Interview with Author Kelli A. Wilkins
www.KelliWilkins.com
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Today we are chatting with romance and horror author Kelli A. Wilkins. Kelli is sharing her thoughts about the writing process, her latest releases, and more!
Q: Let’s talk about your romances for a bit. To date, you’ve written 19 romances in almost every genre: contemporary, paranormal, gay, fantasy, and historical, and they all vary in heat level from sensual to super-spicy. How do you decide what to write next and where do you keep getting ideas?
A: Each book and every character comes to me in a different way. Sometimes I get ideas for books in dreams, other times I’ll see or hear something that sparks my imagination and gets me thinking, What if?.. Once in a while a character “comes” to me and I try to figure out his or her story.
For example, Dangerous Indenture is one of those books that jumped into my head. One day, I overheard the name Shawna Farrell, but I thought I’d heard Shauna Farrow. The name stuck with me and I wrote it down. A few minutes later, I knew all about her: she was an Irish indentured servant who came to Pennsylvania Colony and worked at a house where another servant was murdered. Once I knew that, I started outlining the book.
Everett (the main character from A Secret Match) was a secondary character in my other wrestling romance, A Perfect Match. I loved writing for Ev and always thought “one day” I’d give him a book of his own, but I didn’t have a clue as to what the story would be. I put thoughts of him aside and then one morning he popped into my head with a four-line book summary. Within an hour, I had the whole story in my head and I started writing.
Sometimes I’ll get an idea for a new book while I’m in the process of writing or revising another book. When that happens I write down everything about the plot and characters and come back to it later. So I often have the “next” book waiting for me. After I finish a book, I give myself a little bit of time off to relax and recharge, and before I know it, I’m working on another story.
Q: Do you make an outline for your books or do you just write whatever pops into your head?
A: Before I start writing, I make sure I have an outline completed and I know what the first line of the book will be. I outline each scene, what the purpose is, which character’s point-of-view the scene will be in, high points of the scene, and any snippets of dialogue I want to include. When I sit down to write the book I have a map of where the story is going. I find that it’s easier (and faster) for me to write this way and I don’t get lost in the middle or forget something I wanted to include.
But as I write, I allow myself some leeway to explore things I hadn’t considered in my outline. I might add entire scenes or write scenes that are later omitted. Sometimes I’ll be writing a scene and the characters “take over” and decide the scene should go a different way, or something I planned on happening changes. When that happens, I go with it and see where the characters are leading me. I’ll write scenes for them and delete them later if they don’t work or if they’re not a good fit for the plot.
Q: Let’s talk about your horror and sci-fi stories for a moment. Most authors stick to one genre or write in related genres but your writings are very diverse. Do you prefer one genre over the other? Is one easier to write?
A: I go where my stories and ideas take me, so I’m not married to one particular genre. I like to switch back and forth between horror and romance. After I finish a few romances I’ll take a break and write horror or sci-fi. It stretches my imagination and lets me explore different characters, settings, and plots that I can’t write about in a romance. My horror and sci-fi stories are a lot shorter that my romances, so in a sense that makes them “easier” to write and edit. My horror stories tend to be more psychological and creepy than bloody, and my sci-fi stories are about strange things that happen to ordinary people.
Q: You are a prolific short story writer. What is your key to creating a successful piece of short fiction?
A: The best advice I ever got for writing short stories is: write tight. Take out anything and everything not essential to the story, such as extra words, details, dialogue tags, whatever. This is especially important when I’m writing horror short stories. Too many words or distractions can break the tension, ruin the suspense, or otherwise distract the reader.
You also need a compelling story that draws readers into the world of the characters and holds them there. Not everyone believes in ghosts, but if you write a ghost story that sucks readers into that world and scares them, you’ve done your job. A “hook” beginning and a great ending are musts in creating a good short story.
Q: What is your favorite part of the writing process?
A: My favorite part of writing is the actual writing of the book. I like creating the outline and developing the plot and characters, but the story really comes alive for me as I’m scribbling away. (And I do scribble—I write everything in longhand with paper and pen!) The writing of the first draft lets me get inside the characters’ heads and dig deep into the story. When I edit and revise, I have to focus on the mechanics of writing, grammar, and cutting away what’s not essential to the story—all the technical “not so fun” stuff that helps pull the book together.
Q. Does your approach to characters or relationships differ in your historical romances?
A: Not really. Many of my historical characters are outspoken, rebels, or otherwise considered “not proper” for their time. Each of my books is a look into a different world, and each character is unique to that book, that time period, and that setting.
Not all my historical heroines are virgins just because most people expect them to be. Many of them work a job to stay alive or are forced to fend for themselves, much like a contemporary heroine would. And not every hero is a knight in shining armor who always acts like a gentleman. Rothgar (from The Viking’s Witch) has a reputation as a fierce warrior, but is hiding a vulnerable side and a dark secret. These are traits which could easily carry over to a modern-day hero. I don’t hold back on anything with my characters or their relationships just because I’m writing a historical romance. I let them tell me their stories, and I go with it!
Q: What advantages or challenges does a writer face in today’s fiction market?
A: The world of publishing is changing every day and that can either be an advantage or a challenge — depending on your point of view. Self-publishing has opened up countless opportunities for writers; you can set your own price and self-publish a book on many platforms with low overhead. However, some people see self-publishing as less “real” than working with a traditional publisher. Of course, more authors publishing independently leads to more competition.
Aside from self-publishing, authors are challenged with doing a lot of their own marketing and promoting. However, social media, electronic newsletters, book groups, and blogs make it easy to reach people instantly. I do the best I can when it comes to promoting my books and I apply the same marketing strategies to all my writings—both the books I’ve self-published and the ones that were traditionally published. You never know where something will lead!
Q: You’re a busy person! You had two books published this summer. One is a historical romance and the other is a collection of science fiction short stories. Tell us about them.
In August I released Extraterrestrial Encounters: A Collection of Sci-fi Stories. Here’s the blurb:
Extraterrestrial Encounters: A Collection of Sci-Fi Stories
Are you ready to step into the unknown?
In these 18 sci-fi stories, you’ll encounter aliens of all shapes and sizes, curious (and sometimes unlucky) space explorers, and ordinary Earthlings having otherworldly experiences.
Some of the out-of-this-world tales in this short fiction anthology include:
“The Hoax” – A reporter learns that a creature from another planet is a dangerous thing to fool with
“It Grows on You” – A strange kind of mold has invaded an office, and it’s the perfect tool for revenge
“What Lurks Below” – Everyone knows there’s no life on Mars, but nobody thought about what might be lurking under the surface…
“The Con” – An alien becomes an unlikely ally to a down-on-his-luck petty crook
“Space Cowboy” – When a second-rate rodeo star is abducted by aliens, he makes the most of the situation
“They Just Keep Eating” – A Nebraska farmer encounters a menace from space… and it’s hungry
This collection of speculative fiction will stimulate your imagination, unnerve you just a little, and make you wonder… “What if we’re not alone?”
Order it here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W5JG1DC
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3JVJ9e
Back in June, I released my historical romance, The Viking’s Witch. This full-length novel is set in Celtic Scotland and blends a sensual love story with adventure and paranormal elements.
The Viking’s Witch
About to be burned at the stake by her fellow villagers, Odaria does what any betrayed witch facing certain death would do. She calls down a curse. Within seconds, rampaging Norsemen raid the village, capturing everyone except her.
But her reprieve is short-lived, and Odaria lands in the clutches of the Norse leader Rothgar. Can she remain true to herself and fight her growing attraction to this domineering man, or will she fall under his influence and be used for his ambitions?
After Rothgar witnesses Odaria’s powers firsthand, he strikes a bargain with her. The raven-haired beauty will use her magical abilities to help him with his quest in exchange for safe passage off the isle. But can this cunning woman be trusted, or is she using him to exact vengeance on her village?
Together they must fight bloodthirsty villagers, battle a mutinous band of Norsemen, find a missing Norse ship, and learn to trust each other…before time runs out.
Order it here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/%20ebook/dp/B07T15MHSW
Link to all other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/4EQe0o
Q: What are your current projects?
A: I’m working on a re-release of my historical western romance, Lies, Love & Redemption. I’m also outlining two new romances (a contemporary gay novella and another historical romance) and revising a paranormal contemporary.
Readers can learn more about all of my books on my site, sign up for my newsletter, or follow my blog and social media posts for updates on new releases.
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts today. I welcome questions and comments from readers and other authors.
Happy Reading,
Kelli A. Wilkins
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, 5 non-fiction books, and 2 online writing courses. Her romances span many genres and heat levels, and she’s also been known to scare readers with her horror stories.
She released Extraterrestrial Encounters, a collection of 18 sci-fi stories, in August 2019. If you like horror fiction, don’t miss her disturbing novella, Nightmare in the North.
Her latest historical romance, The Viking’s Witch, was released in June 2019. This full-length novel takes place in Celtic Scotland and blends a sensual romance with paranormal elements.
In March 2019, Kelli published Dangerous Indenture, a historical mystery romance set in Colonial Pennsylvania. She released the second half of her flash fiction series, Cupid’s Schemes, in early 2019. These two volumes of lighthearted mini-romances are perfect reads for a quick lunchtime escape or an after-work indulgence.
Kelli released her latest Teachable mini-course, Fiction Basics: Finding Ideas in February 2019. She authored Fiction Writing for Beginners through Teachable in 2018. These courses are perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to write. Visit: https://kelliwilkins.teachable.com/ for more details.
Not just an author, Kelli is also an amateur photographer. Visit her pages on Shutterstock https://www.shutterstock.com/g/kelli+wilkins and iStock https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/kelliwilkins to view her photos.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.
Visit her website www.KelliWilkins.com or blog http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/ to learn more about all of her writings.
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