Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlie N. Holmberg.
Hi Charlie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After I watched the anime The Vision of Escaflowne at 13 years old, I knew I wanted to be a storyteller, and writing a book seemed the most obvious medium for me. I dabbled a lot in fan fiction and tried a few stories of my own, but I didn’t finish my first (terrible) novel until I was 19. I finished my second at 21, just before graduating from Brigham Young University.
I sat in the “query trenches” and wrote about nine books before my debut novel, The Paper Magician, was picked up by Marlene Stringer and 47North. I was very fortunate to get into the Kindle First program (now Amazon First Reads), which got hundreds of thousands of eyes on a little novel by an unknown me.
Things progressed steadily and happily from there. My twenty-first novel releases August 1st, and I’m not a three-time Wall Street Journal bestseller!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A lot smoother than it’s been for many authors, definitely.
There’s a lot of luck involved in publishing, especially in traditional publishing, and I’ve been very fortunate in the amount I’ve received. I’ve had my share of bumps in the road, certainly, but (so far) so complete derailments.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am foremost a fantasy author and secondly, a romance author, though in my opinion, the genres are best when combined! I specialize in historical and high fantasy, though I have a couple of contemporary novels under C.N. Holmberg as well. I’m most known for my world-building and slow burns.
I would like to think that my thinking is what sets me apart–I’ve always been weird (ask anyone I went to high school with), but I’ve never felt bad about it. I like to stretch outside the box in my storytelling, finding new elements or combinations others haven’t thought of before.
I want my books to be familiar and wildly different all at once. And, I suppose, achieving this is part of what I’m most proud of. As far as bragging rights go, I’m incredibly proud to be a bestselling author published in over 20 languages! I feel I’ve finally earned the right to be taken seriously.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’m not a man?
Haha, just kidding, but not really. A lot of people who don’t flip to the author’s photo assume I’m a guy. I’ve been told I write women well (thank goodness).
I was actually a major music nerd for a huge chunk of my life. I play/played the piano, flute, French horn, elkhorn, and ukulele, all mediocrely but with excellent intentions. I nearly majored in musical composition at university but realized that forcing myself to learn the ins and outs of music theory would make me despise it, so I went into English instead (which, let’s be honest, isn’t much better).
Oh, I used to clog. I don’t think I’ve told anyone else that, so there’s the exclusive.
Contact Info:
- Website: charlienholmberg.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/cnholmberg
- Facebook: facebook.com/cnholmberg
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqPpK6CXqb8fQNPpGDuWvuA
