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The rise of the romantasy genre has been one of the major factors that has caused a significant shift in the book publishing industry over the last decade. one of publishing's most dramatic shifts in recent years. This has largely been driven by the popularity of online bookish communities like BookTok, where readers realised that their own community was capable of creating the type of books they wanted to read and didn’t have to wait for traditional publishers to meet that demand. Therefore, as this genre surged, so did a new wave of independent authors who are choosing to publish their stories on their own terms in order to share their work with the book community.
C.R. Bradshaw is one of those self-published authors. Her debut novel, Creation of Shadows, is a dark romantasy written and released in a time where Australian readers have never been more aware or hungry for books in this genre of fiction.
We’re proud to have printed this debut novel here at FolioFox, and recently invited Claudia (C.R Bradshaw) to let us trial our new sprayed edge printing machine—which you can see in the photos of this article. Amidst all this excitement, we also thought it would be great to learn more about the story behind her book and what her self-publishing experience has been like.
Here's what she had to say.
Meet C.R Bradshaw, author of Creation of Shadows
Hi Claudia! Thanks for joining us in exploring your debut in this case study Q&A. First and foremost, what inspired you to write Creation of Shadows? How did the story come to you and how long has it been in the making?
I have always wanted to be an author. As a kid, short stories were an outlet I loved to utilise. Creation of Shadows came to me at a time where I felt least in control of myself as a person—during pregnancy with my first daughter. This story became an outlet for me to explore those thoughts and feelings while telling something beautiful.
My main character, Neeve, does not have a lot of control over the expectations of herself, but she is fighting to maintain her own person. This story has taken 4.5 years and it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. I have had so many ups and downs. Oftentimes, I genuinely thought “This is it, I am done.”, but I am so proud that I continued to fight for myself, this journey and these characters.
For anyone learning about it for the first time, how would you describe Creation of Shadows, and what can readers expect from it (without spoilers obviously)?
Creation of Shadows is a multi-POV story following Neeve, through the events of being sold through an arranged marriage to an opposing court. She must do so to protect her younger sibling. Neeve holds no status amongst the courts, but she is strong in the ways that count. Kheelan knows more than he should and he will do anything to not only protect his people but to protect the woman he has selected to marry.
Dark romantasy is having a huge cultural moment right now, from BookTok to mainstream bestseller lists. Where do you think Creation of Shadows sits in that space, and what do you think it brings to the genre that readers will love?
Honestly, I just hope it lives up to the hype that so many of these books are bringing for this moment to occur.
I hope Creation of Shadows offers women who are battling for their own strength that piece of light in the dark.
I think they will love the banter—my characters bring such great witty banter to the reader experience.
Fantasy world building at this scale is an enormous undertaking. What was the hardest part of bringing this world to life on the page?
Coming up with the names! Originally, they were very, what I describe, as basic. Coming up with the courts “Elthrya” and “Varellin” was most certainly the trickiest part.
We work with a lot of self-publishing authors, so we love that you’ve chosen this publishing pathway as well. So we’d love to know, what made you want to self-publish? What was the thinking behind it, and was it an easy decision to make?
This was such an easy decision. I wanted to go with the cover I chose by the designer I chose - Katherine from Elegance Bound, who made the cover from scratch. I barely gave her an idea. If I went through the query process (and that in itself sounded like a lot of work), I didn't want a company to say “yes, but” especially when it came to my cover or my editor. I went with who I went with for a reason, and I am proud of the efforts they put into this book just as much as I am my own.
How have you found the process of self-publishing? Was it as you expected?
Navigating platforms is definitely the hardest, there were imperfections in the first few rounds of printing that are entirely my fault, but nobody is perfect. This story speaks for itself and thankfully I caught them in time (on occasion). I have had so many setbacks but I am so glad that I pushed through.
Indie authors are often not just writers, but also essentially running their own little creative business. What are your thoughts or processes about the business side of being an author and how do you manage it?
Square is my best friend financially and my cover creator, Katherine, is the all time best at helping me create merchandise. I have some really exciting things in the works. I have a perfume blend design created with Aura and Alchemy! Running a business is fun, although it definitely has learning curves. I want every book that someone purchases through me to be an experience for the reader!
The romantasy and dark fantasy community online is incredibly active. Has this influenced your approach to marketing Creation of Shadows? What do you think has worked, or hasn’t worked, for you when it comes to building an audience and getting your book in front of readers?
Marketing who? This has been one of the last things I have done. At times I find myself worrying about this but on other occasions I am just proud to stand alongside other authors and say “I did it”. I am a busy mum of 2, I run a charity and I work outside of being an author. My book will find the right people and when it does, I hope it changes their life.
I would love to be “the next best”, but right now I am grateful to have reached over 100 readers, to be published, and to say “I am an Author.”
Based on your experience, what do you think are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing? Would you still recommend it to aspiring debut authors? What advice could you give them when it comes to navigating the self-publishing journey?
Look into everything! From ISBN’s to street teams, to beta and alpha readers. Your editor matters and your cover is so important! But also go with your gut. Do what feels right and do not allow anyone to sway you from the decisions you feel are right for your book.
Physical books including their covers, look & feel — the entire aesthetic, has become a really important aspect for the dark romantasy subgenre. How did you approach the production of Creation of Shadows, and what did you want readers to feel when they saw it and picked it up?
My cover originally was a red background with my hand scribbled snakes and the name “Creation of Shadows”. So I sent that and a pinterest board to Katherine from Elegance Bound, and she did the rest. A lot of the vibe, including the marketing is shaped from that.
For sending it out to readers—when they purchase through me, I sign every copy, hand wrap it and include a thank you card. I think it’s important that the reader feels appreciated and that this experience feels special and magical.
What was it like to hold the finished printed copy for the first time?
WILD! Seeing the FolioFox prints for the first time was genuinely crazy. It’s so overwhelming to see your book in your hand.
We were super excited to offer you some copies with sprayed edges whilst trialling our new edge printing service, particularly because we felt like it would fit the vibe of your book perfectly. So, what was your reaction when you saw them for the first time, and do you think special edition finishes are becoming an expectation from readers in your genre?
I was so grateful to be included in this! The edges are beautiful and they fit so gorgeously with the theme of the book. I do think there is an expectation to have [special editions] now, but these first sprayed edge copies are very special collector’s editions for my loved ones. I will never ever take that opportunity for granted.
With Creation of Shadows now out into the world, what’s next on your to do list? Is this the first in a series? Where do you want to take your work from here?
I do plan to write another book, I have no time frame on it though, and then I think I might explore other genres. It's very up in the air right now. I am trying not to place too much pressure on myself.
Grab a copy of Creation of Shadows, Out Now
“She was meant to be a simple trade.
They never expected her to survive.
Shadow-touched and blood-bound, Neeve is forced into a role she never wanted, all to stall a war no one is willing to name.
But with every step towards her future, the truth grows louder-about her powers, her past and the legacy she was never meant to inherit.
Freedom always comes at a price.
She just doesn't know who will pay it ... yet.”
Thank you so much for chatting with us, Claudia! We can’t wait for more readers to discover Creation of Shadows and your future novels.
You can order yourself a print copy online on Claudia’s website, or find it in-store at the Woodland Collection (VIC) , Unwritten Blends (NSW) and MacLean's Booksellers (NSW).
We're proud to support independent Australian authors by bringing their stories to print. If you have a book you're ready to publish, get in touch as we'd love to be part of your journey.
Print Specifications:
- Internal/Text Pages: 70gsm Creamy Bookpaper
- Cover: 250gsm Standard Silk/Satin + Gloss Lamination
- Finish Size: 133mm x 203mm (5.25" x 8")
- Binding: PUR Perfect Binding
- Additional Finishing: Limited run of CMYK 3-edge printing
- Digital Printing by FolioFox, printed & bound in Melbourne, Australia.
