Sunday, 9 October 2016

My Interview with Author K.L. Cottrell



1.     When did you first realize you wanted to become a writer/author?

Well, I wrote a lot as a kid, but I only realized I wanted to publish my stuff when I was in my early twenties. I finally had a solid story that I was interested in seeing through to the end, so I wrote it and got it out there!

2.     Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Oh, everywhere! Situations and struggles my loved ones and I have dealt with. Struggles other people in the world have. Or sometimes I just build on a thought in my head or a song lyric or something I spotted on the way to the grocery store. Video games get my imagination going, too. Inspiration is all over the place!

3.     What kinds of things do you enjoy when not writing?

I love to hang out with my husband. We watch a lot of movies and TV, and we play video games together. I also love dance!

4.     How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I’ve just finished up my fifth book! And I honestly could not pick a favorite if my life depended on it. There are things in each one that I will forever love and be proud of.

5.     Do you have any suggestions to help others who have a passion for writing?

Firstly, if you love writing but have a hard time with it, don’t quit on it. If your grammar is bad or your ideas need expanding or you aren’t sure how to wrap it all up or if you just feel plain stupid, that’s fine. Write, anyway. If you have an idea, run with it. We’re all our biggest critics, so ignore yourself for a while and write and then figure out the hard stuff later.

Secondly, write what entertains you! :)
 
6.     What do you think makes a great story?

Like a lot of people, I’m sure, I’m huge on character development; I have a really hard time enjoying stories that don’t connect me to the people in them. I’m sad to say I’ve read a few books that fell way short because the emotions in them were emptier than my brain in a math class.

7.     Which writers/authors inspire you?

Abbli Glines and Colleen Hoover have definitely made me a braver writer.

8.     What are you working on at the moment?

I just finished my part of a small anthology with J. L. Clayton and Jessica Ozment! I’ll also soon be diving into new ideas, one of which is a spin-off of my novel Sunlight Girl. Looking forward to that, because it’s a collaboration and I’m excited to revisit those characters.

9.     What genre are your books?

Always romance. My subgenres so far are urban fantasy, new adult, and paranormal.

10.                        What drew you to the genre you write?

I think the magic/fantasy thing appeals to a lot of people because sometimes real life can get boring, so there’s that. I do like to write about real life, too, though, because while it can get boring, it can also get so wild. So I always feel like there’s a story to tell no matter which way I go.

11.                        Which actor/actress would you like to see portraying the lead character from your most recent book?

My most recent book is Pretty Guilty, and I really don’t know who I’d put in my characters’ shoes! I think Julianne Hough could be Coralie if she’d do the heavy makeup and piercings. For Will…I have no idea. There’s probably some actor out there who looks like him, but Google hasn’t found him for me.

12.                        Do you write full-time or part-time?

Part-time, I guess, since I also teach dance.

13.                        What is the hardest thing about writing?

For me, the hardest thing is writing an idea all the way through. I have a ton of documents I don’t know what to do with because I don’t know how to work away from my original idea.

14.                        Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?

I joked one time that watching a whole bunch of The Office fixed my writer’s block (Pam and Jim forever), but I think stepping away in itself is what helps. But there’s a difference, I’ve found, between being unable to write and tricking yourself into thinking you can’t write. Sometimes when something is hard to write, being stuck on it can feel like writer’s block, but it’s best to just make a small change or really think about the story and push through it.   

15.                        Do you read much, and if so who are your favorite authors or genres?

These days, I write more than I read, but I do have favorite books and they’ve all got romance in them. I love love. The Slammed Series by Colleen Hoover is amazing, as well as Hopeless. The Sea Breeze books by Abbi Glines are favorites of mine. And I have to say What Money Can’t Buy by my author friend Ashley Uzzell, too, because it’s such a simple yet awesome story.

16.                        Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

I don’t think so! :)

17.                        How can readers discover more about you and your work?

I post about my work on both my author page and my book page!

Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview 😊

Thank you very much! This was fun! :D

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