Interview with Author Kristen Duvall
Welcome author Kristen Duvall, who stopped by today to discuss her new book, Femmes du Chaos, which is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Femmes du Chaos:
They messed with the wrong girl this time.
From heroes to villains, Femmes du Chaos sets out to show the world what the fairer sex is really made of. You’ll meet women of all ages and from many different walks of life... Warriors and schoolgirls, side-by-side in one place. One thing connects them all, and that is their ambition. Whether they use their ambition for good or evil, well that’s for them to decide. Gritty, fantastical and sometimes uncomfortable to read, Femmes du Chaos is a tour de force that holds nothing back. There will be violence and there will be blood.
Here are a few of the femmes you'll meet in this thrilling collection:
Sylvia: The bounty hunter with a dark past who is hell-bent on revenge. When the justice system fails her, she sets out to correct their mistakes.
Layla: The ballerina who wants to be a star who's spent her life being overshadowed and under-appreciated. What happens when she stumbles across magic that makes her sister the star she's longed to be for so long? Let’s just say, you’ve never seen sibling rivalry like this before.
Mallory: A young girl who can see the future in her dreams. She’s saved lives in the past, and her dreams are warning her to not return to the world they all left behind. Faced with starvation, no one wants to believe her about the multitude of horrors that wait for them above. After all, monsters don’t exist... Or do they?
Some will survive and come out stronger in the end... And some will let the darkness consume them. After all, no two girls are ever alike.
Kristen, how would you describe your writing style?
I have a pretty simple style. I like to keep my writing pretty right - descriptions that aren't flowery and only when they add to the story, story that comes through in dialogue and action as much as possible opposed to it being told, etc. I write mostly dark fiction, though I dabble in YA and middle-grade sometimes too.
When did you first start writing?
Before I could even write for myself, I told my mom the story I wanted written and she drew the photos and stapled the pages together for me to make a book. So my first book was written when I was 4 or 5 years old, perhaps younger. I can't really remember much except it featured a cat and one scene had the cat on top of the fridge asking for food.
What is your writing process?
Most of the time, an idea hits me and I write it. When I am in the middle of other projects, I will write out a brief sketch and perhaps the first few sentences that come to mind. I rarely do an outline and when I do, it's pretty brief. I've only started dabbling in outlines recently too, and it's something that may help me with future projects. Mostly, I have the basic plot in my head and let the story unfold as I write it.
If you could spend a day with any literary character, who would it be and what would you do?
Hannibal Lector and do you really want to know what we'd do? Kidding. Though I think he's an interesting character and would make be fun to interview sometime. One of my favorite villains of all time.
Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I've always enjoyed writing, but I used to lack the confidence to push toward making it a career. So I chose “practical” fields instead. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Finance with a Master’s Degree from Clemson University. I was going to be a real estate developer specializing in urban redevelopment. Then the economy collapsed and I realized no field is completely safe, so why not do what I love?
What inspires your stories?
Usually, my dreams. I have the most interesting dreams and they often come complete with characters, dialogue and more. I surprise myself with how imaginative my sleeping brain is sometimes. When I was a kid, my mom took me to a therapist for my disturbing dreams, but now I appreciate them. More often than not, I am distanced from the dream itself... It's like I'm watching it unfold before me. My dreams are often bloody, violent and disturbing, but now I know they're just dreams and can take them for the entertainment value much like someone would do a movie. Messed up, but at least I'm not longer afraid to go to sleep at night and they inspire some of the best stories. My forthcoming novel, The Caged Girl, is based entirely off a dream I had several years ago. Several of the short stories in Femmes du Chaos came to me in dreams too, including Sated and Devils and Darlings.
Where is your favorite place to write?
My dining room table. I like the comforts of home, there are fewer distractions and I can be near my babies (my dog and cat). I can grab a bite to eat as needed, and can stop to take a nap if I find I've worked my brain too hard. I'm a bit of a homebody, and I'm becoming more of an introvert every day.
What advice would you give new authors?
Develop a thick skin and be open to criticism. In order to grow as a writer, you must be willing to hear what others have to say. There's no way you can please everyone, so don't try. Write for yourself, listen to what others have to say but learn to file the important feedback away while disposing of the useless garbage. You'll have critics, you'll get rejection. That's part of putting yourself out there. You can only get better with practice and feedback. Find some trusted beta readers who will give you HONEST feedback and keep writing.
About the author:
Kristen Duvall is a writer of tales both real and make believe. Born and raised in the Midwest, she now resides in Southern California with her boyfriend, her Great Dane and her rescued calico kitty. She's been writing and sharing her work online for several years now, and has decided to take the plunge into publishing her work for the world to read. She dabbles in horror, science fiction, fantasy and speculative fiction. She enjoys both Adult and Young Adult fiction and loves to write strong female characters. You may follow her on Facebook or visit her website.
Buy Links:
Amazon (both paper and Kindle version)
http://www.amazon.com/Femmes-du-Chaos...
Nook -
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/femme...
Smashwords -
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
Social Media Links
Facebook -
www.facebook/com/kristenduvallwriter
Twitter - www.twitter.com/kristen_duvall
Website and blog
www.kristenduvall.com
Goodreads -
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Femmes du Chaos:
They messed with the wrong girl this time.
From heroes to villains, Femmes du Chaos sets out to show the world what the fairer sex is really made of. You’ll meet women of all ages and from many different walks of life... Warriors and schoolgirls, side-by-side in one place. One thing connects them all, and that is their ambition. Whether they use their ambition for good or evil, well that’s for them to decide. Gritty, fantastical and sometimes uncomfortable to read, Femmes du Chaos is a tour de force that holds nothing back. There will be violence and there will be blood.
Here are a few of the femmes you'll meet in this thrilling collection:
Sylvia: The bounty hunter with a dark past who is hell-bent on revenge. When the justice system fails her, she sets out to correct their mistakes.
Layla: The ballerina who wants to be a star who's spent her life being overshadowed and under-appreciated. What happens when she stumbles across magic that makes her sister the star she's longed to be for so long? Let’s just say, you’ve never seen sibling rivalry like this before.
Mallory: A young girl who can see the future in her dreams. She’s saved lives in the past, and her dreams are warning her to not return to the world they all left behind. Faced with starvation, no one wants to believe her about the multitude of horrors that wait for them above. After all, monsters don’t exist... Or do they?
Some will survive and come out stronger in the end... And some will let the darkness consume them. After all, no two girls are ever alike.
Kristen, how would you describe your writing style?
I have a pretty simple style. I like to keep my writing pretty right - descriptions that aren't flowery and only when they add to the story, story that comes through in dialogue and action as much as possible opposed to it being told, etc. I write mostly dark fiction, though I dabble in YA and middle-grade sometimes too.
When did you first start writing?
Before I could even write for myself, I told my mom the story I wanted written and she drew the photos and stapled the pages together for me to make a book. So my first book was written when I was 4 or 5 years old, perhaps younger. I can't really remember much except it featured a cat and one scene had the cat on top of the fridge asking for food.
What is your writing process?
Most of the time, an idea hits me and I write it. When I am in the middle of other projects, I will write out a brief sketch and perhaps the first few sentences that come to mind. I rarely do an outline and when I do, it's pretty brief. I've only started dabbling in outlines recently too, and it's something that may help me with future projects. Mostly, I have the basic plot in my head and let the story unfold as I write it.
If you could spend a day with any literary character, who would it be and what would you do?
Hannibal Lector and do you really want to know what we'd do? Kidding. Though I think he's an interesting character and would make be fun to interview sometime. One of my favorite villains of all time.
Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I've always enjoyed writing, but I used to lack the confidence to push toward making it a career. So I chose “practical” fields instead. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Finance with a Master’s Degree from Clemson University. I was going to be a real estate developer specializing in urban redevelopment. Then the economy collapsed and I realized no field is completely safe, so why not do what I love?
What inspires your stories?
Usually, my dreams. I have the most interesting dreams and they often come complete with characters, dialogue and more. I surprise myself with how imaginative my sleeping brain is sometimes. When I was a kid, my mom took me to a therapist for my disturbing dreams, but now I appreciate them. More often than not, I am distanced from the dream itself... It's like I'm watching it unfold before me. My dreams are often bloody, violent and disturbing, but now I know they're just dreams and can take them for the entertainment value much like someone would do a movie. Messed up, but at least I'm not longer afraid to go to sleep at night and they inspire some of the best stories. My forthcoming novel, The Caged Girl, is based entirely off a dream I had several years ago. Several of the short stories in Femmes du Chaos came to me in dreams too, including Sated and Devils and Darlings.
Where is your favorite place to write?
My dining room table. I like the comforts of home, there are fewer distractions and I can be near my babies (my dog and cat). I can grab a bite to eat as needed, and can stop to take a nap if I find I've worked my brain too hard. I'm a bit of a homebody, and I'm becoming more of an introvert every day.
What advice would you give new authors?
Develop a thick skin and be open to criticism. In order to grow as a writer, you must be willing to hear what others have to say. There's no way you can please everyone, so don't try. Write for yourself, listen to what others have to say but learn to file the important feedback away while disposing of the useless garbage. You'll have critics, you'll get rejection. That's part of putting yourself out there. You can only get better with practice and feedback. Find some trusted beta readers who will give you HONEST feedback and keep writing.
About the author:
Kristen Duvall is a writer of tales both real and make believe. Born and raised in the Midwest, she now resides in Southern California with her boyfriend, her Great Dane and her rescued calico kitty. She's been writing and sharing her work online for several years now, and has decided to take the plunge into publishing her work for the world to read. She dabbles in horror, science fiction, fantasy and speculative fiction. She enjoys both Adult and Young Adult fiction and loves to write strong female characters. You may follow her on Facebook or visit her website.
Buy Links:
Amazon (both paper and Kindle version)
http://www.amazon.com/Femmes-du-Chaos...
Nook -
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/femme...
Smashwords -
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
Social Media Links
Facebook -
www.facebook/com/kristenduvallwriter
Twitter - www.twitter.com/kristen_duvall
Website and blog
www.kristenduvall.com
Goodreads -
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
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