FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Can I read your books on my Kindle reader?

A: Yes! You can upload any of my books from Fictionwise.

Q: How do you come up with your ideas?

A: Often my stories come directly from my paintings. Sometimes a piece of music will create a picture in my head that starts me thinking about an alternate world or place. Also, people I meet and conversations I have inspire stories or characters.

Q: Do you map out your stories before you start?

A: I have a general idea of the plot and the settings. The characters I completely describe before I start writing about them so I remain true to who they are. The story seems to write itself once I get started, and of course there are always surprises in the way books unfold. Sometimes my characters surprised me!

Q: Do you ever revisit characters?

A: Short stories I do sometimes, but usually by the end of a book (or trilogy) that character has learned the lesson he or she needed to learn. It's hard for me to let them go, but I know it's best for them, and for my readers.

Q: What advice can you give me about becoming a writer?

A: My best advice is…write. There are days when I think I don't know where the story is going, and days when I just don't feel like writing. But I have sneaky tricks that I use on myself. Here's one: I will often say “Kelly, just get your character to the hotel,” or something along those lines. And often when I do that, I end up writing more than I thought I would.

If you mean how to become a published writer, then my advice is the same as above with the additional tasks of researching the market in which you want to publish, and also understanding how the publishing business works. After that you need lots of patience, and being OK with getting rejections, suggestions for improvement, and then some more rejections. :-)

Q: Who's your favorite character?

A: The one I'm working on is always my favorite.

Q: Who are the authors you read?

A: I read lots of everything, but I especially love fantasy, sci-fi, and what I call literary science books. (AKA, science written so I can understand it.) A few of my favorite authors are Arthur C. Clarke, Tanith Lee, Diane Ackerman. My most favorite books of all time are Tolkein's The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Trilogy .

Q: What's a normal day like for you?

A: If I'm spending the day writing, here's what I do. Coffee first. I start writing soon after I get up as I'm a morning person. I take breaks to check my email and OK, to pour more coffee, but pretty much hit it until lunchtime. I have lunch with my husband and then we might take a walk. After lunch I will write a few more hours and end early evening. I like having my evenings free to relax, but sometimes I will write a few more hours after dinner. Of course, that goes out the window if it's bright and sunny outdoors, because I'm like Moley in Wind in the Willows (another favorite book.)