The Inside Scoop on K. L. Nappier

We have a real treat today. Award-winning author K. L. Nappier joins us to talk about all sorts of good stuff. Kathy has been published in many genres, but leans towards thrillers and mysteries. She is also a founding member of the Indiana Writers Workshop and a member of the Tampa Writers Alliance. Kathy contributed two articles to Inside Scoop: Articles about Acting and Writing by Hollywood Insiders and Published Authors. This is just one of several interviews I am performing with the writers who contributed to Inside Scoop.

Welcome to The Book Connection, Kathy. I’m thrilled you could join us today.

Thanks, Cheryl. I’m flattered you asked me.

Let’s start by getting to know you. How long have you been writing? How many genres have you been published in?

Oh, I’ve been writing for over 20 years and I’ve done a little bit of everything, really. Most of my novels fit into at least two genres. I work with themes or premises first and don’t tend to focus on genre. For a lot of years, publishers didn’t know how to catalog me. At any given time, a novel might be a thriller/adventure/horror story or a mystery/intrigue/romance. It all depends on what the theme calls for. But since I like to work with mythic images, I’d say most of my stuff leans toward the darker genres. Always with an eye toward the light, though. ;-)

Who or what has influenced your writing the most?

It’s not popular to say so but the simple truth is that, being a Baby Boomer, TV and movies have influenced me as much as great literature. Although I was more consciously aware of literature’s impact on me than I was of the silver screens’, both big and little. E.A. Poe was a major, major inspiration when I was a girl and he remains so. Unlike with movie icons and those on the tube, I knew I wanted to “write like Poe.” I read everything he wrote and, also, as much as I could about the man.

It wasn’t until later that I realized what an impact Alfred Hitchcock had on me as well as Rod Serling. They were as formative for me as Poe, whether I knew it or not at the time. I think that’s because of media’s natures. When you hold a book in your hand, you know who the author is, even when you’re a kid. But, as a child, you don’t even know what a screenplay is. You pay no attention to the film credits at the end of the movie. You’re just swept away by the story itself. Or, at least, I didn’t pay attention as a girl. I had to mature a little before I realized that Serling was a writer first, who became a TV icon later and Hitchcock...well, I’m convinced that the reason Hitchcock was so great as a movie maker was because he had a writer’s soul.



Now, from what I understand, there were many years between your debut novel, Shadows in the Mist and your supernatural thriller, Full Wolf Moon. Why do you think that happened? What did you do to keep yourself from getting discouraged?

Well, before I start pointing fingers, I need to look in the mirror. First and foremost -at the risk of sounding like a public broadcast announcement- I dropped out of college. Big mistake. Cost me years, because colleges and universities are to publishing houses what minor league is to baseball. Connected professors refer talented students. It was -and still is- a large part of the system and there’s no shame in it. Why would publishers go out into the general public when there’s a guaranteed source of talent in a concentrated area easily tapped?

So, stay in school, kids, if you want your writing career to develop early.

Beyond that, I couldn’t write to trend. Honestly, I tried, I really did. I wasn’t too proud to mimic the flavor of the month or year. It’s just that I’m not good at it. Also, by today’s standards, I’m a slow writer. It takes me a couple of years on average to complete a novel. And if you’re going to be a trend writer, you gotta pump those babies out faster than that.

Now for the finger pointing. I had two terrible agents in a row. I won’t name names or go into details, but they were volume agents: agents who loaded themselves up with every writer they could sign. The theory there, of course, is similar to throwing spaghetti on a wall. If you stuck to the wall immediately, they focused all their attention on you. If you slipped off the wall too soon, they left you to shrivel on the floor.

This is not a statement against literary agents in general. Heaven knows there are many, many very good ones out there. Just consider it a cautionary tale. I should revisit the mirror here as well because I did, after all, choose to sign with these people. The lesson is that a writer should research the agent well and, most especially, not leap into the lap of the first one who asks him or her to sign. Regretfully, that’s what I did. Twice.

What kept me from being discouraged? Well, I did get discouraged. I can’t count how many times over the years I was discouraged. But getting discouraged and giving up are two very different things. But, during the tough times, I had a lot of hands pulling me up off my knees: my husband’s, my family’s and the Indiana Writers Workshop critique group’s, foremost.

But, you know, simply...I’m a writer. I know it’s cliche, but being a writer isn’t what I do, it’s what I am. I love to write. I get depressed if I don’t write. When I was a kid, I wrote stories just to write them. I wasn’t thinking about getting published. If I were to let publishing be the soul reason to write, then I guess I would have dropped out years ago. Would have wound up being a babbling old Boomer chick staring into her pinot noir, lamenting what could have been. ;-)
Good news, though. Today, there are so many ways to keep a writer from being discouraged. Even if you blew it like I did during your college years, the publishing opportunities -contrary to conventional wisdom- are better today than ever. Contests for both published and unpublished writers alike are all over the Internet. There are a swarm of independent publishers really putting the New York houses to the test. And no aspiring writer should discount self-publishing. It’s another avenue of potential, if you do your due diligence and proper research.



Since Full Wolf Moon you’ve experienced tremendous success. You’ve won awards and contributed to the online bestseller Twisted Tails Anthology. What do you feel is your most significant achievement?

Golly, I have to decide which baby I love best? ;-) That’s just too tough a call. But I can say that entering Full Wolf Moon in Double Dragon Publishing’s Draco Awards was my smartest move. Because of that, I was signed on, first, by Double Dragon as an ebook author and, most recently, by Aisling Press for the paperback rights to my novels. Needless to say, I mark my win in the Dracos as significant in relaunching my writing career.



Let’s talk about your articles that appear in Inside Scoop. How did you get involved in this project?

I have the great good fortune to know Marilyn Peake, the brains behind the series. She’s also a DDP author and a best selling writer to boot. She’s a savvy industry insider, she knows first hand the challenges of this calling and is keen to share her knowledge with aspiring writers. When a whirlwind like Marilyn invites you into a project, you do not want to say no. Good things follow Marilyn whereever she goes. I’m always happy to catch a ride on her coat tails.



What are “Barbarians at the Gate: The Future of Literature, Rumor versus Reality” and “Promo Ammo: What Is A Video Book Trailer & What Can It Do For You?” all about? What will writers learn from them?

“Barbarians at the Gate” is about the emergence of the independent publishing industry. Readers and writers alike are poised at the cusp of a very exciting and prolific time in publishing. Conventional wisdom -and I do use the term “wisdom” loosely in this case- is looking at what’s happening to the traditional publishing houses of New York and predicting all kinds of calamity, equating these houses’ financial woes with the demise of the global book industry. Typical. The NY houses rarely look outside themselves to see what’s going on and too many in the popular media take what the houses say as gospel. Well, I’m saying the future of literature is far from bleak. It’s just breaking out of its old NY boundaries and that’s disturbing to those who prefer the status quo.

“Promo Ammo” is an introduction to an emerging and highly valuable promotional tool for today’s authors: the video book trailer (or book preview). YouTube, MySpace, DailyMotion and their ilk are now major players in the popular media, and writers need to keep up. The video book trailer is a great way to get your titles in front of the reading public. And a struggling writer doesn’t have to break the bank to have one produced. It’s a niche industry getting ready to bust out.

As a virtual book tour coordinator, I am very interested in your opinions on video book trailers. Do they really help sell books? How fancy do they have to be? Any advice on how many minutes is too long or too short?

I think they’re one of the most exciting new tools available. But, like any other promotional aid, they won’t sell a book by themselves. They need to be part of a total package. They’re a “hook,” an invitation to “come see more.” A good one can really draw in the visits at the YouTube style venues. They’re also highly effective at conventions and book fairs.

The time element certainly is important. I know it’s a thrill for us authors to see our books come to life on a video, but to the reading public it’s just a commercial. I may love to watch a four minute video, over and over again, that’s all about my book. But my potential readers are gonna start yawning and say “bye bye” in half that time. Remember who you’re making the video for and keep it under three minutes tops. About two minutes is optimum.

Like any promotion, the more professionally they’re made, the better. The good news is that there are affordable, easy-to-learn computer programs that can produce impressive videos, if your budget is such that you need to create them yourself. But there are also professional production companies creating videos, and not all of them will stress a writer’s pocket book. I use one myself, which I name in the article. One of the best in this new business and very affordable. Believe me, I don’t have the deep pockets of a Stephen King or Anne Rice, so you can trust me on this.

What’s up next for you? Are there future projects you would like to share with us?

I’m scurrying around a bit right now with book signings and panel discussion appearances at conventions, so I’m not getting as much writing done as I’d like. But that should settle down by the end of the year. Between trips, though, I’m working on something for the fourth in the “Twisted Tails” series and getting some ideas mapped out for what will be the third novel following the characters in “Full Wolf Moon” and “Bitten.” I think next year I’ll stay home so I can knuckle down and get some real work done on my manuscripts.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Only my best wishes and strongest encouragement to everyone out there. Writers, when “stage fright” strikes you, sitting in front of that white space on the monitor and wondering what the heck you’re doing there, realize this: you’re thinking too much. Stop it. Just write. You can clean it up later.

Readers, thank you for being you. Writing is a dance between an author and a reader. Without you, I wouldn’t even hear the music.

If anyone wants to come visit, my web site is KLNappier.com or drop by my MySpace page or YouTube channel. And I’m always happy to hear from readers and writers, so write me at klnappierddp(at)yahoo(dot)com

Thanks for joining us today, Kathy. It’s been great getting to know more about you and your work. I wish you continued success.

I appreciate the invite, Cheryl. When the questions are as thought provoking as yours, an interview is great fun.

Fantasy author Marilyn Peake

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with author and editor, Marilyn Peake. Thanks for joining me Marilyn. I’m glad to have you here.

Thanks, Cheryl. I’m delighted to be here!

Q: How long have you been writing?

In some ways, I’ve been writing most of my life. As a young child, I always thought I’d be a writer when I grew up. In high school, I wrote for several newspapers and had my own column in a couple of them. Eventually, I went off to college as an English Literature major; but switched to Psychology in my junior year. Around eighteen years ago, I started writing novels. Four years ago, I had my first novel published. Since that time, I’ve had quite a few books published.

Q: What is your writing process like? Is there a time of day you are more productive?

I work on writing almost every day--either writing or book promotion. When I’m working on a short story or novel, I try to write for at least 1-1/2 hours at least three days per week. I’m usually most productive in the morning or early afternoon.

Q: You write for both children and adults. What are some of the challenges of writing for different age groups? Do you find there are any similarities between writing for young people and adults?

The challenge in writing for children is to keep the work interesting and fast-paced while steering away from all mature content. For instance, if an author is writing about death or war in a children’s book, they need to make sure that the material is being presented in an age appropriate manner. It’s easier in many ways for an author to write about intense topics in adult books. The similarities in writing for young people and adults exist mostly within the craft of writing. Both age groups like well-written, visual material with captivating language and interesting, meaningful stories.

Q: How much research do you perform for your books? Is all your research done before you start writing or do you get to a certain point and then start writing, researching smaller details as you go along?

I do a great deal of research for my books and short stories. I research before I start writing if I need background information. Otherwise, I begin writing the story, then research as I need further information. I’ve written several articles about interesting research I conducted for my three short stories in the first Twisted Tails anthology: Witches’ Season set in the time of the witch burnings, Tiger in the Plum Blossoms set in the Heian Period of Japan, and Return to Roswell set in Roswell, New Mexico. You can find my articles about the writing of these three short stories in a free eBook entitled A Twisted Tale about Twisted Tails at the website of Biff Mitchell, another Twisted Tails author:
http://www.biffmitchell.com

Q: You contributed three stories to the anthology Twisted Tails. Can you tell us a little bit more about them? It seems like flavors had a lot to do with all of them.

The complete title of the first Twisted Tails anthology is Twisted Tails: An Anthology to Surprise and Delight. The Twisted Tails series is the brainchild of author J. Richard Jacobs who edits and compiles the anthologies. Although J. introduced each story in Twisted Tails: An Anthology to Surprise and Delight with a wonderful blurb about its “recipe”, the main requirement for each story was that it have a serious twist at the end.

For my short story, Witches’ Season, set in the time of the witch burnings, J. wrote the following blurb:
“With this scrumptious tidbit, Ms. Peake gives us a taste of bitter herbs and honey served over the burnt offerings of cute, loveable, sacrificial lambs. Here we get a glimpse of an ancient, delightfully quaint culinary custom that has served us well in our quest for purity, absolution, and evasion of guilt for as long as we have trod the surface of the planet. It takes different forms these days, but the idea remains the same. Ms. Peake has given us some wonderful children’s stories, but take heed, this is not one of those.”

For my short story, Tiger in the Plum Blossoms, J. Richard Jacobs wrote:
“Japanese cuisine is different. Much more subtle in its flavors than most Asian foods. There are some pointed exceptions, of course, but, in general, the flavors are delicate and the food must be eaten slowly to appreciate the sublime differences between one course and another. This holds true for Ms. Peake’s next treat. A most delightful blend of varied tastes, carefully and artfully assembled into a just-so elegance.”

For my short story, Return to Roswell, J. wrote the following blurb:
“Some places are best left alone. Would you return to a restaurant where the food was bad a week before you ate it and only got worse when it hit your stomach? If you knew in advance that a place served stuff with fungus hanging on it, would you go there? Probably not, right? You might be surprised to find out that not everybody follows their better judgement and they tend to wind up going places where uncomfortable, hard to digest things are bound to crop up. Such is the case for Layla, though she can be forgiven based on the notion that she’s a wee bit too young to know better. On the other hand, maybe she needed what was dished up. Let’s see.”

Q: Each of your stories in Twisted Tails takes places in a different time period. Do you have a favorite time in history that is often used in your stories?

I really don’t have a favorite time period in which to set my stories. I tend to like times and places that suggest mystery and wonder. In Twisted Tails II: Time on our Hands, all the stories have the same serious twist at the end as in the first Twisted Tails collection; but this time all the stories include the theme of time or interdimensional travel. The authors wrote so many pages for Twisted Tails II, it’s actually being published as two separate volumes! My short story, Mummy in the Art Museum, published in the first volume, is set in the New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the second volume, my short story, Devil’s Triangle, is set in the Bermuda Triangle. In that same volume, my short story, Moonbeams upon Stonehenge, begins in the year 2301 and involves time travel back to two historical events--the sinking of the Titanic and the “Great White Hurricane” that descended upon the Eastern United States and Canada in 1888--as well as time travel forward to the year 2501 and back to 1000 B.C.E. at Stonehenge.

Q: Your children’s fantasy adventure trilogy set in a fictional underwater city has received rave reviews. What can you tell us about The Fisherman’s Son, The City of the Golden Sun, and Return of the Golden Age?

These books are very dear to my heart. These are the first three books I had published; and the Audio Book of The Fisherman’s Son was recently named a Finalist in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards. These are children’s fantasy adventure novels, and all three have received excellent reviews. The Fisherman’s Son is set far up North on an island that in some ways resembles Ireland around the beginning of the nineteenth century. The main character is a twelve-year-old boy named Wiley O’Mara. His mother dies from an illness passing through their very poor village, and his father is an alcoholic. Being a brave and good boy, Wiley sets out through a forbidden forest to find a priest to bury his mother. It is during that journey that he discovers he is meant to undertake an even greater quest--an incredible rescue mission in an ancient city submerged beneath the ocean. A magical woman named Lucinda and a magical dolphin named Elden guide him along his way. In The City of the Golden Sun, Wiley and six boys he rescued from the ancient city travel through time to visit the city in its heyday. I had great fun creating that city which is based on ancient Greece and Rome, and reports about Atlantis. In Return of the Golden Age, Wiley must bring news of the ancient city and the rich heritage of his people to his now impoverished village, and to his father. This Trilogy was meant to inspire children and let them know that one can do great things in life, no matter what the obstacles.

Q: What do you most admire about Wiley? Which of his traits do you find undesirable?

I really like Wiley! I admire his courage and goodness, his pure heart, humility and determination. There really aren’t any traits in Wiley that I find undesirable, although it made me sad that his life and struggles were so difficult at the beginning of the series.

Q: Can you tell us more about your audio book project for The Fisherman's Son?

This was very exciting! My publisher invested money to have an audio book of The Fisherman’s Son produced by a professional audio production company. It was produced on a sound stage and read by the voice actor, Andrew Dollar. Andrew did an amazing job, and that Audio Book was recently named a Finalist in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards. You can listen to an audio excerpt from this audio book on the Double Dragon Publishing (DDP) and Fictionwise.com web pages for this publication:
Double Dragon Publishing:
http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/single.php?ISBN=1-55404-133-3AU
Fictionwise.com:
http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook35957.htm?cached

Q: The Golden Goblet is your monthly newsletter. In addition to letting fans keep up with your latest projects, your newsletter offers informative articles from published authors and Hollywood experts. How did this newsletter get started? Do you want to share the meaning behind its name with my readers?

I’ve been very lucky with The Golden Goblet Newsletter. I started it as a way to send out news regarding my books; but I felt that it would be a lot more interesting to readers if it featured an article by a different author or expert every month. As time went on, both very accomplished authors and Hollywood experts agreed to write articles. The articles during the first year of The Golden Goblet were so incredible that Deron Douglas, publisher at Double Dragon Publishing, agreed to publish every year of articles as a book! The first book in this series was recently published. Its title is From Hollywood Experts and Published Authors: Words of Wisdom for Starving Artists. All of the Hollywood experts are returning for this year’s newsletter, and two more people from Hollywood have agreed to write articles--including Hollywood photographer Kenneth Dolin http://www.kennethdolin.com , and Hollywood writer-director-producer John Klawitter http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0458487 and http://www.extinctionthefilm.com. I’m absolutely delighted! The meaning behind The Golden Goblet title is that a golden goblet was a very important item in The Fisherman’s Son Trilogy. It was handed to Wiley by the magical woman Lucinda, and had the following words inscribed on it: “Drink deeply by land or sea. Earth comes only once.” You can sign up for my free newsletter at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marilynpeake

Q: You took on an editorial role for From Hollywood Experts and Published Authors: Words of Wisdom for Starving Artists, which is available through Double Dragon Publishing (http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/single.php?ISBN=1-55404-426-X) Has that changed how you look at your writing?

It has definitely made me more enthusiastic and invested in writing than ever before!

Q: From Hollywood Experts and Published Authors recently made the best-seller list at Fictionwise.com. How does it feel to know one of your projects is so successful?

It’s a wonderful feeling. I’ve also received fantastic feedback from readers about the articles in the book, and that’s very gratifying.

Q: Twisted Tails II: Time on Our Hands - Volume 1 was released by Double Dragon Publishing in March, and has already become the #1 best-selling Anthology at eReader.com and has already ranked as a best-selling title in both the Fantasy and Science Fiction categories at Fictionwise.com. Can you tell us about the stories you contributed to this latest anthology?

I had a wonderful time writing these stories. Both the first Twisted Tails anthology, Twisted Tails: An Anthology to Surprise and Delight, and Twisted Tails II: Time on our Hands - Volume 1 made best-seller lists within days of publication, and that was exhilarating. As I mentioned earlier, the authors wrote so many pages for Twisted Tails II: Time on our Hands that it’s actually being published as two volumes. In Twisted Tails II: Time on our Hands - Volume 1, I have a short story titled Mummy in the Art Museum. This was inspired by a recent trip to the New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art where I discovered a mummy on display. I thought, “If that mummy woke up, would it be angry to find itself on display in an art museum?” For Twisted Tails II: Time on our Hands - Volume 2, soon to be published, I wrote two more short stories. Devil’s Triangle explores strange secrets about missing ships, planes and people in the Bermuda Triangle. Moonbeams upon Stonehenge explores time travel, and what it might do to the psyche of the travelers.

Q: What’s up next in the world of Marilyn Peake? Is there anything else you would like to add?

I have some very exciting projects coming up in the near future. You’ll be able to find all my future publications at:
http://www.marilynpeake.com

Thanks again for stopping by my blog today Marilyn. It was a pleasure to chat with you. May the future continue to bring you much success.

Thanks so much, Cheryl! I thoroughly enjoyed this interview!

Check out Marilyn on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=marilynpeake and hear her talk about her writing at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mmQLyDWQnw