to read novels and develop my craft as a writer. That being said, I also believe that all my choices in life led me to where I was supposed to be at that time, so I have no regrets that my writing was sidetracked for years.

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

I hope readers of the series, and the third installment in particular, recognize that grief and trauma in life should not break a person down and that life still has so much to offer beyond heartbreak and the wounds inflicted by damaging experiences.

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