Nancy Kilpatrick - Author Interview: Internationally Bestselling Novelist

What kinds of fiction did you read as a child and teenager, and did you have some favourites?

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The first (unpublished) novel I wrote was semi-autobiographical.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/



Vicki Delany - Author Interview: Narrative Style

Which narrative point of view (first person, second person or third person) do you use most in your fiction, or do you often use different points of view for different stories, and why?

I write three completely different styles and sub-genres of crime fiction, and the narrative style varies depending on what suits the book. The Constable Molly Smith books (From Poisoned Pen Press) are in the style of the traditional police procedural/village format. A multi-person, third-person POV works best, I think, to show the situation from many angles and how individual characters are responding to the situation.

The Klondike Gold Rush books (From Dundurn Press) are primarily first person, as they are quite light-hearted. It’s much easier to write comedy in first person – you can poke fun at your protagonist without appearing to be mean-spirited. The protagonist in these books is intended to be somewhat, shall we say, confident in her abilities, so I think she might be a bit over-bearing if presented in third person. On the other hand, because of the time and the setting of the books, I needed another character’s POV to go to places that a woman of the times would not. So the character of her 12 year old son and the NWMP officer are in third person.

My newest standalone, More than Sorrow, is one person, first person POV, because I am attempting to achieve an intimacy between the reader and the character.

Do you use present tense or past tense most in your fiction, or do you often switch tense for different stories, and why?

I always use past tense. I find present tense very rarely works in fiction.

Pick one of your published stories. What combination of point of view and tense did you use for this story, and why?

I’ll pick my forthcoming book, More Than Sorrow (Poisoned Pen Press, Sept 2012). The main part of this book is almost exclusively first person POV, past tense. The book is standalone suspense, a modern Gothic. I am hoping to achieve an intimacy between the reader and the character. The character is a journalist wounded in an IED explosion in Afghanistan attempting to recover at her sister’s organic vegetable farm. She suffers from TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and her injury is central to the story and to the character’s actions and development. I never considered telling it in anything but first person, because first person is the best medium to give the reader a glimpse into what is happening inside the woman’s damaged brain, and her attempts to deal with it.

I said ‘almost exclusively’ because there are a couple of very short passages in which we see Hannah Manning, the protagonist, as others see her. Damaged and struggling.

There are, however, flashbacks in this book to a Loyalist woman, a refugee from the American Revolution. This story is told in third person, deliberately to avoid confusion with the main story.

As in all of my writing, the tense is past tense. As a reader, I find that present tense unless done extremely well, can be off-putting and have an air of unnaturalness about it.

To what extent is the vocabulary and manner of speech of the narration in this story different from your own everyday expression, and what does this contribute to the story?

The character in this book is a modern middle-class Canadian woman, same as me. Her speech and vocabulary is therefore very similar to mine. I have written books where the narration is historical or for someone much younger than me, so it was a relief not to have to worry about the character’s speech patterns or words. In the flashback sequences, the narration is slightly more formal than I would use, as the character is a well-educated, upper-class woman of the 18th century. Care needs to be taken that the language is formal but not so stilted or proper as to be off-putting to the modern reader.

Did you tell this story with one narrator or multiple narrators, and why?

In this book there are two narrators for each section of the book (18th century and contemporary). That, I believe, leads to an emotional intimacy between the character and the readers that is difficult to achieve if other characters keep popping up.

Did you make the narrator of this story a character involved in the main action of the story, or did you make the narrator one which is not a character in your fictional storyworld, and why?

The narrator(s) is the central character. We see all of the action and all of the other characters exclusively through her eyes. Again, this was necessary to achieve a strong degree of emotional intimacy. The reader (I hope) can really feel this woman’s pain and her terror that she will never get well.

Do you usually provide direct access to the thoughts of characters in your stories? If so, do you usually provide access to the thoughts of one character or multiple characters in a single story or point of view, and why?

In all of my books, whatever type, I provide direct access to the thoughts of the POV character at the moment. Whether it’s Molly Smith worrying that she’ll never make a good cop, or Fiona MacGillivray reflecting on her tumultuous past, or any one of my other characters worried that they’re making a mistake, or even what to make for dinner, I believe that the most important action of fiction is to give a glimpse into another person’s mind.

To what extent does the narrative style of novels you read have an impact on why you read them, and why?

Narrative style is critical. I don’t usually read a book for the action or the dialogue, but for the characters and what they have to say.

Authore website: http://www.vickidelany.com/



Dave Hugelschaffer - Author Interview: Characters

Pick one of your favourites among the characters from your published fiction stories or a character which is an interesting example from your published fiction. What makes this character one of your favourites or an interesting example of your fiction?

Porter Cassel is the protagonist of the Porter Cassel Mystery Series. Porter is a complex character with a tragedy in his past. This tragedy plays into the plot of the first book in the series. Porter also has a few flaws. He becomes frustrated, drunk occasionally, gets into bar fights, becomes emotionally involved, makes mistakes, bends the rules, which makes him immediate and believable. He also has a sly sense of humour, which lightens an otherwise dark genre—murder mystery.

What kind(s) of character do you consider this character primarily to be, or how would you describe this character?

Porter is a sympathetic character. Although a professional investigator, he is accessible and provides the reader an avenue into the relatively unexplored world of forest fire investigation. Although he bends the rules, Porter adheres to a strict personal moral code, and has been called the Dirty Harry of fire investigators.

What is a character from a published fiction story by another author you would compare this character to and why are they similar?

Hmm… I would have to say Harding from John Wessel’s novel, This Far, No Further. Harding is an unlicensed PI. Although Harding works in Chicago and Porter works in the forest, they are both unorthodox investigators with a troubled past. They both follow their own code and both have a sneaky, dry sense of humour.

To what extent did you use any pre-existing character formula, template, paradigm, character design, archetype, or theory or principles of making or analysing character in planning, writing, and refining this character?

The series is set in the mystery genre, so certain basics went into the mix, particularly the hard-boiled approach with a personal moral code. After that, I just built, based partially on people I know, and my own (sometimes) quirky personality.

How would you describe the first chapter, scene or section of this story in one paragraph?

The books always start with a crime—in this series a forest fire. The second book - One Careless Moment - starts with an arson in the forest and ends with Porter and one of his men trapped in a portable fire shelter—picture a pup-tent made of tin foil—amidst raging flames.

Pick one of your published stories. How would you describe the introduction of the main character, or one of the main characters, in this story?

The first book – Day into Night – introduces Porter in the thick of the action. Porter arrives at a fire he must investigate, where the crime scene has been contaminated. He meets with the other two members of his investigative unit, revealing his working relationships. At the end of the first chapter, the reader learns of a dark tragic event in Porter’s life, the death of his fiancée, and that his fiancee’s father blames him.

What makes this an effective character introduction for this story?

The introduction is effective as it inserts Porter directly into the role he fills, highlights the challenge ahead of him, and reveals a tantalizing secret from his past.

What major changes does this character go through, or what major challenges does the character encounter and how does the character respond to them?

As genre fiction, there isn’t a huge arc in character change. Porter has a personal stake in the investigation, and has to deal with quilt and betrayal, which results in some personal growth. Very much like real life.

How would you describe the most important minor characters in this story and the changes in their character, or the challenges they encounter and how the respond them?

The girl Porter meets in the course of his investigation plays a large role in both the investigation and his personal journey. And of course, the villains, who, fortunately, don’t change too much.

What does the story gain from the minor characters?

Minor characters add a bit to the plot, as well as contributing context, texture, local color, and humour. The first-person-present point of view requires an interesting cast of minor and secondary characters, to keep interesting the observations and interactions of the protagonist.

To what extent would you describe the characters in this story as typical or atypical of characters in your fiction stories?

This is a series, so the characters are by definition typical.

Author website: http://www.davehugelschaffer.com/



Nancy Kilpatrick - Author Interview: Story

Pick one of your favourites among your published fiction stories or a story which is an interesting example of published fiction. What makes this story one of your favourites or an interesting example from your fiction?

I can't say I have a favorite novel or short story I've written because I like them all. I'll select the novel Near Death, just because. This story was innovative when first published, which is why Pocket Books bought it and why it was popular. Mainly, I was able to show a unqiue vampire to the world.

What genre(s) do you consider this story primarily to be, or how would you describe this story?

Vampire, dark fantasy, a 'soft' vampire caught in morbidity by his pre-undead nature, who is enamoured with the romantics and quotes Byron often.
What is a published fiction story by another author you would compare this story to and why are they similar?
I can't think of another novel that is like Near Death. Of course, there are other vampire novels out there, many. I have a vast collection of 2,000 vampire novels. I don't see that any have done what I've done, so other than the sub-genre theme of vampire, I couldn't say.

To what extent did you use any pre-existing story formula, template, paradigm, plot design, archetype, or theory or principle of story/plot structure in planning, writing, editing or rewriting this story?

I worked with the vampire archetype, of course. I've read about 2000 vampire novels to date (maybe about 1000 at the time I wrote this novel) and have collected books for years so I knew what had been done, and I know what has been done since Near Death was first published. I wanted to create a unique vampire that still remained solidly within the archetypal parameters.

How would you describe the first chapter, scene or section of this story in one paragraph?

Chapter one gets readers right into the story. A drug-addicted girl arrives at the vampire's ancestral home in Manchester, England trying to drive a stake through his heart. He stops her. She reminds him of a past love. He can't get the truth out of her heroin-soaked brain and has to dry her out first to find out who sent her to murder him.

What makes this chapter, scene or section an effective opening for this story?

Right from the get-go readers know what the story is about and who the two main characters are. It's a mystery that folds around revenge, romance and betrayal and the opening alludes to all of that.

What major stages, twists or turns does the story conflict take in this story before the conflict is resolved (or not resolved)?

Near Death twists and turns quite a bit and just when you think you have a grip on what's going on, the story spins another way. It would take too long to identify all the plot twists. I'd suggest reading the novel, which is available in print and also as an ebook.

How would you summarise the major sub-plot or sub-plots in this story? If this story has no sub-plots, how would youe describe the main sub-plot or sub-plots from one of your favourite published fiction stories by another author?

The main plot is: who sent Zero (the heroin-addicted prostitute) to kill David, and why? The subplot is: What is Zero hiding from her past that impacts on all this? Another subplot is: David's past lover and whether or not he can see beyond his illusions and recognize her as a threat. And a short but final subplot that unfolds in the other books in this world is: What role does the vampire half breed play in the future of this dark species?

What does the story gain from the sub-plot or sub-plots?

The subplots enrich the main plot, expanding the story, folding in on it, criss-crossing so that the story is not one dimensional but layered and complex.

To what extent would you describe your story discussed here as typical or atypical of your fiction stories?

Both typical and not typical, I'd say. I've written some stories and novels with a 'weak' protagonist, meaning a protagonist with a weakness . But essentially I'd say that each story and novel is so different from the others, which is how I enjoy writing, that I can't really group them into typical types.

Author website: http://www.nancykilpatrick.com