RomanceLahoma Speaker Spotlight: Candice Gilmer

Candice Gilmer is a USA Today and NY Times bestselling author. Her novels range from vampires and werewolves to mermaids and fairies to contemporary and fairy tale romances.

You can meet Candice at RomanceLahoma 2025. Check the schedule to see when Candice will be speaking.

Ariel, Editor: Tell us something unique about yourself that readers might find interesting.

Candice: "I sleep with a weighted blanket every night, year-round. I have to have that weight on me when I sleep. And I have to chew gum when I write."

What are you currently reading?

Candice: "Several books. I have 2 business books -- one is Newsletter Ninja (though I've read it once before) and Strangers to Superfans -- that I'm reading right now. I also keep adding to my digital TBR, and pretty soon, even my Kindle is going to say, 'That's it. You've bought enough!'"

Could you share a bit about your background and what sparked your writing journey?

Candice: "I have written most of my life, while I worked as a hairdresser for 27 years, and post-COVID, I now work from home doing tech support for a cable company.

I've always had stories in my head. I think I wrote my first story when I was in high school. I was grounded from everything because of my grades (I didn't really do homework in school. I never saw the purpose when I already got the concept), and that grounding included reading for fun, so I started writing my own stories to entertain my brain."

Did you have any author role models or literary influences growing up who shaped your writing?

Candice: "I can't say that I have any influences, per se, but I remember, I loved sci-fi (like Star Wars type stuff) and I also read a lot of romance novels in all sorts of genres. It wasn't until I read Katie McAlister that I found my style. That the stories I was attempting to write were something that was sellable, and that publishers were looking for that kind of thing."

I periodically yell at my muse when he starts overloading me with stuff. (Yes, he's a boy. His name is Aqua…

How do you approach your writing process from initial idea to finished work?

Candice: "I start typically with a concept. Many times, they come from dreams or nuggets of ideas from any random thing, honestly. I may spend time building them up in my head, putting them on the back burner while I'm working. I periodically yell at my muse when he starts overloading me with stuff. (Yes, he's a boy. His name is Aqua. And he's always got something new for me to write. He likes me writing fiction. I've toyed with a few non-fiction ideas, and he's not been as keen on those. But fiction, he's all about.)"

How do you deal with creative blocks when you're in 'The Zone'?

Candice: "I go do something else. I have a tiny attention span, and it's easy for me to get distracted anyway. So sometimes it helps to take a long shower or clean when I'm alone, and allow myself to just talk. If I'm stuck, sometimes I'll just talk myself right out of the problem. Or I'll go do something like, uh, rebuild my website or update all the graphics or something that's completely unrelated, but I can actually get done in a short amount of time."

How did you choose your editor? What advice would you give to writers looking for one?

Candice: "References from other authors who have good books. Also, I have been really lucky because I was small press traditionally published, and when my publisher closed, I was still able to work with my editor on later projects. I have several people who have edited my books, including my daughter, who has a bachelor's degree in English and has designs to work in publishing."

Could you share your publishing journey with us? How many books have you published so far?

Candice: "I started back in the early 2000's trying to learn how to be published. Way back then, the only way to get published was to do it traditionally, so I explored that route, spending weekends at the library or the Barnes and Noble so I could get the latest list of publishers who took open submissions, not to mention all the agents who were taking submissions. Then I'd go home and cross-check online. Eventually, I published my first book with Samhain Publishing in 2008, and then published several with Lyrical Press. I went back and forth between the two until 2015, when the publishers closed and gave me my rights back, and I went full-on indie. I was fortunate at the time to be around a group of fellow romance authors who knew the ins and outs of self-publishing and were willing to answer my questions and help me get moving in the right direction. From there, I just kept going. Writing more books, republishing the ones that were with the publishers, and then writing new ones. It's been a process, and I learn something with every book I publish, but now, I'm at almost 40, so I'm in it for the long run, I suppose. :)"

Don't worry about all the other things--write the book.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers who wish to follow in your footsteps?

Candice: "A. B. C. Apply Butt To Chair. The thing that hangs up most writers is the writing. Don't worry about all the other things--write the book. Read about genre, about tropes, about Goals, Motivation, and Conflict. Know your craft and write the best book you can. And while it's great to get hung up on everything else, remember, you can't edit a blank page, and you can't sell a book with no pages. So write the book. Marketing comes later."

Where can we find you online?

Candice:

• Facebook

• TikTok

• Instagram

• Goodreads

• Threads

• Bookbub

Readers, please enjoy this picture from Candice’s phone with no context. I wish my spouse wasn’t allergic to cats. Soo cute!