Creative Coffee Chats: Meet Indie Author Alina Kramer

Welcome to another installment of Creative Coffee Chats–a series of Q&A-style interviews with creators of all kinds, where we discuss their craft and creative processes.

When someone balances sweeping romantasy, chilling horror, and life as a professional circus acrobat, you know that the conversation will be anything but boring. 

That’s why I’m thrilled to be kicking off the New Year with an interview with indie author Alina Kramer! 

Growing up in New England, it’s no wonder that Alina was first pulled into writing through horror themes. “I grew up in one of those strange little towns that feels like it was pulled straight from a Stephen King novel,” she said.  

While she writes horror under a different pen name and also ghostwrites (no pun intended), the author focuses her pen name Alina Kramer on sharing romantasy tales–a stark contrast to her home life caring for 40 chickens with her long-term partner! 

Read on to learn about how Alina conceived the idea for her epic Star Crossed Crown series. 

What was the process of coming up with the concept behind The Godslayer?

I generally come up with an "emotional support scene" first that ends up as the basis for the whole plot. For The Godslayer, I cooked up the duel-to-the-death scene first, and the whole story expanded outward from there. There are definitely other threads of influence woven in throughout the process, including a certain Elden Ring DLC boss fight and nods to The Witcher. 

Overall, once I committed to growing the story into something more, I think it took less than a week to outline and plot the whole of the first book.

What would you say are the themes of this book? Will that theme carry into book two?

The series definitely takes a deep dive into the ideas of feminism, femininity, and the concept of womanhood as a whole. Trauma and healing are both running themes throughout the series as well.

Were there any challenges you faced while bringing this story to life?

For The Godslayer, it was actually really smooth! Writing The Midnight Serpent was a bit harder, though. I did worry a lot that the characters wouldn't feel consistent or that the plot wouldn't be as engaging as the first book. My family also suffered a really big loss right in the middle of my contract, too, and I found it really difficult to focus on writing after that for a bit.

I noticed that Syran almost blindly accepts his crossed star without question, while Lyanndra spends much of the book fighting against their union. In fact, she even says at one point, “I have fought against them all my life, and I will not back down now.”  Is this meant to be reflective of perhaps how some people struggle with faith in real life?

Yes and no. I think that Lyanndra's struggles against the bond are relatable in a lot of different contexts, and I think it's up to the reader to identify with those moments and their personal implications. My own personal take on it is more that Lyanndra struggles against the rigidness of a society that has never truly supported her, while Syran is content to follow the path because society has always accepted him.

The idea of "star-crossed lovers" traditionally alludes to a romance that is doomed or tragic (like Romeo & Juliet). What was the thought process behind labeling your main characters as "crossed stars?"

Funnily enough, I wasn't really thinking about that meaning when I came up with the terminology! Once it was time to name the fated mates mechanic in the story, I leaned into the celestial imagery used in the Demigod religion, and crossed stars made the most sense to me! But I do think it's an interesting connotation!

The second book of your Star Crossed Crown series released on January 15–Congratulations! What should readers be prepared for?

Yes, thank you! It's so exciting that it's finally out! Readers should be prepared for more spice, a whole lot of yearning, a new villain, some wild new creatures, a little bit of a genre rug-pull, and, of course, a nice cold side of betrayal!

If your book were made into a movie or TV show, do you have a dream cast you’d like to see play your characters?

Nope. In the true underdog spirit of indie authors, where we do our own marketing while competing with big publishers and established authors, I would hope that, in the unlikely event that the Star Crossed Crown series was ever adapted for screen, we'd get some equally underdog actors coming in to play the roles!

What advice do you have for other indie authors who are struggling to market their books?

It's hard, but it's easier with friends! Don't be afraid to reach out to other authors. Share resources. Ask questions. Hype each other up when you can. I know it can feel competitive at times, but the truth is that readers can read and love more than one book, and your success isn't hindered by another author's journey.

What's next for you? More books? Other creative works?

More books! I'm actually in the process of outlining Star Crossed Crown Book 3, and I've got March-May blocked off to write it. I'm also currently working on a standalone dark sci-fi romance while weaving through a few ghostwriting contracts. For The Godslayer, keep an eye open for news about special editions, audiobooks, and more! 

ABOUT THE GODSLAYER

When Lyanndra, a Starless maiden disguised as a male knight, defeats that Demigod King in a fiery battle, she earns the title of Godslayer from her people. At the same time, the fallen King's son, Syran, struggles beneath the weight of his crown. But when a curse binds Lyanndra and Syran, the sworn enemies must find a way to unite their hearts and the kingdom in the face of political plots, ancient prophecies, and the very gods that guide them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alina Kramer is an author and cryptid heralding from a marshy corner of New England. With a colorful writing career spanning over ten years, Alina is a popular horror author under a different pen name, and a prolific ghostwriter. She also provides editing, workshop, and support services to indie authors. When she's not writing, you can find her hanging around (literally) in her second job as a professional circus acrobat.

Connect with Alina on Instagram: @alina_kramer_author

Purchase The Godslayer (Book 1) and The Midnight Serpent (Book 2) on Amazon!

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