The first book I read as a child that I took out of the library was The Little Witch. Most of the stories I liked growing up were supernatural tales. From my late teens through my twenties I devoured a lot of book, and liked to read categories, including Russian literature, the existential writers, modern novels considered best sellers, plays by some of the significant playwrights of the past and present, translations of ancient Greek fiction, and plenty more supernatural fiction. In other words, I read everything. I had periods where I fixated on a specific writer, for example, Franz Kafka, and read every book, story, letter and fragment he wrote. J.D. Salinger was a favourite, a writer I respect for publishing his 4 books and then stopping because he had nothing more he wanted to say to the world. I love gothic literature and read all the horror classics that we all know and a lot that are not familiar to most writers. I think it's safe to say that I like to read and read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction.
Would you say your childhood and teenage reading has had a distinct influence on how you write fiction now, and why?
I'm not certain it had a direct influence but certainly by reading a lot, anyone who wants to write has a terrific base for understanding writing and also how story works. And reading is, of course, enriching to the soul and expands the mind. Culture involves reading.
What did you do before you became a published novelist, and how did you come to write your first novel and get it published?
The first novel I wrote has never been published. My second took 23 years to publish. The third was published right away. None of these books are related to one another. Before working as a professional writer, I did a variety of jobs, some low paying, like waitress, museum security guard and some high paying--I was a VP in a market research firm for a while. But throughout, I wrote. I also did a few years of freelance writing for magazines and newspapers, and advertising copy for a large ad firm.
How would you describe your style of fiction or your approach to writing fiction during your first few novels?
The first (unpublished) novel I wrote was semi-autobiographical. I was just writing for the love of writing and while I thought it should be published (as did my first agent), it wasn't. I learned a lot from writing that book. I switched to the dark fantasy and horror genres after that and the writing became dark and atmospheric. The second novel I wrote was a wild, futuristic vampire novel, set 30 years in the future. It wasn't published for a long time and because time has a way of creeping along, I had to revise it many times until the futuristic element became quite small--the future had arrived. My style developed with that book and the next one, which was an erotic horror novel that turned into a series. I think by then I was getting some footing in terms of my own concepts of story, and my own narrative style. I'd say my style is fearless because I'm not afraid push the envelope. That asks a lot from readers, but so far so good.
How would you describe your style of fiction or your approach to writing fiction now?
I don't think my style has changed much but hopefully my writing has improved and smoothed out. I think that has to happen, the more one writes. Writing is learning and it becomes easier to see what does and doesn't work in fiction, how to say more with less, how to keep the suspense going.
Was your first published novel standalone or part of a series, and what advantages or disadvantages did this present for you?
The first novel published was intended to be stand alone but when the contract was negotiated, the publisher wanted a series, which I was happy to write.
Did you find writing your second novel easier or more challenging than writing your first novel and why?
Each novel is so different that I can't see them as easier or harder, just different. I suppose that the more one writes, the easier it gets in some sense because confidence builds, and knowledge about craft broadens. Still, writing is always new, a new project always a mystery and there are inherent excitements and fears involved.
Who is another novelist whose fiction writing you admire and why?
I'll mention Patrick Susskind again. There have been many writers who blew me away but Perfume stands out. I also liked his novella Pigeons. I like the thoughtful, existential approach in writing, which is what he does. Also, his use of the sense of smell in Perfume was extremely unusual and it worked shockingly well. I think he's a genius.
Pick a series of novels you have written. How would you describe what makes that a cohesive series with strong appeal for readers?
I have a couple of series but will stick with the Power of the Blood. The world I set up is the thing that remains the same, though each book focuses on different characters in that world. This doesn't mean they take place in the same setting--they don't--but the vampiric world is the same. I think that the world itself is what makes the series cohesive. Even though the characters change (but appear in one another's stories), and the plot changes, the world is familiar. It's kind of like being in a fairly large family and going home for Thanksgiving. Everybody is in the same house but they all get to tell what's new to the others. That locks in a familiarity and safety for the reader. To me it's crucial to establish a stable setting in a series and work from there. The reader needs to be grounded.
How would you summarise one of your novels in one paragraph?
I'll use a stand alone novel, As One Dead, co-written with Don Bassingthwaithe: A Romeo and Juliet style love story with two doomed lovers, each from a warring vampire clans hell bent on destroying the other.
How would you describe the appeal of this novel to readers?
Readers have the tension of the war, the swells of truce that fail, the underhanded manipulation within the clans, the manipulation of the lovers, and their fight to join together in a world that is against them.
How would you summarise a chapter from this novel in one paragraph.
An unusual girl with a raven on her shoulder arrives at a club which is in a small area of the city held by one of the vampire clans. The rest of the city is controlled by the other, warring, clan. She brings them hope, but they don't trust her.
How would you describe the contribution this chapter makes to the novel?
It sets up the story so that the reader understands what's going on in the city, why these vampires are boxed into a small area. They also meet the enigmatic girl who can help them, if only they can trust her. The chapter sets everything up for the reader so they know what type of story this is, and what to expect.
Author website: http://www.nancykilpatrick.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment