My interview with Author Heather Kindt!
Hello Everyone!
Today we’re talking with Author Heather Kindt about writing, life, and her latest release THE WEAVER!
I FLIPPING LOVE THIS COVER!!!
Doesn’t it just SCREAM we’re going on an adventure????
THE WEAVER…
They walk among us. Some blend into the masses, another man or woman passing by. Yet, others are more secretive in their ways; hiding in the shadows, the forests, and in the dark folds of the night. They are always searching, always watching, and continuously vigilant, because nothing is more vital to their survival. Their stories, every fabric of their being, are tied into the intricate tapestry. Fear, love, hatred, and passion are the threads and the vivid emotions that bring forth the color and life to the cloth. And in the center, at the very heart of the woven art, is the Weaver.
The Weaver uses her skill to bring the cloth to life. It is an inherited talent that few possess. Her ability bridges the narrow gap between imagination and reality—the gap that many people and creatures have wanted to cross on both sides of the paper. How many authors have been asked if they love or fear characters from their books? What if they came to life? Only a Weaver knows the answer to this question.
You can purchase your copy here:
https://www.amazon.com/Weaver-Trilogy...
MY REVIEW:
have to say the cover of this book didn’t disappoint and accurately depicted the magic inside. I went on an adventure with Laney and loved the fact that her characters came to live. As I writer, I would LOVE for that to happen. The story was well developed and when I put the book down, I just kept thinking about the characters inside. My only issue…IT NEEDED TO BE LONGER!!! I love books I can spend days in and I seriously wanted to spend more time in this magical story!
Well, I guess I’ve teased you long enough…
Let me introduce you to…
Bio:
Heather Kindt grew up in Derry, New Hampshire, but now resides in the mountains of Colorado with her husband and two children. She loves writing YA fantasy and humorous fiction. Her debut novel, Ruby Slips and Poker Chips, won the Dan Alatorre Word Weaver Writing Contest. To learn more about her and the great things that are coming in her writing world, visit her website at http://heatherkindt.com.
THE INTERVIEW
I’d like to dive right in if you don’t mind.
Coffee or tea? Yes, that is my first question!
Definitely coffee, although I’ve had my seasons with green tea. I’ve been drinking my own version of bullet proof coffee – grass-fed butter, stevia, MTC oil, and coffee blended.
What inspired you to write your latest work? What is special about it?
About eleven or twelve years ago, I read the Twilight series. Being in my early thirties, I was obsessed. I’m not kidding when I say I couldn’t put the books down. I wanted to create a world that readers provided readers with that escape. A normal girl, a deep love, and a brand new world to subject them to that intrigues the reader.
How long have you been writing?
When I was in sixth grade, I was invited to be part of the writer’s club at school. I still have the book we created. My writing was terrible! But, as far as writing books, I started when I was in my early thirties, so about eleven years ago.
Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
No. It wasn’t my dream until eleven years ago. When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be a secretary. In high school, I wanted to go into business to make a ton of money. When I was a junior in high school, I took my faith seriously and decided I wanted to help people. This is when I decided to go into teaching.
Tell us about your writing process.
My writing process changes with my different books. With The Weaver trilogy, I had to do a lot of research because parts of the books take place during the Revolutionary War time period. In my current WIP series, I started by talking out a general idea for each book with my twenty-year-old friend. He gave me rough ideas for my world building. When it comes to the actual writing, I like my characters to guide the direction of my book. They take us really interesting places.
Do you have a writing goal you want to achieve? What does success look like for you?
I’ve been teaching for twenty-three years. I’d love my books to do well enough that I could replace my teaching income. If you want to get really crazy, I’d love to replace my husband’s teaching income, too. Right now, I just keep writing because I believe the more great books you have out there, the more likely you are to reach readers.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on a book called The Red Door. In my door series, Meg and Brek enter a deadly game to compete against other players to find objects in other worlds. Think the Hunger Games meets the Chronicles of Narnia.
Who, or what inspired you to be a writer?
In 2017, I entered my book Ruby Slips and Poker Chips into a writing contest. I won first place and was able to self-publish my book. The author who ran the contest inspired me to continue writing. The Weaver was the first book I wrote, so I submitted it to PitMad and it was picked up by Parliament House Press.
How often do you write? Do you have another job besides being a writer?
Being a teacher, my time for writing is limited during the school year. I try to write every day. My goal is a thousand words a day, but lately I haven’t been living up to this.
Do you plot out your entire story or do you type away like the rest of us. Okay, me. Like me.
To the dismay of my husband, I rarely plot out my story. As I type away, sometimes I have to stop and ask myself where I’m going with something, but my characters generally lead me in interesting directions.
Okay, let’s get real. Do you believe in magic? And tell us a little about that belief.
No, not magic, but miracles. I’ve seen too many miracles in my own life not to believe in them. My latest miracle is my friend John. He thought he had months to live based on a diagnosis from a doctor. Long story short, he was led to another doctor who provided the route to a cure, or at least remission. I also believe in the power of attraction. Some people call it the universe, I call it God.
If you had to choose, coke or Pepsi? Take your time, I know this is a tough question.
NEITHER!! I’ve never liked soda. When I was about seven years old I tried root beer because I didn’t like other soda. I hated the taste and after that, for a totally unrelated reason, I was sick for an entire week. Yeah, I don’t drink soda, just lots of water.
Most writers do a lot of research on the writing industry. What have you discovered about this complex network that has surprised you? And, what has caused you nightmares?
The area that’s surprised me most recently is the self=publishing industry. I’m part of a Facebook group called 20 books to 50K where some writers are making much more than 50K. The key to this is writing to market. It’s an area I’ve researched a lot lately. Two areas have caused me nightmares. One area is creating a website. It took awhile to get that baby up. The other area is keywords and Amazon ads. The whole area is really scary to me.
I see you’ll be publishing with an indie publisher. Did you ever think you’d go that route? How has your experience been thus far?
Well, my first book is indie published without a publisher, so going with Parliament House Press was exciting for me. Back when I started, I searched for an agent. It’s a road of rejection. My excitement is getting my book out to the world and seeing that others are enjoying them. The publisher has been great! Look at the amazing cover on The Weaver.
If your book is ever turned into a movie or television series, what would your dream cast look like?
This is a funny question for me to answer. I’ve found pictures online of what I think the characters look like, but I’ve never thought about actors for The Weaver. I’ve always pictured casting Jonathan Groth from Glee as the scarecrow in Ruby Slips because of his ability to sing classic rock songs. I’ve always dreamed of having that book turned into a musical based off Bon Jovi music.
Do you write in any other genres?
Yes. Ruby Slips and Poker Chips is a romantic comedy.
I am SERIOUSLY going to add this to my TBR mountain!!!
Challenge question!!! If you’re ever stranded on an island, what three things would you want to have with you?
I’m assuming I can’t take people. My jounal for writing, my Bible, and sunblock.
Most writers have had to do extensive marketing. Gone are the days when the publisher took on this enormous task. How do you feel about this giant shift? Does it influence how and what you write?
It hasn’t influenced what I write yet. I’ve read a book called Write to Market that might change the way I go about choosing my stories. The big thing for me is I won’t change my morals or who I am as a writer. I can write to market and still write things that match my purpose.
If you had to write erotica, what would your pen name be?
Yikes! Not going to happen.
Yeah, I’m not going there either. LOL!
I’ve seen that gorgeous book cover of yours! Does it truly depict the magic inside? And if yes, how?
OMG! YES! The details in the cover truly reflect the epic nature of the series. If you look closely, there are inkblots behind the title and my name. I asked the designer to place the golden spider at the top. I’d like that to remain on all the covers as the thread throughout the series’ covers. The color, the picture at the bottom and the title will change for each book in my vision. As far as story, what happens in The Weaver is every writer’s dream, or maybe a nightmare.
It has truly been a pleasure picking your brain. I hope my questions weren’t too difficult for you. Do you have any parting words of wisdom?
Be kind to others. Show love everyday. When I write, I try to put hope into the world. Our lives are surrounded with negativity, and I want girls to know that even if they’re not the extroverted type, they are enough in who they are and can be strong, just like Laney.
Where can fans connect with you?
www.facebook.com/rubyslipsauthor
