Book Spotlight for Heartsick

Today, a special treat. My neighbor (literally) Caitlin Sinead has a brand spankin' new book out - a new adult mystery! Check out all the deets after the jump!


Quinn is looking forward to her senior year at Poe University. She has big plans to hang out with her best friend, flirt with a certain boy genius, party at her favorite dive bar and figure out what she's going to do after graduation with her not-so-useful art major. But that's before she meets Luke, a hot townie who's moved back home to help take care of his dying sister. And it's before a weird epidemic sweeps across campus, mysteriously turning people's eyes purple.

Is it an odd side effect from a new party drug?

Is it a rogue virus developed in a campus lab?

Is it the mark of the devil?

Soon the town starts blaming the university and the student religious group becomes frighteningly aggressive in their on-campus accusations. Quinn and Luke are caught in the middle—until a tragic accident forces Luke to reveal the one part of himself he's kept carefully hidden. That he's so much more than the happy-go-lucky boy next door Quinn had believed him to be isn't a surprise…but this truth might be too dangerous for her to handle.

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Author Interview

Be completely honest: how much of your main character is really you?

Quinn doesn’t look like me and she’s much more brazen than I am, or was, in college. She’s also an artist, something I’ve always wanted to excel at but am rather abysmal at. However, there’s still a lot of me in her when it comes to how she views the world.

Why did you write your book?

I wanted to read it, but it wasn’t written yet, so…I had to write it. :)

Where do you see the publishing industry going in the future?

I think serial stories are going to become more prominent. I can see fiction writing taking on a more “episodic” nature, with new installments posting every week, like a TV show. This is already happening, of course, I just think it will continue to grow. But I also love the novel, as a format, so I certainly hope that won’t go away!

How do you market your book?

I try to make personal connections, first and foremost. Yes, it’s time consuming, but as a new author, I think it’s the best way to get a foothold in the community. I also have been focusing on getting reviews in the theory that few people won’t buy my book because I, the author, think it’s great (IMHO), but maybe they will if a third party tells them it’s great.

What social media works best for you from a marketing standpoint?

I think it’s too early for me to say as my book isn’t out yet, but I love Twitter for connecting with other writers. Writing and publishing has its ups and downs, and there’s nothing like the Twitter writing community when it comes to celebrating/commiserating.

What is the hardest part about publishing (to include writing, editing, marketing, branding, etc)

Not getting caught up in what everyone else is doing. I think you really do have to find your own path, which is both freeing and scary!

How do you handle receiving reviews?

As long as they’re not personal, I think I handle bad reviews pretty well. Even some three star reviews I’ve read have been rather glowing and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I do think, ultimately, reading reviews isn’t the most productive thing I could be doing, so I’m trying to quit. Heh. Of course, every time I resolve to do that, I refresh Goodreads “just one last time.”

How do you relax?

I like working out and doing yoga. And, of course, there’s nothing like having a glass of wine and writing!

What advice would you give your future self?

You wrote a book! So, you already succeeded! Stop Stressing so much! (Actually, I tell my current self that too. :) )

What advice would you give to other writers?

Get out there and enjoy life. Seriously. If all you do is zone in on publishing and writing and reading (while all that is very important!), you may find you don’t have much to write about.

About the Author

Catlin Sinead has a master’s degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University and her stories have earned accolades from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Glimmer Train, and Writers & Artists. Her debut novel, Heartsick, was published by Carina Press in February 2015.