Katie St. Clair writes Urban Fantasy with paranormal
romance undertones and her next series will also be Urban Fantasy. Other than
writing, passions include, gardening like a maniac in the summer, photography,
camping, the Caribbean, and research. Her mind is busy and needs to keep
learning. She’s like a walking encyclopedia on certain subjects. Summer is her
muse, winter is her nemesis and she has a quirky sense of humor and view on
life.
What made you decide
to be an author? I have always been a writer; it was just a matter of fine
tuning my craft for fiction. There are different writing rules and fiction is
another breed of dog altogether.
What do you like best about being a writer? What
do you like the least? I like the creative process the best. It’s great fun
developing characters with quirks and eccentricities and bringing them to life.
Weaving a believable plot that readers can’t figure out has been my number one
priority. There are so many worn out themes on the market and I didn’t want
that for Katie St. Claire readers. Editing is my least favorite task, but it’s
a necessary evil and one we all have to take serious. I edit so much my fingers
bleed but I want the manuscript right. Then I send it off for professional
editing. Then I edit and refine even more.
How do you think your life experiences have prepared you for writing? I
think all writers take from real life experience to create believable character
personalities. When writing plots sometimes we take a little from life and then
use our imaginations to create the rest.
Have you ever felt as if you were being dictated to while you wrote a book--as
if the words came of their own accord? If yes, which book did that happen with?
I’m not sure if that’s how it happens with me. Many writers talk about
characters talking to them because they want out, but what they really mean is they
are thinking and all of a sudden dialogue will pop into their head, or an
idea/spark/plot idea, and they’ll race to get it down. It’s not characters
trying to get out of your head it’s just that the creative process is always
working. Your subconscious mind thinks about your stories even when you’re not actively
writing.
You’ve written four complete novels and are working on concepts for
three more. What’s your favorite time management tip? I work on them one at
a time because going back and forth between novels and it never works out well.
Whether it’s humor, angst, speculative, romance, or whatever I’m tackling, I want
readers to believe even though it’s fiction.
Are you a plotter or a panster, i.e., do you outline your books ahead
of time or are you an “organic” writer? Historically, I’ve been a panster
and allowed my creativity to run. I’m planning and outlining my next series.
If you had one take away
piece of advice for authors, what would it be? Do not be afraid to keep
refining your work. It can always be improved. I see so many authors publish
their books without hiring an editor or having a professional critique the
plot.
Did music help you find your muse with this book? If yes, which song
did you find yourself going back to over and over again as you wrote? A lot
of Imagine Dragons songs. I’m not
sure why. I also listened to a play-list of angsty music because my plots have
a lot of it.
Tell me more about Second Hand Stops.
Julia Malone is abandoned on the door of an old English
manor but she’s not alone for long. Five telepathic children soon arrive to
form a paranormal family of makeshift misfits. Julia packs a humorous punch
with her witty way of viewing an unpredictable world. In fact, it becomes her
survival mechanism when life goes topsy turvy in the craziest way imaginable.
When the children come of age they drink an unknown
substance supplied by a wealthy American benefactor from New York City. It
slows the aging process but side effects become a game changer. The mysterious
and charming Claude Van Buren arrives at their annual autumn party and unveils
himself as the man behind the madness.
Julia becomes Van Buren Industry’s vice president of product
development and cracks the code by finally stabilizing substance X, also known
as the elixir. Claude Van Buren promises to revolutionize the world with a new
line of skin care touted as the fountain of youth.
Nic and Julia are sent on a vacation and find themselves in
the middle of the jungle discovering scientific anomalies the world would never
believe.
This coming of age series is one girl’s journey into the
puzzling realm of first loves, ethical dilemmas, and life that is stranger than
fiction.
The story continues in Rewind, and then Fast Forward .
How about an excerpt from Second Hand Stops?
It rocks living with a house full
of mind-readers—rocks like no tomorrow. I imagine our nightmare of a life once
we’re unleashed on the real world.
Ginger-blue flames crackle in the fireplace, and scents from
burning peach wood is rather hypnotic. If it were any other day, the flames might
lull me into a peaceful coma, but today it feels as if I’m bubbling away in a
witch’s cauldron.
“Inhale, Julia, you’re the
master of whacked out situations.”
Lyra elbows Lincoln and he turns to
study me with his normal expressionless stare and she with loathing. I avert my
attention and catch Lillian moving toward a stained wooden box set upon a
pedestal. She produces an old-fashioned skeleton key from her apron pocket and holds
it in the air with a theatrical flair. It captures our attention. Good old
Lillian, she holds the patent on dramatization.
“Julia, Nic, Lincoln, Sebastian,
Dutch, and Lyra,” our names roll off her tongue with enunciated syllables, effectively
quieting our chatter.
She inserts the key and there’s a faint hitch followed by
a loud releasing click. The top of the box opens to reveal six vials of
amethyst liquid in four-inch illuminated cylinders. The tension in the room is
conspicuous. My inappropriate giggle echoes inside the hall, the way some
people laugh at funerals. Lillian glares until my throat constricts.
Where can readers find more about your stories, books and you on the
Internet?
Website Links:
Website: http://www.katiestclaire.com
Facebook:
Twitter: @katiestclaire
Buy Links:
Katie St. Claire, thank you so much for being with us here today. I
know my readers will enjoy your work and your interview.
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