|
DCN: How long have you been writing?
KM: I
started writing in 1999 when I was asked to write a non-fiction book,
although I had done some writing before in newsletters, etc. So it’s
been a relatively short time that I’ve been writing, although I’ve been
a lifelong reader.
DCN: What was the catalyst or spark for your first novel?
KM: I
was asked to write a non-fiction book which was frankly pretty boring.
The day I sent off the final proof, I decided I wanted to write fiction,
and sat down to write a historical mystery. It ended up being more
romance than mystery, though. I had so much fun writing it, I decided to
write a more traditional romance, and lo, Noble Intentions was born.
DCN: Do any of your story ideas come from everyday situations or people
you come across?
KM:
Rarely, although I do sometimes use events from my life in my books.
I’ve found, though, that my life is usually too strange to be believable
even as fiction, so I pretty much stick to dreaming up situations.
As for
people—that’s even rarer. I love to people-watch, but my
characters really are my own inventions.
DCN: How do you discipline yourself to write?
Do you have a system
to get yourself to write everyday?
KM:
My deadlines keep me on track. Before I had so many of them, I was
driven to keep writing because I knew the only way I would sell would be
to have something to offer. So if one book didn’t sell, it was important
to me to have another one out there circulating. After that, I wanted to
have oodles of books out, so that kept me glued to the computer.
I use
the reward system to keep myself working when I would much rather
be doing anything else. E-mail, chocolate, playing my favorite online
game—they’re all rewards I wave before my nose if I just finish whatever
it is I need to get done.
I
also keep my goals realistic. I know how much I can comfortably write
in a day, and I don’t try to push myself beyond that. That helps cut
down on the frustration of not meeting daily goals.
DCN: How do you feel when you see your name in print?
KM: It’s
always a thrill to see one of my books in a store or in someone’s
hand. I count myself as very, very lucky to be able to be living the
dream of sharing my stories with others.
DCN: How do you celebrate when a book is published?
KM: Mmm.
Since my fourteenth and fifteenth books are due out next week, I
have to admit that my celebrations are pretty much limited to admiring
the first copy of it I see, showing it to my husband (who is legally
obligated to ooh and aaah over it), and then stuffing it into the Katie
Bookcase where I keep all of the books I’ve written.
What I
look forward to most is hearing from readers what they think
about the book. That always gets me celebrating.
DCN: Do you
have fans that get so carried away with your books that they
forget that the characters are fictional?
KM: I
get a lot of questions about characters, and a few letters from
readers who want a character to do something specific in a future book.
Usually it’s the vampires who inspire the really enthusiastic fans—many
of those readers want to know detailed histories of my vamps’ lives, and
what happens when the books end.
DCN: Any advice for writers just starting out?
KM:
Writing is a lot of hard work, so you really have to love what you’re doing. My
best piece of advice is not to listen to writing advice.
Everyone writes differently, so figure out what works for you, then go
with it. Don’t let anyone else tell you what’s right or wrong—and most
of all, have fun.
A big thank
you to Katie MacAlister for taking time out of her beyond hectic schedule to
talk to Dangerously Curvy Novels. Katie's current novels out; "Corset Diaries"
and" Something about Harry". Coming in Sept. 04, "You Slay Me".
And be sure to check out the DCN review of
"A Girl's Guide to Vampires"
|
