Author Spotlight: CAssidy Clarke
- motownmysteries
- Apr 3
- 4 min read
Someone asked me recently what it was like, competing with all the other writers I meet. I explained that it’s not a competition. It’s a collaboration. Many of the authors are of the same mindset. We compare notes, talk about self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, even discuss promotions, events or advertising efforts.
That’s what happened a few weeks back when I met Cassidy Clarke at an event. After speaking for a few minutes, I offered to feature her in the spotlight. She quickly agreed.
Let’s get to know more about Cassidy.
Tell us a little about yourself and your journey to becoming an author.
Hi! I’m Cassidy Clarke. I wear a handful of hats these days: I’m a part-time barista, a project manager for a podcast company, a freelance editor…and an author, of course!
I started writing when I was around eleven years old, and I started the way most young writers do: writing absolutely terrible fanfiction that will never see the light of day. But by high school, I was penning my own original stories; at seventeen, I finished my very first novel-length work.
Throughout college, I dabbled in dystopian, then sci-fi, and finally fell in love with fantasy. I wrote four more novel length works, did some querying, didn’t get much traction…then met my now-critique partner, Renee Dugan, who introduced me to the world of independent publishing.
A month after graduating with my Bachelors of Arts in Creative Writing from Oakland University in 2021, I published my first book, The Saltwater Heir.
Do you ever imagine one of your novels being made into a movie or television series?
Doesn’t everyone? I absolutely do—especially now that we’re seeing more fantasy books (Shadow & Bone, Percy Jackson, etc.) getting TV adaptations!
Any favorite actors you’d cast in the lead roles?
I’d cast Sadie Sink as Soren, my main character, in a heartbeat. Her best friend, Elias, was based on Bob Morley (Bellamy Blake in The 100) to start with. Kallias and Finn, Soren’s two brothers (and the other POVs we see in the book!) would definitely be played by Sam Heughan and Dylan O’Brien.
What is your writing process?
My process has changed quite a bit over the years! I definitely prefer NOT outlining before I begin—I love getting to explore the story myself and let events unfold naturally when I can.
This worked very well for the first book. However, with each subsequent book in the series, I’ve outlined more and more thoroughly. The book I’m currently working on has a full outline to keep it structured, though I do try to keep the chapter descriptions “vague” to give myself room to play. I write completely in sequence, however. Trying to write chapters out of order makes my head hurt!
Describe the characters in your latest book.
My latest book is the third in my series. The main character, Soren, is a soldier who lost everything to the neighboring kingdom of Atlas…or so she thinks. When a chance encounter with an Atlas prince reveals the truth—that she is the Heir to the Atlas throne, long believed to be dead—everything she thought she knew about herself shifts in an instant.
Forced back to Atlas against her will, Soren has two choices: embrace the kingdom she has hated for over a decade…or use her newfound heritage to draw out the secrets of the untouchable royal family.
The first book is told from four points of view: Soren’s best friend Elias, who is slowly dying from an Atlas poison; Kallias and Finnick, the two Atlas princes (a.k.a. Soren’s older brothers!), and Soren herself.
Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?
Most of them come to me as I write! I like to joke that they just wander into my brain and refuse to leave, like a stray cat deciding to follow you home.
Soren, for instance, was already in the story. But just a couple paragraphs after she hit the page, Elias ran right in after her. This proved to be a precursor to their dynamic throughout the rest of the series: Soren running full speed ahead, Elias doing his best to keep up!
What is your latest book about?
My latest is the third in the series, so without spoiling anything for the first two, it focused heavily on themes of sacrifice, whether blood is truly thicker than water (hence, The Blood & Water Saga!), characters reclaiming power and autonomy in unique ways after it has been stolen from them, and what radical forgiveness really looks like. (Also, there’s a fiddle duel on a pirate ship. “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” style.)
Do you have an excerpt for us?
This is one of my favorite pieces of The Saltwater Heir: our introduction to one of the POV characters, Finnick Atlas!
“Now, hang on. I think we can all agree this was an honest mistake.”
Prince Finnick Atlas backed away slowly from the rough-hewn table, the soles of his sandals sticking to dried puddles of beer and discarded bits of candied coconut, an innocent smile decorating his face. Not that they could see it with his scarf wrapped carefully around the lower half of his face and his hat jammed over his telltale hair. He was a lot of things, not many of them good, but he wasn’t a complete fool.
Just half of one. Maybe a third, if he was being generous with himself.
He had three minutes to wrap this up before the barkeep kicked one of them out.
He caught said barkeep’s eye and tugged twice at his earlobe. She narrowed her eyes at him, a silent groan of Must you? written all over her face.
He gave her a pleading look. She sighed, but gave in with a weary nod, plucking all breakable glasses from the bar itself. Not exactly the best show of faith, but he’d take it.
The hulking mass of a man he’d just beaten in a game of cards—not all that high-stakes, definitely not worth all this fuss—drew himself to his feet, his club-like hands slamming into the table with such force the driftwood chandeliers on the ceiling rattled. “Oh, it was a mistake, all right. But far from an honest one.”
What’s your next project?
I’m currently working on the fourth book in my series, which will be released March 15th, 2025!
How can readers find your books?
Paperbacks:
(Use code NEWSLETTER for free shipping on your order!)
E-book:
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