We recently connected with Christine Layne and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, thanks for 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.

About a year ago, I had a wild idea—to set up author events with local breweries. I had seen a flyer in the taproom of a brewery for a book swap and wondered if they’d be open to the idea of hosting an author signing.
So I created an interest form for local authors, and right away had tons of signups. Then I started reaching out to breweries. I figured it was a numbers game, so I sent about 15 emails/inquiries. It was quiet for a few days, but then I started getting replies and they were all positive!
All of a sudden I had 7 breweries on board, and was completely overwhelmed. But I figured it out.
I ended up scheduling 10 events last summer, was invited back for 2 holiday markets, and built a rapport with a few breweries whom I’m now working with this year. I’ve also expanded my list to bookish vendors and am putting on bigger book fair events.
What started as a crazy thought, became an incredible endeavor that led me to new author friends, business relationships, and fresh opportunities I never would have had if I hadn’t ventured into this journey.

Christine, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I never thought I’d be a writer. The few things I wrote in my youth never went anywhere, so I didn’t pursue it.
Fast forward 25ish years after I became a mom. My baby didn’t sleep at night for months, so I started telling myself stories and after almost a year of that, I decided to write them down.
I now have self-published 4 romance novels, have 3 short horror stories in anthologies, am working on my own romance novella series, and have a whole slew of unpublished work.
I did all this through having kids and being a stay at home mom. It wasn’t easy, but I love writing and I have no intention of stopping.
My romantic side, Christine Layne, writes open door contemporary romance. I love the journey of two people connecting, falling in love and having their happily ever after. I try to write different characters and tropes so everyone can find something to enjoy.
My alter ego, RC Lehan, writes darker material. Horror and dystopian romance are the big genres I dabble in on the side. I enjoy taking a break from the fluff and diving into grittier, messier characters and storylines. It’s cathartic in its way.
Recently, I began putting together author events with breweries. I invite other authors to join me so I can share the wealth. These events (so far) have been free for us to do, which is nice being a fairly unknown indie author. I don’t have the startup funds to travel or to pay huge table fees for big events, so these allow me to get my books out into the world and meet readers on a tight budget. I also get to help my fellow Colorado authors in the process so it’s wonderful.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My first ever fully finished story was a zombie apocalypse novel. It was the first thing I had ever written from beginning to end, and I absolutely love it. It hasn’t been published, but will be one day.
Once I had written it, had it critiqued, and spent countless hours making it “perfect”, I decided to query it.
Back then, I thought you had to have agent and a publishing deal to be a real author. But the process of querying is exhausting.
It was completely discouraging to receive nothing but rejections, but I was determined to be an author.
I had a few romance stories stirring in my brain, so I wrote one down. I decided that I could self publish it under a pen name and then I would be able to at least say “there, I did it!”
But then the publishing bug bit me and I never stopped. I kept going with the romance genre, which is why the zombie novel hasn’t been published yet.
But if I hadn’t pivoted and chosen to try self publishing, I probably would still be querying that book.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Stop using AI.
That’s it. Full stop.

AI has its applications in the world, I don’t deny that, but it should not be used for creating. Don’t use AI for something you can pay an actual artist for. Don’t use AI to write a book, paint a picture, compose a song—those are things for humans to do.
AI is a tool and should be used as such. Need help framing a sentence or finding the right word? Sure, ask for help, but don’t let it be your voice. Looking for the perfect color to capture the image in your head? Let AI give you examples, but don’t let it do your brushwork.
The best way to support artists and creatives, is to commission them for the work they love so much, not the computer throwing art together with no emotion behind it.

Contact Info:

• Website: Https://www.writebetweenthinesllc.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinelayneauthor?igsh=MTJ3ZnpvZ3RteXhzMw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17xt9rVAv3/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Other: TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@christine.layne40?_r=1&_t=ZP-94RK01NaHmB

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