One Indie Author’s Journey and the Unexpected Places it Took Me. By CL Walters

This week I’m proud to post a guest blog from the estimable CL Walters. I know what CL stands for and you don’t — so I’ve got that going for me, which is nice.

In all seriousness, I’m thrilled to share a post from my cousin, the beautiful and talented CL Walters. She’s a wordsmith and a story-cranking indie author. Pick a book, buy it, and read. You won’t be disappointed. Personally, I love The Trials of Imogene Sol and In the Echoes of This Ghost Town.

Without further ado…

One Indie Author’s Journey and the Unexpected Places it Took Me. By CL Walters

I jumped into becoming an indie author because of Mike (Thank you, Mike!). The reality of my journey is that I’d been stuck in the hamster wheel of querying traditional publishing for over eleven, twelve years. But I’m skipping part of the story. Allow me to back up.

First: hi! I’m Cami, I write as CL Walters, and I have seventeen published titles to my indie author name. I wrote my first story when I was nine. The tale was about a World War II veteran (At nine? Yeah. No idea where it came from) riding the bus to meet his war buddy at a designated spot, but when the elderly man arrives, he sets down the flowers he’s been carrying on his friend’s gravesite. (I was a strange kid). I read the story to my mom and she cried. That experience hooked me on being able to create emotion with words. I  haven’t stopped writing since. 

I wrote and wrote and wrote. Went through my Emily Dickenson attic living poetry era. I majored in English literature. Wrote some more. I wrote my first novel and put it in a drawer. Wrote another, followed by another, and another. None of them published (and they shouldn’t have been since I was learning my craft). But then I wrote Swimming Sideways, and it really felt like something special. An upper YA novel, Abby Kaʻiaulu decides hiding parts of herself is the best way to start over in a new school in order to keep the secrets of her past, but secrets don’t stay hidden and neither can we. decides hiding parts of herself is the best way to start over in a new school in order to keep the secrets of her past, but secrets don’t stay hidden and neither can we. This book felt like the most honest story I’d ever written.

I submitted it for traditional publication only to face rejection, again. Over and over until I tucked my tail, put the story away, and slid into my Mr. Holland’s Opus timeline to accept my existence as writing teacher forgoing my dreams to teach the youth. (I might be a touch dramatic as well).

Enter scene: Mike Walters. 

He read Swimming Sideways and said, “Why isn’t this published?” 

I shrugged. 

He replied, “Do it yourself!”

Inspired by HIS journey, six years later, I’ve independently published under my publishing imprint Mixed Plate Press 17 books, one of which is Swimming Sideways but the one I’d like to share with you today: The Trials of Imogene Sol.

Up to writing Imogene Sol, I’d spent most of my writing in contemporary fiction. I was in between novels and for my newsletter and social media followers, I asked them to choose a mash-up of categories for me as a writing exercise, and I promised to publish the result of their vote as a serial (chapter-by-chapter) in my newsletter. The voting results: scifi, adventure, and romance. While I was familiar with romance and could buy into the adventure, SciFi threw me a bit…

But was it really so surprising though? I loved scifi as a child. My favorite book was But We Are Not of Earth by Jean. H. Karl and my favorite movies were E.T.,  Space Camp, and Star Wars. I spent time watching Star Trek with my dad and thinking that one day I would be an astronomer. But when I sat down to write Imogene Sol, I’d forgotten all about that. 

Never one to back down from a healthy challenge, I jumped in and wrote the story, publishing each chapter to my newsletter as planned. When I finished the story, I was like:

That was fun. And I moved on, going forward to publish The Messy Truth About Love.

But like many characters from stories I write, despite moving on, Imogene wouldn’t stop talking to me. 

“Psst. Cami…” she’d say.

I was like: “Shhh. I’m done with you.” 

But she huffed an incredulous snort and said, “No, b*tch, you’re not.” 

To which I rolled my eyes and said, “Fine! I’ll take a look.” 

And like any good author, I tried to ignore the voice, until I couldn’t. I reread, then revised, and realized that Imogene was in fact right: her story wasn’t done. I wrote more and published The Ring Academy: The Trials of Imogene Sol. This action-adventure space opera follows Imogene Sol in her final year at The Ring Academy. With her life on the line, she is in a race against the clock to discover who’s trying to ruin her life, but who can she trust? It is an Ender’s Game meets Hunger Games meets Fourth Wing, with heart-pounding, action-adventure mystery where the truth will shock you.

And of course, Imogene hasn’t quieted down even after getting her book. I’m in the process of writing the next one in Imogene’s story titled The Cipher of Tolo (planned release for early March) and have outlined two more books in this world to close out her story. 

To think, if Mike had not inspired me to publish Swimming Sideways, Imogene’s story wouldn’t exist (and it’s his favorite, or so he’s said). If you’d like to follow my writing journey, I can be found writing on Substack. And any of the books I’ve mentioned are available wherever books are sold. 

Please take few minutes and check out C L Walters website by clicking on the button below.

C L Walters Website

Anyone leaving a comment will be entered in a random drawing and receive a copy of The Trials of Imogene Sol and In the Echoes of This Ghost Town.

As always, thanks for reading.

Mike