Interview with C.S. Poe

Published 2020-02-28.
Describe your desk
My desk is absolutely free of any clutter with the exception of my desktop computer, Edgar Allan Poe and Gudetama figurines, Yorik skull, and a coffee cup. Anything more in my immediate "work space" stresses me out.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I think I was six. It was called, Chikey and Friends. It was about a chicken and his bird friends.
When did you first start writing?
The very first time—six.
When I began to take it more seriously as an art—eleven.
But I was twenty-seven when I finally decided I'd practiced long enough and had found a voice worth publishing. My first short story was released in 2015 and my first novel in 2016.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Playing with my cats, practicing violin, learning languages, reading, always on the hunt for good food.
What are you working on next?
In the first quarter of 2020 I'm working on Magic & Steam, which is a gay steampunk series set in 1882 New York City, with action, adventure, and plenty of romance! The second quarter of 2020 will see the start of a new contemporary mystery series called Memento Mori, with law enforcement officers in New York City.
What do you read for pleasure?
I'm all over the place. I do read a lot of gay romance, especially in the genres of mystery, suspense, and paranormal, but I also love history books, the classics of Ancient Greece and the Victorian Era, as well as science topics.
How do you approach cover design?
I rarely have solid ideas when it comes to covers. Sometimes vague concepts or at least colors I want to see used, but this is a prime example of how important it is to hire a talented graphic designer who will listen and work with you and the content to create something unique and grabbing.
Who are your favorite authors?
Oh gosh. There are so many, this is always a trick question. I will share my favorites outside of my immediate genre, so I don't accidentally leave someone out... Edgar Allan Poe, Lewis Carroll, and William Shakespeare.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I actually only use the app on my phone! I don't own an e-reader, and still prefer paperbacks when I have a choice.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Feeding my cats, followed by a cup of coffee, then once I'm awake and no longer grumpy, the excitement of stringing together words and creating a piece of art out of nothing.
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Curio
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Llewellyn Cooper runs Curio Cabinet in New York City with his kooky aunt, where he crushes after customer, Henry McLaughlin. And just when a romance between them seems possible, Llewellyn realizes Henry might be too strange for his family—and that's saying something.
Broadway Butchery
Series: Memento Mori. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 77,170. Language: English. Published: June 22, 2023 . Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » Police Procedural, Fiction » Romance » LGBTQ+ » Gay
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Cold Case detective Everett Larkin is called to a scene with a mummified woman inside the wall of a Broadway souvenir shop. He wastes no time bringing forensic artist and boyfriend Ira Doyle into the investigation when a mysterious VHS tape is delivered to their home, and an all-new Victorian mourning themed mystery begins to unfold.
Subway Slayings
Series: Memento Mori. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 73,100. Language: English. Published: October 28, 2022 . Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » Police Procedural, Fiction » Romance » LGBTQ+ » Gay
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A body found in the New York City subway system leads Cold Case Detective Everett Larkin to investigating the homicide and its relation to already unsolved crimes. And with the discovery of postmortem photographs, Detective Ira Doyle of the Forensic Artists Unit joins the investigation. The two race to uncover the identity of a murderer stalking the streets, while falling in love at the same time.
The Doctor
Series: Magic & Steam. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 66,630. Language: English. Published: May 26, 2022 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Steampunk & retropunk, Fiction » Romance » LGBTQ+ » Gay
1882—Gillian Hamilton, magic caster and Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Magic and Steam, has been stripped of his badge, title, and freedom. To make a tragedy worse, Gunner the Deadly has returned to his life out in the Wild West. But rumors of a doctor, known only as Sawbones, have persisted into the new year, and if Gillian is to confront this new madman, he'll need Gunner at his side.
The Mystery of the Spirits
Series: Snow & Winter. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 59,110. Language: English. Published: December 31, 2021 . Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » Amateur sleuth, Fiction » Romance » LGBTQ+ » Gay
(4.00 from 1 review)
Antique dealer and retired amateur sleuth Sebastian Snow is recruited to consult for the NYPD when a Victorian spiritoscope from the Spiritualism movement is discovered. The gizmo is connected to a series of murderous events in the city and Sebastian's newfound position puts him at odds with his husband Calvin Winter.
Madison Square Murders
Series: Memento Mori. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 73,320. Language: English. Published: September 28, 2021 . Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » Police Procedural, Fiction » Romance » LGBTQ+ » Gay
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An uprooted tree in Madison Square Park unearths a human skeleton and Cold Case detective Everett Larkin is sent to investigate. When a Victorian-style death mask is also found with the remains, he asks for help from Forensic Artist Ira Doyle, and the two are quickly swept up in a series of old missing persons cases and a murderer obsessed with casting his victims' likeness in death.
A Friend in the Fire
Series: An Auden & O'Callaghan Mystery. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 70,550. Language: English. Published: April 29, 2021 . Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » Amateur sleuth, Fiction » Romance » LGBTQ+ » Gay
Army veteran, Sam Auden, and confidential informant, Rufus O'Callaghan, find themselves together again in New York City—this time digging into Rufus's turbulent past as they seek to uncover a killer behind a series of contemporary murders that have a mysterious connection to Rufus's mother. If they don't work quickly, they'll undoubtedly become the next targets.
Interlude
Series: Snow & Winter Collection. Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 35,740. Language: English. Published: April 8, 2021 . Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » Amateur sleuth, Fiction » Romance » LGBTQ+ » Gay
A collection of short stories spanning the complete timeline of the Snow & Winter series. Please note: While many of these titles were previously made available for free to readers, they have all since been rewritten, expanded, and edited for this collection. Several shorts are brand-new and exclusive, including Someone’s in the Wall, St. Louis What Now?, and Trope: Only One Bed.
The Gangster
Series: Magic & Steam. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 62,960. Language: English. Published: January 12, 2021 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Steampunk & retropunk, Fiction » Romance » LGBTQ+ » Gay
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Joy
Series: A Lancaster Story. Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 21,820. Language: English. Published: September 14, 2020 . Categories: Fiction » Romance » LGBTQ+ » Gay, Fiction » Romance » Contemporary
Gideon Joy's tragic bad luck strikes again as he hits a moose while on a cross-country trip. He also strikes the car of local construction worker in small town, Lancaster, New Hampshire—Silas Bright. Their dislike quickly turns to mutual attraction, but Gideon fears Silas won't have the patience to weather endless disastrous dates before realizing Gideon isn't worth his time or energy.
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