For Wannabe Writers - Interview with Kate Smith

Hey, everyone! Do I have a treat for you today! ;)

The amazingly talented (and such a dear!) author Kate Smith agreed to give us an interview!

Enjoy!!!

Personal Information:
1) Name and Pseudonyms: Kate Smith aka Kady Cross, Kate Cross, Kate Locke and Kathryn Smith

2) Age: 40ish :-)
3) Gender: Female
4) Time you have worked, or have been working as a writer: I began writing at age 8. I sold my first book in 1999.
5) Institution you presently work at and have worked before as a writer: A bunch of awful retail jobs.
6) Level of Instruction: College graduate

About her Profession

1) Why have you become a writer? 
Because I can’t imagine NOT writing.

2) What would you say about your very first experience as a writer?
I’ll never forget the day I sold my first book. I was working at a job I didn’t like much, and the editor called me there. I spent the rest of my shift in a daze.

3) How do you view writing as a career? 
For me writing is my passion, not just a career. It’s something I have no choice in. It sounds weird, but I can’t stop writing anymore than I could stop breathing. If I go too long without working on a story I become irritable.

4) What could you say about your writing process? 
I like to plot and plan to an extent, and then I just start writing and see what happens. Each time I start a new series I have to give it its own binder that I turn into a bit of a ‘bible’ for those books. I use it to reference things that happen in other books so I can keep my facts straight.

5) Would you say that you are inspired and/or influenced by other writers? 
I would definitely say I’ve been inspired and influenced. I’m still finding new inspiration. There are so many fabulous authors and books out there -- I’ve barely scratched the surface!

6) Is there anything else you would like to add concerning your experience as a published author? 
Publishing can be a crazy business. It’s full of ups and downs, heartbreaks and disappointments. It is also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring writers? 
Don’t give up and read, read, read.

8) Please tell us about your new projects. 
Right now I’m finishing up the 3rd book in my Kate Cross written Steampunk romance series, The Clockwork Agents. The book is called Breath of Iron and will be out next summer. And then I’ll be writing the 3rd book in the Immortal Empire series for Orbit as Kate Locke.

9) Would you like to say anything else concerning your experiences in being a writer? Mention anything you consider important and you would like to share with us.  
I’ve made some of my best and beloved friends doing this job. It’s amazing to have that support -- people you can call through the good and the bad, and who always understand where you’re coming from.

3 Could you possibly complete the following statements?
Writing is…my life.
Learning to be a writer is …. difficult.

Being a writer is… Frustrating, rewarding, terrible and wonderful -- all at the same time.

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Kate Cross

Arden is an undercover agent for one of the most powerful organizations of this steam-powered world—the Wardens of the Realm, a group with extraordinary abilities, dedicated to protecting England against evil....

________________________________________________________________

Kady Cross

As Kady Cross, Kate is the award winning author of The Steampunk Chronicles from Harlequin Teen. The series has been published in Australia and Germany, and is scheduled to be published in Turkey, France, England and Italy in 2012. It will also be released in Japan.

THE GIRL IN THE STEEL CORSET

THE GIRL IN THE CLOCKWORK COLLAR

THE GIRL WITH THE IRON TOUCH (June 2013)

Find out more at KadyCross.com!

Kate Locke

As Kate Locke, Kate is the author of the Urban FantasyGOD SAVE THE QUEEN (Immortal Empire #1), available in hardcover from Orbit.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

THE QUEEN IS DEAD (Feb 2013)

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN (late 2013)

Find out more at KateLocke.com

Kathryn Smith

As Kathryn Smith, Kate is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Brotherhood of the Blood series, and many historical romance novels.

Some of these books are no longer in print, but most can be found at your favorite online or brick and mortar retailer.

Out now -- The Girl in the Clockwork Collar

The Girl in the Steel Corset
w/a Kady Cross
Heart of Brass
Touch of Steel

w/a Kate Cross
God Save the Queen
w/a Kate Locke
KadyCross.com
KateCross.com
KateLocke.com 

State of Emergency Release Day + Interview with the Author

It's January 18th and do you know what it means?

It's the Release Day of the newest post-apocalypse/survival book by Summer Lane, State of Emergency! (You can find my review here.)

 Now, just scroll down and enjoy my interview with the author. ;)

1 1)    How long have you been working as a writer?

I started working as a writer during my Senior Year of High School. I wrote excruciatingly boring articles for different websites about things like tire rims and eyeglass lenses. It was actually very hard work, very technical, and freelance writing turned out to be a full-time job for me.

2 2)    Why have you become a writer?

When I was about 13, I realized how much I loved stories. All stories – whether they were in a song or in a picture book. I’d been writing stories since I was a little girl, but I never really wrote seriously. Right before I started High School, I started writing to have fun, to escape, and to teach myself the craft of writing so that by the time I graduated from High School, I could have a career in it. Writing was my sole focus for five years, and after I graduated from high school, I started working jobs where I could write all day until I fell asleep at the computer.

3)    Where did the idea for writing State of Emergency come from?

I wanted to tell a story about survival. Survival stories have always fascinated me, and I had had the character of Cassidy Hart in my head for a long time. I started writing the opening scene during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) purely for fun. I had no intention of anybody ever seeing the book or reading it except for myself. I was so wrong about that! The story ended up being something that just created itself, and I had to know how it ended. 

4)    Were any of your characters based on someone you know?

Yes! Cassidy’s dad is based off my own father, who was (and still is) in law enforcement. Cassidy is halfway based on myself, to be honest. To make writing real, you have to write what you know, so I asked myself this question: “If I, a totally average, run-of-the-mill college age girl had to survive in post-apocalyptic North America, how would I react?” And there I had Cassidy – but of course, an author takes that foundation for a character and plays with it, exaggerates it, and changes it. At the end of the process I had this redheaded kid with a sarcastic way of looking at things – but who was a lot tougher than she appeared.

5)  What actors would you say look the closest to what you pictured Chris and Cassidy to look like?

I’ve always said that Chris Hemsworth would be a perfect Chris, which is funny, because they have the same first name. My Chris is about the same height (minus the Australian accent!), and he always plays the tough guy very convincingly. Plus, he’s usually got the long hair thing down pretty good. As for Cassidy, she’s harder to cast. I think Mandy Moore, when she was a redhead, is pretty close, or Emma Stone. 

Yum. I totally pictured Chris as Chris. LOL.

6)  The cover for State of Emergency is pretty shocking. What made you choose such a powerful scene?

I wanted the cover to tell a story. When you look at it, you know that you’re looking at what used to be a great city. Something bad happened, and you might be wondering what went down, and why. The city represents Los Angeles, since that’s where Cassidy begins her story, and the abandoned car on the cover is actually a big part of the story.

I wanted the cover to make people think.

7)  To what kind of reader would you recommend your book?

I wanted to write a book that everybody, at every age, could enjoy. I wanted romance (for people like me, who love that kind of stuff), and adventure (for everybody), and a little bit of scariness to keep you entertained. The reason I say it’s a YA/NA crossover is because my main character is an adult (she’s 19), but she’s still learning how to grow up, which is hard enough in a normal world. Try growing up during a state of emergency. It’s YA because younger readers can enjoy it just as much as the ones who are older. There’s plenty of every element for everybody.

So, what do you think, guys? Do you have any questions for Summer? Does State of Emergency sound like a book you'd like to read?