Katy Walker's Blog, page 2
June 6, 2017
Last Words Anthology Interview with Cathi Desurne
Confused? This anthology is a set of awesome dystopian stories all taking place in different worlds and characters. You can preorder the anthology here and it will arrive on your Kindle June 10th! All proceeds go to help JDRF and kids with diabetes. Check out the interviews from last week too!
Author Cathi Desurne joins me today to talk about writing and her short story in the Last Words Anthology!
How did you become a writer? Any people, books, or movies inspire you to fulfill your dream?
I’ve always enjoyed reading and writing but in high school I discovered Maya Angelou’s books and they gave me a passion for writing. First poems and then stories.
How did you become involved in The Last Words anthology?
My friend Tara Benham who is also an author told me they were looking for more people to be included and she thought one of my stories would be a great fit.
What is your story about? How did you come up with this idea?
My story is about a girl named Grace who is part of a group of people who call themselves the Pack. They rebel against the government and the plans made to “make a better society.” Most of my characters just come into my mind and won’t leave until I tell their story.
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What do you feel draws people to reading dystopian stories?
I think it’s the mystery of the unknown that pulls people in. There are no gray areas, any possibility can be explored.
If you could choose any book world to live in for one week, which would you choose and why?
Harry Potter because who wouldn’t want the chance to go to Hogwarts!
What else are you working on? Any hints?
Short stories are kind of my thing, and I enjoy retelling fairy tales with a twist. I have a Jack and Jill story that I’ve been writing for a while that’s close to being finished.
Are you a plotter or a panster? Or a hybrid of the two?
Probably both. I try to plot but sometimes the characters don’t need or want my input.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Reading or watching movies and shows.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
Just write what’s in your heart and don’t compare yourself to others. You won’t always believe in yourself so find someone who will believe in you when you can’t.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
[image error]A stay at home mom with a love for books, Cathi spends any free time she can find reading or writing. Cathi has always had an imagination that she now gets to share with her husband and daughters. With twin toddlers, and two older girls who love to learn, she gets her inspiration from a variety of sources. Her love of reading reinforces her love of writing. She has interests in poetry to fiction.
June 5, 2017
Last Words Anthology Interview with Zachary Chopchinski
Confused? This anthology is a set of awesome dystopian stories all taking place in different worlds and characters. You can preorder the anthology here and it will arrive on your Kindle June 10th! All proceeds go to help JDRF and kids with diabetes. Check out the interviews from last week too!
Today, author Zachary Chopchinski joins me to talk a little about writing and his story in the Last Words Anthology.
How did you become a writer? Any people, books, or movies inspire you to fulfill your dream?
I’ve always wanted to be a writer since I was a little pup. It wasn’t until my wife gave me the right nudge in the right direction that I decided to fulfill my dream.
How did you become involved in The Last Words anthology?
I was approached by one of the organizers.
What is your story about? How did you come up with this idea?
My story is about a very sarcastic man who is stuck in the middle of an apocalypse. I sort of just put myself in the situation and kept asking myself “what would I do?”
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What do you feel draws people to reading dystopian stories?
I feel that there’s always an allure to readers in regards to what happens when it all ends. It’s the drama of horror, suspense, and drama.
If you could choose any book world to live in for one week, which would you choose and why?
HP! Hands down! As for the why…I feel like that one sort of speaks for itself.
What else are you working on? Any hints?
Working on finishing up the last book in The Gabrielle Series, Curiosity and Arawn’s Penence. I am also working on a Sci-Fi Steampunk book called Webley and The World Machine.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
It’s not as easy as you think it is, but keep pushing and DON’T GIVE UP!
Are you a plotter or a panster? Or a hybrid of the two?
Hybrid. I plot for the most part but sometimes I just can’t stick to it.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Working usually.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
It’s not as easy as you think it is, but keep pushing and DON’T GIVE UP!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
[image error]Zachary is a bow tie wearing, formal vest rocking, pocket watch using, sarcastic monster of a writer. Currently residing in Orlando, Florida, he spends his days working, writing and procrastinating.
Zach has multiple college degrees, in the fields of criminal justice and criminology…because he wanted to catch ALL the bad guys. Now, coupled with being an author of young adult fiction he spends his days yelling at people for breaking regulatory laws.
Zach is the author of the Gabrielle series, a young adult fantasy with a paranormal-historical-time traveling twist (try saying that five times fast).
Website: http://zachchop.com
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June 2, 2017
Last Words Anthology Interview with Author Lindsey S. Frantz
This morning, author Lindsey S. Frantz joins me to talk about her role in the anthology and writing in general.
How did you become a writer? Any people, books, or movies inspire you to fulfill your dream?
I’ve loved stories since I was very small, insisting that my parents read me book after book until I could read them myself. When I was 11 or 12, I discovered Anne McCaffrey and her Dragonriders of Pern, and from that point on, I knew I wanted to write.
How did you become involved in The Last Words anthology?
Another Last Words writer, CD Scott, invited me!
What is your story about? How did you come up with this idea?
My story is about a young, cave dwelling girl with telekinetic and telepathic powers, who’s forced into choosing whether or not to stay beneath the earth with a group of people who hate her or venture into the upworld, a place said to be sure death. This story was birthed years ago after a spelunking expedition with an ex-boyfriend. I’d written another story, “The Hunter,” which featured a telekinetic girl, and after going into caves myself, that story mutated to include caves until “Erilyn’s Awakening” was born.
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What do you feel draws people to reading dystopian stories?
I think it’s the familiarity of what once was combined with the tension of this new, unknown world, that draws people in. There are so many possibilities in dystopian literature!
If you could choose any book world to live in for one week, which would you choose and why?
It would have to be a tie between Anne McCaffrey’s Pern, because more than anything I would love to have my own telepathic dragon partner and Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, because I’m no muggle!
What else are you working on? Any hints?
Currently, I’m waiting for my first book, ‘The Upworld,’ to come out from Line by Lion Publications (due out sometime this summer) and planning the sequel. The Upworld kicks off a couple of years after “Erilyn’s Awakening” and continues her story as a seventeen-year-old with a single companion, a large serval cat.
Are you a plotter or a panster? Or a hybrid of the two?
I always thought I was a pantser, but it turns out, after finishing and revising my first novel, I’m a plotter.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Right now, I nurse my newborn daughter and play with my toddler son, but most usually I’m plotting and planning in my head what I’d like to write next.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
Write! Just write. There are so many rules and so much advice, but when you’re starting, just WRITE!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
[image error]Lindsey S. Frantz lives in the sleepy, art-rich town of Berea, Kentucky with her husband, toddler son, infant daughter, dog, and cats. She works for Eastern Kentucky University as the MFA Specialist for their creative writing program, Bluegrass Writers Studio. She is also the managing editor of the literary journal Jelly Bucket and a yoga teacher. Her work has previously appeared in Paradigm, Aurora Literary Arts Journal, Main Street Rag’s Villains Anthology, Kentucky Her Story 2012, Ruminate Magazine, and Emerge Literary Journal. Her first novel, The Upworld, will be published by Line by Lion Publications in the summer of 2017. In her spare time, Lindsey knits, crochets, doodles, and sings silly songs to her babies.
www.lindseysfrantz.com
@lindseysfrantz (instagram)
Preorder here!
June 1, 2017
Last Words Anthology Interview with Author CD Scott
Today I have author CD Scott joining me to talk about her writing and story for the anthology!
How did you become a writer? Any people, books, or movies inspire you to fulfill your dream?
As an only child for most of my childhood, I invented vivid imaginary worlds. I even had the stereotypical imaginary friend that most single children dream up to keep themselves company (tragically, she died when I discovered she was a double agent.) For as long as I can remember, I’ve told myself stories. During the day. At night, to lull myself to sleep. Always. My mother even remembers seeing me prance down grocery store aisles singing songs about my mystical pet unicorn (don’t judge me.)
My love of the written word began in fourth grade when I discovered the beautifully tragic novel Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. This was the first time a book made me cry. From there, I devoured every book I could get my hands on.
The funny thing is, I never considered myself a “writer.” Though, in retrospect, I see that I was always writing something. In high school, I wrote angsty poetry but never thought to put down on paper the stories that constantly ran through my head. See, even in high school (even now!) I tell myself stories. So I suppose while I’ve never considered myself a writer, I have always considered myself a storyteller.
Still, in college, I chose to study English Literature rather than Creative Writing. Why? I guess I thought teaching would be more lucrative than being a writer (Ha! Joke was on me. Neither are lucrative.)
Fast forward twelve years. I’d given birth to my third son the year before and was still in the throes of some severe postpartum depression. One night, I had an incredibly vivid dream–the kind of dream that won’t leave you alone. And of course, is the story teller, I wanted to know how the dream ended. So I began weaving the dream into an intricate story in my mind. The story enthralled me to the point that I didn’t want to lose any of it. So, for the first time, I wrote down the first chapter of my first novel. That was the moment I truly transitioned from story teller to writer.
And I haven’t looked back since!
How did you become involved in The Last Words anthology?
I met several of my co-authors at Utopiacon in Nashville. Nealy, I believe, actually had the idea of an anthology where every story ended with the same line. KT Webb though was the organizational powerhouse that made it happen!
What is your story about? How did you come up with this idea?
My story is kind of Game of Thrones meets The Island. A Medieval world that clashes with a technologically advanced civilization and where nothing is really as it seems.
The funny thing is that this year’s anthology is dystopian, which, to be honest, isn’t my usual genre of choice. However, my husband is an avid Game of Thrones fan and while hearing the T.V. blasting the latest GoT intrigue and betrayal, I experienced one of those What If moments.
What if technology destroyed most of humanity and the survivors walled themselves off to protect themselves? What if their fear of technology hurled them a thousand years into the past and they considered anything technologically advanced as “magic.” But what if they weren’t the only survivors? What if the Others rebuilt civilization and became even more technologically advanced than before. And…
What if these two worlds clashed?
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What do you feel draws people to reading dystopian stories?
Ha, I’m probably not the best person to ask! I know I loved The Hunger Games because it was so well written. Her tension and timing were absolute perfection. And perhaps that’s the key: tension.
If you could choose any book world to live in for one week, which would you choose and why?
Harry Potter, hands down.
What else are you working on? Any hints?
Currently, I’m in the process of querying the first novel of my Young Adult Science Fiction series. I know it will take some time, but I’m excited to say I’ve had a manuscript request from a well known agent. Meanwhile, I’ll also have a short story appearing in a Pirate Anthology this summer (SO much fun to write!) and I’ll be finishing the third book in my series. And also, revisions. Always, always revisions.
Are you a plotter or a panster? Or a hybrid of the two?
I completely began as a panster. And the truth is, my stories actually present themselves to me in Plot Point form. That being said, I’ve drifted more to a hybrid of the two. I plan out my major plots and then from there, as I write, I make sure my scenes follow the Scene-Sequel format. If I struggle with a chapter, I’ll do more intensive plotting of that particular chapter. However, for the most part, I let my story guide me.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Oh wow. Well, I ended up NOT going into teaching as my original paragraph may have led you to believe. Science being my other love, I work as a cardiac sonographer (ultrasound of the heart.) Also, I homeschool my three boys while running a home-based dermatological skincare business. I’m a cub scout den leader, Sunday School teacher, and baseball and soccer mom. Oh, and a wife.
Occasionally, I eat and sleep.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
You have to READ the kind of fiction you want to write. This, for me, is the most important. If you aren’t reading, your craft will suffer. Secondly, you have to write as much as you can. I’m not going to say every day because some of us are moms and its just not always possible. But, whenever you can, however, you can, just write. And thirdly, you have to constantly read up on the craft. I’m shocked at the writers who don’t study the craft. I don’t know that I will ever feel that I have “arrived” at the pinnacle of writing knowledge. One of the best writers I know still educates herself on the craft. It never ends!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
[image error]C.D. Scott lives in the foothills of Tennessee with her three sons and husband. Drowning in testosterone, she can often be found locked in a bathroom muttering “mommy needs privacy” and “stopping touching your brother.”
She writes to maintain her sanity.
https://www.facebook.com/cdscottauthor
http://www.belletristicmalady.com/
Preorder here!
May 31, 2017
Last Words Anthology Interview with Author Lichelle Slater
Today, Lichelle Slater joins me!
How did you become a writer? Any people, books, or movies inspire you to fulfill your dream?
My parents instilled in me a love for books when I was very young. I remember my mom taking us to the library so we could get armfuls of books (which I’m sure was two or three books), and my dad read “The Hobbit” to us as kids, using different voices for the characters. I fell in love with the magic of words, the ability to transfer you to different worlds, to forget everything you’re doing in this one. I’ve always wanted to share my worlds with others.
How did you become involved in The Last Words anthology?
I volunteered as tribute! Haha! A group of us started talking about doing an anthology and it sort of took off from there.
What is your story about? How did you come up with this idea?
Mine is about a young man, Corvits, who grows up in a world where many people have superpowers. His dad is a villain, and Corvits has spent his whole life trying to prove to his dad that he’s worth something, even though he has a wimpy power. I came up with this idea after four failed attempts at writing a different story. I finally scrapped it and started all over. I absolutely love superheroes and have a love for a well-created villain.
What do you feel draws people to reading dystopian stories?
Our world is in so much chaos right now, people are worried it’s on the brink of destruction. I think people enjoy reading dystopian because it shows a world of possibilities after our own. A well written dystopian can also give us all a little bit of hope that we can change our future.
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If you could choose any book world to live in for one week, which would you choose and why?
As silly as it may sound, I would love to live in Harry Potter. I’m a HUGE lover of fantasy and magic, and the ability to use magic would be awesome!
What else are you working on? Any hints?
I’m working on Come One, Come All (the sequel to Step Right Up), and I’m also working on a totally awesome urban fantasy story that involves a handsome Djinn.
Are you a plotter or a panster? Or a hybrid of the two?
Total pantser. I tried really hard to be a plotter, tried to be a hybrid, but I just can’t make it work. When I sit down and just start writing, my story evolves and the characters tell me where everything is going. I can sometimes sit down and plot after I’ve gotten 3/4 of the way through writing and need to fill the gaps.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I work full-time as a special education preschool teacher. I also have a puppy, Perseus, whom I adore. When I’m not working, playing with him, or writing, I love to do anything crafty. I do cross stitching, crochet, painting, I adore musicals, going to movies, etc.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
Never give up! There are a lot of cynical people out there, and a lot of people who feel they have to give you advice. You know your story better than anyone else. You don’t have to change things in your story just because someone said to. On the flip side, be open to criticism. Some people (like your editor and tribe) really want your story to succeed. People who have been in the business a while might actually know what they’re doing, so don’t brush aside every piece of advice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
[image error]From the time I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a writer. I earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Creative Writing, and Bachelors of Science in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education (ComDDe) from Utah State University in 2011. I took a year off, then went back and earned a Masters of Science in ComDDe in a field called Listening and Spoken Language (also from USU) in 2014. I’ve been teaching special education preschool for 3 years now, and love it so much.
In case you haven’t noticed, I absolutely LOVE dragons! And if you don’t know, you will always find a dragon in one of my stories–no matter the genre. My favorite genre to write is fantasy, but I’ve pushed myself to write a sci-fi/fantasy (Sirkus av Magi trilogy), clean romance (Christmas Magic Novellas), and even a paranormal series (planned for 2018)
https://www.facebook.com/LichelleSlaterAuthor/
http://lichelleslaterauth.wixsite.com/lichelleslater
https://twitter.com/LichelleSlater
Preorder here!
May 30, 2017
Last Words Anthology Interview with Author KT Webb!
How did you become a writer? Any people, books, or movies inspire you to fulfill your dream?
I was born one. Honestly, I was always a storyteller and had a big imagination. I ended up writing my first story in third grade, it was a murder mystery that got me sent to the principal’s office (I wrote about a student poisoning the teacher’s Diet Coke).
How did you become involved in The Last Words anthology?
My sister made a crazy suggestion that it would be cool to do an anthology like this. I reached out to my friends and BOOM we were working on The Last Words Anthology.
What is your story about? How did you come up with this idea?
In my story, we see a snippet of the events that will lead to a dystopian society. A biologist is given the tools he needs to perform great work and doesn’t think twice when he’s asked to genetically engineered a virus that could wipe out humanity. When he tries to fix what he’s done, he ends up making matters worse by created a mutated version of the virus with some gruesome side effects.
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What do you feel draws people to reading dystopian stories?
Redemption. I think people like the dystopian genre because they get to imagine what the world could become if we let the worst in humanity reign supreme. The protagonist is who we hope we would be if faced with living in that world. It gives us hope that we can change the world even if those before us screw it up royally.
If you could choose any book world to live in for one week, which would you choose and why?
Harry Potter. I don’t think that needs an explanation. 
May 22, 2017
Convention = Community
What do you think of when you think of conventions? Do you think of cosplayers decked out in geeky attire they made themselves? Or do you think of a local gathering of booths showcasing the latest infomercial gadgets?
While both of these are true examples of conventions, there is a more recent example I had in mind. Fall of 2015 I went to my first book convention. I didn’t know what to expect. I definitely knew there would be books there. And authors. And there were some discussion panels mentioned. But I couldn’t have guessed the amazing sense of community I found from attending this first book convention.
[image error]Again, last June I attended a book convention that was on an even grander scale. And yet again I was blown away by the amazing community I had been welcomed into without even asking. I wasn’t just at a convention, I was home! I continued to be home in this wonderful book universe online with all the friends and groups I’d become a part of.
Soon, both in June and in October, I get to see these awesome people again and feel that community in person! I can’t wait. Of course, I love talking with authors, readers, bloggers, and others online, but there is something about everyone coming together to talk books for a few days that makes the whole experience magical.
October is the Ozarks Indie Book Fest where I am an official blogger. Another first for me and again I don’t know what to expect. But I do know one thing that will definitely be present—my community. See you there?
Buy tickets and find more information about OIBF on their website! http://ozarksindiebookfest.com/
May 17, 2017
Interview with author T.M. Lakomy
[image error]I am T. M Lakomy (Tamara Lakomy). I was born in London but grew up as a tribal girl in a North African repressive regime. I spent my childhood between the slums of Mellasine and the affluent neighborhoods in Tunis. I studied archaeology and became enamored with the shamanistic practices of indigenous people. I am an author and poet who seeks to challenge our notions of reality and see life with a different perspective. I work in East Africa with indigenous tribes studying the origins of mankind and the salient golden thread in the tapestry of humanity’s beliefs
Find T.M. Lakomy online!
Facebook |Goodreads | Twitter | Amazon | Barnes and Noble
What made you first want to write? Any books, people, or movies that inspired you to fulfill this dream?
I have always been inspired by real life events and experiences around me. My own archaeological studies fuelled my interest in the occult and the esoteric, so it’s been my love of the immortality of literary works and the effect they have on people that pushed me. Most of the women in my family are storytellers, I loved the mixture of folklore and myth underscored with dark themes of their own lives.
What draws you to writing fantasy?
Fantasy is the perfect conduit for constructing a world that is similar to ours, less boring, and free, in which you can pull back the heavy veil of reality and take people on a journey of discovery. It is easier to explore themes and ideas that are perhaps less palatable in another form, as, above all, fantasy gives the best form of escapism possible. It is easier to invite readers to rethink the cornerstones of their beliefs through the vehicle of Fantasy, inviting them to a different reality where they haven’t been inculcated to have prejudice.
Why do you feel people are drawn to reading fantasy novels?
We all deep down wish we lived in a different world, where there was more magic and where the mundane routines and hardships are not in vain. People love good stories, before we used to gather round fires or next to our elders, listening to stories rife with secret meanings and hidden messages, and we haven’t changed. Then there those among us who prefer worlds where anything is possible, built on ethics and rules that differ from our current status quo. We seek to find ourselves in stories, to discover something within us that cannot be expressed in this current world.
Tell us how you came up with the idea to write “The Shadow Crucible.”
[image error]I have many answers to this and they are all true; the characters germinated in my mind for years, growing out of ideas that flourished over time, robed with the various layers of virtue, vice, and intricacy. The themes, however, relate to my archaeological interests and my own research into occult knowledge. I have always been vocal about blind dogma and the mental slavery that we suffer. it may not be apparent, but we are still unraveling centuries worth of brainwashing from religions that have turned us one against the other. I seek to find the salient thread connecting us all beyond it all and seek the awakening of humankind.
What are you working on next? Any hints?
I am polishing up my second novel called “Sol Invictus”. It is Fantasy/Horror and delves into the topic of genocide and colonialism, eugenics and the power of indigenous people. Again, fantasy is a veneer for my message.
Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Keep going and do not quit, do not take easy shortcuts and wait for the right time. Setbacks, delays, disappointments are all part of the long term game.
If you could live in any book world for one week, which world would you choose and why?
Tolkien’s world naturally. It has sorrow and despair, ineffable beauty and valor that is severely lacking in our world. And perhaps I don’t particularly enjoy being human too much
May 16, 2017
New release cover reveal and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me!
[image error]Today is my birthday. As an adult/parent, I don’t really get to run away and experience it exactly the way I want (see photo as one example. Other ideas would be wearing Wizard robes and galavanting about Harry Potter World in Flordia). Instead, I am hanging out with Graham while Tristan is in school and then watching Netflix while Graham is in therapy. And that’s ok! Someday I’ll make it to Harry Potter World, but a nice day at home with family is great too.
Plus, I have a new book release coming out SOON (JUNE 10th)! It’s called “From Now On: The Last Words Anthology.” I’ve banded together with a bunch of amazing authors to put together a dystopian anthology unlike anything else. In the weeks leading up to the anthology, I’ll be interviewing each author from the antho so you can get to know them and their story a little better. Be sure to preorder ASAP because it’s only $0.99 right now! http://amzn.to/2pQTsFO
My story is called “Mirrors” and follows a guy in his mid-twenties who moves through life in a pointless fashion. He soon discovers that the world isn’t what it seems to be…
Here is the teaser from my story:
AND last but not least, the AMAZING cover! 
May 12, 2017
Changes and a new Facebook page!
Hello, everyone! You may have noticed some changes happening around the site. I am taking THE KATY in a slightly new direction in that I’m going to focus a lot of my own writing now. Don’t worry! I still am planning many interviews with authors and a few book reviews as well. One of my favorite things about the Indie and Self-Publishing world is the connectedness we share with each other. Not only do we share each other’s book releases and victories, but we genuinely want to help each other reach the next level in our craft. Pretty sweet.
A few of the changes happening besides the site:
I have an author page on Amazon. You can check out my current books here! There isn’t a lot on there yet, but I’m excited to fill it up with many more stories.
I have a new Facebook page that focuses on me as an author. It’ll be easier to share the things I’m doing without losing the awesomeness that is the author interview on THE KATY blog’s Facebook page.
And I’m working on getting on Goodreads too. I feel so official! Haha!
Possibly a new logo, but that might be further down the road.
So, don’t mind the mess on here. It’ll be shiny again soon!
Thank you so much for your love and support.
-Katy Walker, Author.
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