Meet Christina Wallace

We recently connected with Christina Wallace and have shared our conversation below.

Christina, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I am a naturally competitive person if it is something I know that I am capable of. Writing a book may not seem like a competition, but it’s sort of like a competition with yourself: you can either win by finishing what you set out to do or quit.

When I first wrote The Light Keeper, I had been picked up by a publisher and had been working with them for over a year to get my book ready for launch. About six months prior to my release date, the publisher suddenly closed its doors. In the initial shock, I wanted to quit. I had felt like my dreams were so close, and then, in a flash, I was back to nothing. The truth, as I realized a few days later, was that I was not back to nothing. I had learned quite a bit about what self-publishing looked like, what steps needed to be taken, and how to get my book out there.

I don’t like to be told that I can’t do something. I kept a note on my desk at eye level that simply said, “I can.” Every time I felt down about the process or that it was too hard, I looked at my note and kept my eye on the prize.

Getting the first book out there was easier, as my publisher had already done the bulk of what was needed to get it ready. When I published book 2, I really learned what I was capable of. At times, I felt like I was drowning in due dates because I did not understand how long it takes for a custom book cover or for an editor to edit a book. I also had suffered a personal crisis during that time, and yet my note was still on my desk. As my pub date loomed, I reminded myself that I could, and I would.

I am a Christian, and one thing that I thank God for the most about myself is that he didn’t make me a quitter. No matter the challenge, I’ve been able to persevere and conquer.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I have known since grade school that I was meant to be a writer. I’ve been all over the place in my writing journey, from short movie scripts to fan fiction and writing in almost every genre. While I often shared my work with friends, I never tried to do anything with it. It was my husband who encouraged me that I had the raw skill to take my writing seriously.

If writing was what I was meant to do, then The Light Keeper is what I made to write. I published The Light Keeper on May 30, 2023. This book came to fruition through a short story I had written based on a writing prompt. That little story stuck with me and I had a feeling it needed to be something more. Before I knew it, I was developing it into a book, and before I finished book 1, I knew it would be a series. In November 2023, I published The Light Keeper and the Other World, book 2 in the series. I published The Light Keeper and the Worst Wish in July of 2024. Not only do I have six books planned in all for the series, but I have also have begun a collection of short stories that are part of the Light Keeper universe but precede the story.

I believe this series is meant to reach people. Yes, it is a middle-grade fantasy adventure in a similar vein to Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but it is also more. My books feature a flawed main character who learns from his mistakes and grows throughout the series. In book 1, he begins as a selfish, somewhat lazy 12-year-old who doesn’t take responsibility for anything. Readers get to see Isaac as he learns how his actions have consequences. They see him start to care about how the things he does affect others. Then Isaac displays great bravery, resilience, and a willingness to sacrifice. My books feature Isaac’s loving and supportive family, who always worry about him before he goes on these Light Keeper adventures, but they encourage him as well.

I think now, more than ever, our youth needs positive role models, and they need to see themselves in the characters they read about.

So, what is The Light Keeper series about?

Isaac finds a mysterious chest in his attic that once belonged to his grandfather. Inside the box were glass balls that glowed in his hands, but upon breaking one, a faerie appeared. The faerie, when addressed by his name which had been written on the glass, offers to perform any three tasks of Isaac’s choosing in exchange for his release. Isaac eagerly takes advantage of these tasks, letting the faerie do his chores. He goes on to release even more faeries, using the tasks to benefit him.

Crazy things begin to happen in Isaac’s town, and Isaac learns that faeries are to blame. Eventually, Isaac is caught and is told he is part of an ancient lineage of people called Light Keepers, and they have the responsibility of trapping faeries who cause harm to humans.

Isaac meets Yara, a 12-year-old girl who also happens to be his Guardian, someone who crafts the magical tools and weapons that Light Keepers wield. Together, they uncover the faeries’ plot to tear open the veil between the human and faerie worlds and work to stop it before it is too late.

As the series continues, Isaac and Yara discover the existence of a faerie called the High King, who desires to destroy the veil entirely to let faeries rule over the earth and enslave humans. The pair work hard to foil the High King’s plans, but they can’t do it alone. Each book takes Isaac and Yara to new locations and introduces new Light Keepers to help them on their way to saving the world.

My books are available from Amazon and most other retailers, but I offer hand-signed copies through my personal shop: https://authorcwallace.square.site/

You may visit www.authorcwallace.com to join my mailing list, read my blog, and keep up to date on all things Light Keeper.

I am also available for author visits at schools where I share not only my journey but also discuss the basics of books and walk the audience through a live writing exercise.

I have several events coming up where I will be meeting and greeting readers from all over and signing my books.
Join me at:
The Louiseville Book Festival – Oct 18 and 19th at the Kentucky International Convention Center
Bookwork Bayfest – Feb 8, 2025 The Brick House, Lake Charles, LA
Books By The Bay – Mar 29, 2025 in Pensacola, Fl
Nevermore Ball and Book Signing – Oct 18, 2025 Tybee Island, GA

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

First, I think having a good support team in place is so important. Writing is hard and it can feel very lonely. It helps to have people you can discuss your problems with, celebrate success, and to encourage you along the way. I’ve joined many Facebook groups and discord servers to chat with other writers who can relate to what I am going through. Not everyone has friends and family they are comfortable sharing their work with, but find your people.

Second, I think goal-setting is quality/skill of mine. I have undiagnosed ADHD and I can get very easily distracted by social media, email, and literally anything else if I do not have something I am working toward. Setting goals helps to keep me on track, and it can vary. A couple of years ago, I had set a goal of writing 100,000 words over the month of July, I broke it up into daily goals, kept track of it on a calendar, and worked toward it each day. Typically, I work backward from a deadline. If I signed a contract with my editor to give them my manuscript by X day, then I backtrack and estimate how many words I need to write each day, plus a few days for a re-read and minor edits. On a typical day, I aim to write about 3,000 words. This allows me to finish a complete draft in about a month. Your goals will likely not look like mine, but write your goals out and the steps you need to take to achieve it. Hold yourself accountable.

Last, being comfortable with making my own marketing materials. How I wish all I had to do as an author was write my book, but that is only the easy part! Once I learned how much marketing would play a role in future sales, I made a point to learn what platforms my readers are on, i.e. X, Instagram, TikTok, and what kinds of videos, photos, and posts perform well. I use Canva to make most of my marketing images, and I’ve done everything from audio book trailers, A+ content, ads, reels, and announcements. My first few projects were pretty rough, but I’m glad that I’ve gotten to a point where I know how to manipulate the things that I need for the result I want. Practice. Practice. Practice. You’d be surprised where else these skills can help you.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

The biggest challenge for me has been finding my audience. I’ve tried to run ads, but they can get expensive. While I market myself my best on social media, the algorithm has never been my friend, and very few of my posts are shown to anyone. It can be very disheartening to expend so much energy creating something that means the world to you, and then to have it go nowhere. That is my online reality. The truth of the matter is that people who have read my book mostly love it. I have many eager readers approach me at bookish events. So, to overcome my issue of not finding my audience, I am trying to go where my audience is. I’m signing up for more book festivals and I am trying to promote myself to schools for author visits.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://authorcwallace.com
• Instagram: http://Www.instagram.com/author_cwallace
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcwallace
• Twitter: http://Www.twitter.com/cwallace_author
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@author_cwallace
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thelightkeeper_official?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc