Meet Cassandra L. Thompson
Indie Author Spotlight
Welcome to Indie Author Spotlight where I interview talented writers who have valuable insights to share on their writing process, publication, and what it means to be an indie author.
Gothic horror and romance writer Cassandra L. Thompson has been creating stories since she got her grubby little hands around a pen. When she is not busy managing a house full of feral children (human and canine) with her beloved husband, you can find her wandering around cemeteries, taking pictures of abandoned things, or in the library researching her latest obsession. She has a B.A. in History and an MLIS, but she ignores her degrees to focus on writing and running Quill & Crow Publishing House, both of which require copious amounts of coffee and Crows.
How did you get started as a writer, and what drew you to the darker, gothic corners of literature?
As a preschooler, I used to draw “stories” and have my mom staple the papers together to create books. Obviously, my writing skills have grown more refined since then, and writing has remained a steady hobby for me throughout my life. I didn’t consider doing anything professionally until recently, probably around 2018.
As far as my preference for the darker side, I always loved spooky stories and Halloween, but my first introduction to the Gothic literary genre was in seventh grade. I discovered an old textbook of Edgar Allan Poe stories and read a The Cask of Amontillado, finding myself completely obsessed. It only grew from there.
Tell us about your newest release, Welcome to Meadowbrook.
Welcome to Meadowbrook was inspired by my love of old hotels. Not only do they have such awesome liminal vibes, but I always find myself wondering about the people who visited before me. The thought of a hotel as a keeper of all these stories and secrets got my wheels turning. I also wanted to play with story structure, seeing if I could create separate stories from different points in history to create an overarching story. And so, Meadowbrook was born. It’s available now through retailers, or on my website.
Who are your main influences? Favorite books?
Honestly, the classics: Poe, Shelley, even Dickens. I grew up on Anne Rice. I loved Stephen King, too, but I don’t read much of him anymore. I don’t have much time to pleasure read as of late (I’m always reading/editing for my publishing house), but when I can, my fellow indie writers are the ones who now inspire me.
Tell us about your writing routine. Do you have any creative rituals? Favorite places to write?
I absolutely do not have a routine. Inspiration hits, and I lock in, writing during the day, writing on my phone at night, doing whatever it takes to get the story out. I must have candles lit, though; that is my one constant. Coffee, too.
What criticism have you received that ultimately helped you grow as a writer?
I’ve taken too many writing/English classes during my college career, but understanding the marketing aspect of book publishing has helped me the most. I wrote AO in the old Gothic style, with long sentences and big words, as a love letter to the genre. Looking back, I think I alienated readers a bit by writing that way and have made adjustments since. Thinking about books like a product to be sold to a target demographic has helped me construct and package my stories better. Also, editing so much has helped my writing—I highly recommend editing or beta reading for your writing friends because it hones your skills.
When did you decide to start your own publishing house? How did you get started?
In 2020, after a year of querying, I decided to publish my debut novel, The Ancient Ones, under an LLC. I had just joined Writing Twitter and quickly realized some harsh truths about the publishing industry. I knew if I wanted AO in the hands of readers, it was my responsibility to get it there. So I researched like crazy, took classes, signed up for publishing groups—I didn’t want to just self-publish, I wanted to do it well. During this time, I finished grad school with a Master’s in Library Science, but it was during COVID-19, and the lockdowns were still in effect. That just gave me more time to “do this thing right.” Not only did I have a successful release, but I also grabbed the attention of many writer friends who suggested I make it a thing. Long story short, I took their advice and opened Quill & Crow up as a traditional press and have stuck with it ever since.
Can you tell us a little about the day to day operations of running a publishing house? What are some of the main components of the business and what parts to you handle yourself vs. your employees?
So, I have my hands in everything from acquisitions to marketing to editing. I’m trying to work on letting folks help me more, but I like things to be done a certain way, so I’m always the final say. Day to day varies, so I’ll just give you a rundown of my Monday: I woke up and ran our big meeting, went over the week’s calendar with my PA Cyndi, helped our Marketing Manager Alma plan content, made promos, posted to my socials, packed store orders, discussed the latest cover with our cover designer, put out various fires, checked on the websites/newsletter, and answered emails. At night, I usually review submissions, edit, make video content, and prepare for the next day. I also frequently monitor our finances, negotiate contracts, check in with the teams and organize our departments, plan for upcoming releases, devise things to grow the business, and typeset the books.
What might be some factors an indie author might consider in deciding to go with a small press vs. self-publishing all on their own?
First, I would consider how reputable the press is. There is a trend of self-publishers randomly starting publishing houses without giving it serious thought or planning. I watch them crumble all the time, and they take a lot of innocent authors down with them. Make sure the press you’re submitting to has been in operation for over a year, look at their front and backlist, make sure the contract is sound, etc. There is a wonderful resource run by Victoria Strauss called Writer’s Beware if you need more info there.
Self-publishing is a great avenue to keep control and promote your book the way you want to. When you submit to an agent or a press, you are giving up control and profit. It’s great if you don’t mind letting someone else have the reins and if you’d prefer someone else to foot the bill (producing books properly is expensive). But if you’re someone with a specific, unbendable vision for your book, you’re probably better off doing it on your own.
How do you balance all the publishing house business with your writing?
I don’t! Lol
What role does social media play in your marketing? What platforms are you on and which do you enjoy the most?
I rely pretty heavily on social media for direct-to-consumer sales. There is a lot to type here, so if you want to stroll over to my Substack, I have numerous posts dedicated to marketing where I answer all these questions. As a quick reply, I personally love TikTok because I can just post my videos and go. Interactions on text-based platforms just seem to turn into fruitless arguing, which is counterproductive to what I’m trying to build. I kinda just post to keep accounts alive.
What are you working on now?
Quill & Crow has a full year of titles coming up, so I’m busy preparing for those. Once I get all that manageable, I have two WIPs: a southern Gothic and a midwest Gothic, one of which I’m hoping to drop late next year. I also just got the idea for a prison-inspired story so I’m starting that now too.
Where can readers find you?
All links to my books are found on cassandralthompson.com, and anything Quill & Crow related is at quillandcrowpublishinghouse.com.
Thanks again! 🖤