Q&A wih K.A. Tucker
Posted by Goodreads on June 19, 2017
You can't keep a good woman down…at least not in a K.A. Tucker novel. The author of Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water specializes in poignant contemporary romances about resilient women who must fight their own personal battles to find their way to true happiness.
In her new book, Until It Fades, truck stop waitress and single mom Catherine is trying to hide from the notorious reputation her small town has assigned her. A simple, boring life is all she craves. A hunky hockey superstar? Not in her wildest dreams. When a chance encounter on a foggy night puts the celebrity athlete in her debt, Catherine can't shake the feeling that she doesn't deserve him—his attention, his friendship, or his love.
The author answers your questions about unforgettable characters who shaped her love of stories, "guilty pleasure" books (and why she's not a fan of that term), and the kitchen sink horror novel we never knew we wanted.
Lyndzee: Your stories were among the books that made me hope that waiting for "the one" is worth it. What books first made you feel that way?
K.T. Tucker: The first (and most epic) romance I ever read growing up was Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe's love story in Anne of Green Gables. It began simply and honestly: Little boy pulls girl's pigtails and calls her carrots; little girl despises boy for targeting her vulnerability. But over the years their relationship grew into a deep friendship and then a deep love. Even though life took them in different directions (and into different relationships), they always found their way back to each other. Sigh.
Zoe: Hi, I adore your books! I've always wondered how you came up with the Ten Tiny Breaths mantra. "Ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them." It's so beautiful, and I now say it whenever I'm anxious or stressed. Thank you!
KT: I wish I had some deep, thought-provoking explanation for how I came up with that mantra, but I don't, and I can't even come up with a suitable lie. This mantra just landed on my screen as I typed. One second it wasn't there, and the next it was! (Though had I known how many people would mistake it for Ten Tiny Breasts, I might have reconsidered. But I digress…) My character Kacey needed a strong tie to her parents, a lifeline that she could grasp as she spiraled, even if she didn't fully understand the meaning at the time. Words are a powerful link.
Fernanda: I love your books and can't wait for Until It Fades. Will Until It Fades be part of a series? It's just so fun knowing that you'll get to read more about all of the characters.
KT: Until It Fades is written as a standalone story, but there is potential for a sequel. I'm always wary of turning standalones into sequels because the risk of a contrived plot is high. (That's why the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series are all made up of standalone stories.) But in this case, given Cath's history and the way Until It Fades ends, there is a lot that could be done with their story.
Kimberly: What's the coolest thing you've been able to do as a result of being a writer?
KT: There are many cool things that come with being a writer: the travel, the new friendships, and the ability to impact lives through writing stories. Sitting in an audition room and seeing actors bring the main male protagonists of He Will Be My Ruin to life for the Crave Romance app is definitely up there.
MJ: Do you remember the first book that made you cry?
KT: I'm pretty sure it was Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I read it for school. And, as if the book wasn't enough, we then watched the movie in class. We were a sobbing mess of kids, crying over dead dogs. I'm not sure what my teacher was thinking.
Yesenia: What do you do when you get stuck and you don't know what else to write?
KT: I start reading from the beginning and search for the point where I went wrong with the story. When I get stuck, it's always because I've taken the plot or the characters (or both) in the wrong direction somewhere along the way. Sometimes I don't see it, and I have to step away for a few days or weeks. I binge-read books, and I binge-watch Netflix. Basically I let myself become immersed in someone else's imagination to reset mine, which is usually spinning and at odds with the critical-thinking side of my brain.
BelaRuiz: What are some of your favorite "guilty pleasure" books to read?
KT: I have taken a stand against the term "guilty pleasure" when talking about books. To me, a guilty pleasure is that triple-patty hamburger with two pounds of bacon and a side of poutine that will jack up your cholesterol level and potentially kill you one day. Guilty pleasures are things you enjoy even though they aren't good for you. Books are always good for you. They're good for your soul, your imagination, your peace, your thought process. Even poorly written books can serve a purpose—they can inspire discussion and awareness; they can drive you to educate yourself on topics you knew nothing about. Unless you're reading satanic worship how-to manuals with plans to fully implement their teachings, books are always good for you.
Vox: What is your favorite part of the writing process?
KT: Revising and editing. I know that sounds insane, but because I haven't figured out a way to outline that works for my process, writing a first draft is painful. But by the revision/editing stage, I've laid the groundwork for the story.
Martina: What kind of books did you like the most when you were a kid? How do you think those books influenced your writing as an adult?
KT: Lucy Maud Montgomery was a staple for me growing up. I am eagerly counting down the days until I put Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon into my children's hands. Anne and Emily represent girls who face and overcome life's hardships—and grow up to become strong, resilient women. The stories are bursting with multidimensional characters readers can't help but become attached to. There is romance, but there isn't just romance; forming family ties and deep, everlasting friendships are both equally important themes.
These are all components I most enjoy in the books I read as well as in the books I write.
Kiah: Is there something you know you would never write—like a horror novel or a book from the kitchen sink's perspective?
KT: That sounds like one and the same: The Kitchen Sink's Perspective: A Horror Novel.
I remember lying on a beach in Punta Cana and reading The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (not really a beach read). I didn't have kids at that point, but a story about a child's abduction and murder was still difficult to stomach. Now that I have children, I know without a doubt that I could never spin a story with that premise because I don't ever want to imagine myself there. When my kids are grown up, my perspective might change, but for now…that's a hard limit for me.
In her new book, Until It Fades, truck stop waitress and single mom Catherine is trying to hide from the notorious reputation her small town has assigned her. A simple, boring life is all she craves. A hunky hockey superstar? Not in her wildest dreams. When a chance encounter on a foggy night puts the celebrity athlete in her debt, Catherine can't shake the feeling that she doesn't deserve him—his attention, his friendship, or his love.
The author answers your questions about unforgettable characters who shaped her love of stories, "guilty pleasure" books (and why she's not a fan of that term), and the kitchen sink horror novel we never knew we wanted.
K.T. Tucker: The first (and most epic) romance I ever read growing up was Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe's love story in Anne of Green Gables. It began simply and honestly: Little boy pulls girl's pigtails and calls her carrots; little girl despises boy for targeting her vulnerability. But over the years their relationship grew into a deep friendship and then a deep love. Even though life took them in different directions (and into different relationships), they always found their way back to each other. Sigh.
Zoe: Hi, I adore your books! I've always wondered how you came up with the Ten Tiny Breaths mantra. "Ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them." It's so beautiful, and I now say it whenever I'm anxious or stressed. Thank you!
KT: I wish I had some deep, thought-provoking explanation for how I came up with that mantra, but I don't, and I can't even come up with a suitable lie. This mantra just landed on my screen as I typed. One second it wasn't there, and the next it was! (Though had I known how many people would mistake it for Ten Tiny Breasts, I might have reconsidered. But I digress…) My character Kacey needed a strong tie to her parents, a lifeline that she could grasp as she spiraled, even if she didn't fully understand the meaning at the time. Words are a powerful link.
Fernanda: I love your books and can't wait for Until It Fades. Will Until It Fades be part of a series? It's just so fun knowing that you'll get to read more about all of the characters.
KT: Until It Fades is written as a standalone story, but there is potential for a sequel. I'm always wary of turning standalones into sequels because the risk of a contrived plot is high. (That's why the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series are all made up of standalone stories.) But in this case, given Cath's history and the way Until It Fades ends, there is a lot that could be done with their story.
KT: There are many cool things that come with being a writer: the travel, the new friendships, and the ability to impact lives through writing stories. Sitting in an audition room and seeing actors bring the main male protagonists of He Will Be My Ruin to life for the Crave Romance app is definitely up there.
MJ: Do you remember the first book that made you cry?
KT: I'm pretty sure it was Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I read it for school. And, as if the book wasn't enough, we then watched the movie in class. We were a sobbing mess of kids, crying over dead dogs. I'm not sure what my teacher was thinking.
Yesenia: What do you do when you get stuck and you don't know what else to write?
KT: I start reading from the beginning and search for the point where I went wrong with the story. When I get stuck, it's always because I've taken the plot or the characters (or both) in the wrong direction somewhere along the way. Sometimes I don't see it, and I have to step away for a few days or weeks. I binge-read books, and I binge-watch Netflix. Basically I let myself become immersed in someone else's imagination to reset mine, which is usually spinning and at odds with the critical-thinking side of my brain.
BelaRuiz: What are some of your favorite "guilty pleasure" books to read?
KT: I have taken a stand against the term "guilty pleasure" when talking about books. To me, a guilty pleasure is that triple-patty hamburger with two pounds of bacon and a side of poutine that will jack up your cholesterol level and potentially kill you one day. Guilty pleasures are things you enjoy even though they aren't good for you. Books are always good for you. They're good for your soul, your imagination, your peace, your thought process. Even poorly written books can serve a purpose—they can inspire discussion and awareness; they can drive you to educate yourself on topics you knew nothing about. Unless you're reading satanic worship how-to manuals with plans to fully implement their teachings, books are always good for you.
Vox: What is your favorite part of the writing process?
KT: Revising and editing. I know that sounds insane, but because I haven't figured out a way to outline that works for my process, writing a first draft is painful. But by the revision/editing stage, I've laid the groundwork for the story.
Martina: What kind of books did you like the most when you were a kid? How do you think those books influenced your writing as an adult?
KT: Lucy Maud Montgomery was a staple for me growing up. I am eagerly counting down the days until I put Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon into my children's hands. Anne and Emily represent girls who face and overcome life's hardships—and grow up to become strong, resilient women. The stories are bursting with multidimensional characters readers can't help but become attached to. There is romance, but there isn't just romance; forming family ties and deep, everlasting friendships are both equally important themes.
These are all components I most enjoy in the books I read as well as in the books I write.
Kiah: Is there something you know you would never write—like a horror novel or a book from the kitchen sink's perspective?
KT: That sounds like one and the same: The Kitchen Sink's Perspective: A Horror Novel.
I remember lying on a beach in Punta Cana and reading The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (not really a beach read). I didn't have kids at that point, but a story about a child's abduction and murder was still difficult to stomach. Now that I have children, I know without a doubt that I could never spin a story with that premise because I don't ever want to imagine myself there. When my kids are grown up, my perspective might change, but for now…that's a hard limit for me.
Read more of our exclusive author interviews on our Voice page.
