We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Candace Nola. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Candace below.

Candace, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

In 2019, I took the risk of publishing my first novel, Breach. A friend had tricked me into writing a story for a contest with her, but it turned out, she had no intention of writing it with me, nor was there a contest. She just wanted me to get back into my writing. Less than two months later, I had a novel and she told me to figure out what to do with it. So, I did. A year later, I started my website, Uncomfortably Dark, as a way to build an author platform and to do book reviews for other authors in order to build a network and to be as supportive as possible for the community that had welcomed me. Not quite five years later, I have multiple novels and novellas out, appear in over a dozen anthologies, and became a publisher with a well-known website and reviewer platform.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m an author from Pittsburgh, PA, a single mother of three, and I have a day job. I got into publishing as a result of a friend challenging me to take a chance on my writing. From that first self-published novel, I went on to continue my writing, winning several awards in the process and learning more about the craft and the industry. I created a publishing and reviewing platform for the indie horror community. I learned how to edit as well as format books and I also mentor other authors. I am most proud of creating a recognizable and respected brand within the community and love helping to support my peers and colleagues. I am a consistent supporter, and my platform is built on kindness, diversity, and inclusion for all. The mission statement of the platform is “bringing you the best in horror, one Uncomfortably Dark page at a time.” My personal logo is “be the kindness in the dark.” I stand behind both of these, the first is my commitment to my brand, my business, and my community. The second is my personal promise to those that support me.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to simply follow the only lifelong dream that I have ever had and to create a legacy that my kids can be proud of. It’s never too late to follow your dreams and I want my kids to know that. Being able to build something that may be able to one day support my family is motivation enough, building something that my kids can carry on into their futures, if they so choose, is another driving factor.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being able to tell the stories that I want to tell, how I want to tell them, and then seeing a reader relate to it in a positive manner. I write horror of all kinds, from graphic and extreme to gothic and haunting, but the story remains at the forefront at all times and each story carries a heavy dose of heart and emotion throughout.
I loosely base my stories on real experiences that I have had, real encounters, and scenarios. I keep my characters flawed and relatable, because humans are deeply flawed but yet, we find ways to overcome the worst of situations. If one person finds a bit of themselves in one of my stories, if they are able to find solace, comfort, or a sense of empowerment from one of my books, then that is payment enough for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.uncomfortablydark.com
• Instagram: https://Cnola.author
• Twitter: Candace_Nola

Image Credits

Unmasked Cover Art credited to Lynne Hansen.
Shadow Manor cover art credited to Grim Poppy Design.
Demons in my Bloodstream/Hank Flynn/ Bishop/Baker’s Dozen cover art credited to Don Noble of Rooster Republic. Beyond the Breach cover art credited to Greg Chapman.