Author Interview with Candice McCain

Recently, I shared my review of Facing Fear, Finding Hope by Candice McCain. She was gracious enough to mail me a copy of her book and I read the whole thing in one sitting. You can read my review here. Today, I’m sharing an author interview with Candice as we chat about her book and her life.

Eliza: Your book has excellent reviews and one of my favorites is this 5-star review from someone named Mitchell. I thought I would share this little snippet: “This book reminds us that support can come from the most unexpected places, and that even a single act of kindness can have a profound impact.” I just love the idea that small acts of kindness can cause large ripples of change. Can you share an example of this in your life? (From the book or not!)

Candice: Small acts of kindness can definitely have a rippling effect! In my book, it took me reaching out to an old friend that put me on my road to recovery. When I stopped drinking, it stopped the chaos and worry that my family experienced because of my disease. That was a far-reaching ripple effect.

In every day, a person smiling at you or letting you go first in line makes your day more pleasant and can lift your mood.

If you bring good energy to people, they will feel it and it can help them as well. People who are grateful and/or appreciate these acts, may pass them forward to others. This happened to me when the person I didn’t know who was ahead of me in line at McDonald’s paid for my meal. I was overjoyed so I paid for the next person’s meal. I told my friends about it and they did the same.

It can take so little to be kind and yet it can have a big impact. You never know what the person in front of you is going through.

Eliza: Your book, FACING FEAR FINDING HOPE: Inspirational Vignettes of Courage and Resilience, is a memoir. Was it challenging to write such personal details about your own journey? How did you decide what to write about and which details to leave out?

Candice: Yes. My book is very personal but I didn’t find it hard to write about my experiences because time has passed and I feel that my book was more about hope, love, and miracles. It was uplifting for me. It also helped to think that someone else may benefit from my stories. I just poured my heart and soul into my book and didn’t concern myself with leaving out details.

Eliza: Your book deals with some heavy topics, including grief and addiction, but it manages to keep a hopeful outlook. Where do your resilience and strength come from?

Candice: One day at a time, my resilience and strength come from my higher power, the coping tools I learned in AA, my friends and family. Mostly, it was up to me to practice what I’ve learned. At the time of my father’s illness, there is no doubt that the love I had for him gave me the strength to carry on.

Eliza: I read your book in one sitting. I love this type of memoir because it feels very real and almost like I was having a conversation with you about your life. But you also have a very distinct writing voice. Do you plan to write more books in the future?

Candice: I am still taking my writing course so maybe.

Eliza: Your experience on the plane, where the flight attendant repeatedly asked you if you wanted a drink (while you were sober) was very eye-opening for me. I had never thought about how that might feel if you are trying to avoid drinking. I quit smoking years ago, but if in a stressful moment, someone came by and asked me if I wanted a cigarette multiple times, I know it would be hard to keep saying “no!” Do you think airlines should consider changing their policy on alcohol on planes?

Candice: In my situation, I felt there was no alternative but to pray. Drinking wasn’t an option! The first few weeks of getting sober were very difficult for me. I didn’t want to go back there and I needed to be sober for my work. I think when you are very determined to succeed, you try your hardest to do whatever you have to do.

However, I talk about my one-day relapse at 6 months and restarted my sobriety from day one. That day, my emotions got the better of me but I had enough AA to know that this was a losing proposition.

I don’t believe that airplanes should change their policy because it’s not about the airplane serving alcohol, it’s about one’s decision not to drink. However, it would be nice if they didn’t ask again.

Eliza: Is your book self-published or traditionally published? How did you choose which one would be best for you?

Candice: My book was published by a hybrid publishing company. I wrote it and they published and are promoting it. It’s not traditional publishing in the sense that I maintain control over the book and how it is marketed.

It’s a much longer and harder process to go through a traditional publishing house.

Eliza: How long did it take you to complete this book, from writing the first word to finishing the final draft?

Candice: It only took me a few months to write the book because it was already written down and in my memory. It was a passion project for me. The editing process took longer.

Eliza: What is your number one piece of advice for anyone out there who wants to write their own memoir?

Candice: Write your story authentically.

Eliza: Thanks so much for joining me today and please let people know where they can find your book!

Candice: Thank you for having me. You can find my book on Amazon, online at Indigo, and Barnes and Noble. In the next few months, it will be available in some of their stores.