An Interview with C.L. Brierley

C.L Brierley is a Manchester-based writer dabbling in fantasy, horror, thriller, romance, and more. With a love of mythology, history, gaming, and fantasy from a young age, she developed an excellent imagination very quickly that serves her well to this day for creating stories. She has been writing since she was fourteen and has been on a few different platforms but now is on Inkitt, where she has won awards and had many stellar reviews, as well as Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and more. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys running her free writing promotion page on Instagram, The Writer’s Community Promotion Page, which also has reading and writing groups, along with watching TV and films in the same genres she writes in and playing a lot of zombie/horror survival games. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family, makes a cracking brew, and hopes that readers enjoy her stories as she has zero plans to ever stop.

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

I loved to read when I was a kid, but in high school discovered fanfiction and creative writing tasks in my final year of high school for GCSE English Literature, one in which my debut novel, The Unexpected, was created. I also had a very encouraging English teacher for these classes.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

As said in the last question, it was first created in an English Literature exercise, but I was also inspired by seeing many other stories that were similar but wanted to put my own twist on it and make it very on edge for the reader.

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

It was very easy. There was a list of prompts on the whiteboard in class, and we had to choose one to write the opening to a short story. I went with The Unexpected because it had the most possibilities.

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

“We Belong Together” by Ritchie Valens, “Animals” by Maroon 5, “Mad Love” by The Script, “Never Tear Us Apart” by Paloma Faith, and definitely some dark high-stakes thriller music too.

Describe your dream book cover.

I already have it. It is a flawless one created by Latasha Thomas.

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

I have worked in customer service and retail since I was sixteen, I didn’t go to university but have thought about doing some creative writing courses.

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

I enjoy reading all genres and the works of many of the amazing writers I work with.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

The message of the book is this: the most unexpected things can happen to anyone, and never be foolish enough to dismiss that.

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