We were lucky to catch up with Christine Layne recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Christine, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
Trigger warning: depression and suicide talk.
I haven’t always been the most optimistic person. Throughout high school and into college, I battled with depression. I still do from time to time, but I am in a much better place in life to be able to deal with those intrusive thoughts and have learned how to properly talk myself through the lows.
Being depressed is like being stuck in a hole, and every time you try to climb out, a piece of the wall breaks and you slide farther down. Getting out is the absolute best feeling in the world, but it takes work, and staying down is just easier.
In 2013, I started a new job. I was so excited because I had been working retail and hated the rotating shifts. This new job was set hours, weekend and holidays off, and was all done over the phone. No more in-person customer service for me! The only problem was being on the phone gave people more courage to treat me poorly. I was yelled at all the time, even for things that weren’t my fault! Eventually, I spiraled into depression over all of it. I used to sit in the parking lot for ten minutes just willing myself to get out of my car. One morning, my alarm went off and I actually thought killing myself would be better than going to work.
That kicked my butt in gear.
It was such an outrageous, horribly intrusive thought that I refused to let it fester. No job was worth that mental anguish. I immediately emailed my boss and told him I wasn’t coming back. It was the only time I walked out of a job without notice. I felt guilty, but removing that weight from my shoulders was so satisfying, I didn’t care.
From that moment on, I decided that no one, not even myself, is allowed to treat me like that. Now, whenever I have the beginnings of intrusive thoughts, I simply take a moment and redirect my mind. It definitely took some time to learn, and I do struggle still, but I have been happier in the last decade than ever before.
And I have no intention of letting that go.
I have found that it is so much better to look for the bright side of things, to seek out the joy in life rather than harp on the negative. I would rather be optimistic and have hope, than fret and worry about what might happen. This way of thinking has done wonders for not only my mood, but my confidence as well. I feel better about the choices I make because I am choosing my happiness over all else.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I write open-door contemporary romance novels. That means they all follow the story of people falling in love, and the reader gets to see all their intimate moments. I feel it’s the best way to properly show the connection between the characters, because intimacy is when we’re at our most vulnerable. I published my first novel, Because of Blake, in June 2023 and my most recent release, Holden On (To You), came out in March 2025. Currently, I am working on several different projects to be released over the next three years. Some are novellas, others are full length novels.
I love taking the ideas from my head and putting them on paper for someone else to read. It’s a surreal feeling to watch something I imagined coming to life. It’s even more surreal to know people out in the world are enjoying my weird little fantasies.
That’s definitely the most exciting part of what I do; seeing people enjoying my books. Whenever I get a new review, or a mention on social media, or an email from a reader, my heart soars. As artists, we create so that people can consume. That’s what makes our job so important. People consuming our art as a means of escape from reality is the best form of flattery we can get.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The first one that comes to mind is discipline. I have always been very responsible with my time, and have been able to keep myself on track, so self-discipline comes easy for me. Being able to effectively and efficiently balance life with writing time is necessary when you’re working for yourself. The other two I would say are flexibility and humbleness. My writing is primarily done during the day while my kids are at school. Their school hours allow me at least two hours worth of writing time every day, but those two hours are not guaranteed. I also have to work around school functions, appointments, and other life events. Being flexible with my schedule lets me get my responsibilities done so that I can focus on my writing when needed.
Humbleness is simply a good quality because it helps you keep an open mind, which will always help you improve where needed. No one is perfect at anything, and being humble helps you continue to learn.
My advice to anyone starting on any new skill or new journey, is to be patient with yourself and don’t bite off more than you can chew. Give yourself realistic and attainable goals, otherwise you’ll never hit your marks and get discouraged easily. If you struggle with self-discipline, give yourself a reward for meeting a goal that’s just out of reach. For example, I used to get distracted by social media, so I would time myself. If I could focus on writing without picking up my phone for an hour, I got a chocolate. If I stayed off my phone and hit my word count goal, I got a Starbucks treat. Take it all in small steps and it’ll make the bigger ones easier to take.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
The most important person in this writing journey has been my critique partner. We met early on in my writing career and started by swapping manuscripts. We read for each other, gave suggestions and constructive criticism, and answered any questions we may have had. The first swap was so successful, we decided to keep going. She has been writing longer than me, so she had more experience, but we have both grown so much over the past few years. Our writing has become stronger, our character development and arcs have become smoother, and I know for me at least, the process of writing and developing a cohesive plot has become easier.
She’s the first person I think of when I get a win. I message her whenever I get a good review or rating, or if I sell a book, or if I get kind words from a reader. She wholeheartedly understands the feeling and celebrates with me.
She’s also the person I go to when I need a pep talk. There are lows with the highs, and she just gets it. I can lament to her about anything and she’s always there with something uplifting to say.
Because of all this, we have also become great friends. We don’t always talk about writing. Sometimes we just talk about life events or the frustrations of being a mom and writer. We share stories and memes constantly, and I can honestly say that I would not be the author I am if it wasn’t for her.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @christinelayneauthor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18wPeXxrp9/
- Other: Threads: @christinelayneauthor TT: @christinelayne.40
