I’ve known K.J. for some time,
having connected, as is the case with all my authors, where else but via social
media. K.J. is a mom and has a busy life, mostly of her own creation, she says.
She owns Blondie’s Custom Book Covers, a book cover design service that she
runs with Jody Smyers of Jody Smyers Photography. They create book covers for
authors using photography and Photoshop. Indeed if my twin brother John didn’t
create my book covers (and I hope you will agree, he does a pretty stupendous
job) then I would be going straight to K.J.
K.J. is also co-host (with
Suzanne Kelman) of the popular podcast Blondie and the Brit where she records
interviews with authors and others in the publishing industry for a humorous
chat. Together they record weekly and she says it has been an absolute blast
working with the #1 best-selling author, and learning about what has worked for
other ‘amazing authors’ including my good self! (her words not mine).
What inspired you to begin
writing?
I left my job as the Director
of Marketing for a national health care company after my second child was born.
After a few years of momming I needed a creative outlet that didn’t involve
finger paints.
I’d recently read Diana Gabaldon’s (author of Outlander) behind the scenes book, An Outlandish Companion where she
described her pantser writing style, writing scenes and then later connecting
them. It fit my personality and really inspired me to dip my toe into the world
of writing. On a long trip up the coast from Florida to Maine I began outlining
the Stealing Time series.
Why did you choose sci-fi as
your genre?
My books are science fiction based because I’ve always been
fascinated with the possibilities of technology. I love Robin Cook and Michael
Critten where most of the story is reality based but the important changes to
our modern life are tweaked by a new piece of technology, like the cloning in
Jurassic Park. My books are reality based but the invention of the time travel
device is what drives the plot and makes it a thrilling science fiction
read.
What is your favourite sci-fi
TV programme?
It would have to be the Outlander
series. Like Stealing Time it has the
modern woman thrown back in time trying to cope with the world that she finds
herself in.
Do you read other genres?
I look for good writing and a fast paced storyline. I enjoy
a lot of other genres as long as they meet that criteria. I also enjoy
historical fiction that is also an important element of Stealing Time.
What is the working title of
current your book?
The book I’m writing now is called Shattering Time and is the sequel to Stealing Time. It continues the story of the summer where 5 major
hurricanes hit Florida. Great fodder for time travel that needs a hurricane’s
power to function.
How long has this current
project been in the making?
I started 10 years ago on Stealing Time. Since then I’ve taken the story line I developed and
created 4 books that may expand into more.
Where did the idea for your book come from?
The Stealing Time series started as an
actual experience. When I moved to Florida in 2004, I was greeted by Hurricane
Charley. It hit three days after we moved into town and the weather never let
up for 2 months, when five major hurricanes hit that state. It was a wild summer
and sparked a lot of ideas.
The time travel elements were easy to incorporate because
I’ve always been fascinated with the thought of going back in time and how it
would be for a woman in a different time period.
Okay, here's a challenge. Sum
up your current book in TWO sentences.
With a second storm approaching, Ronnie Andrews scrambles to
leave town to avoid the monster Hurricane Francis, the size of Texas. Caught in
the massive evacuation, Ronnie has no choice but to stay in Florida, suffer
through the three day storm and risk travelling back in time.
What character's perspective
do you most enjoy writing from and why?
Strangely
enough I’ve really enjoyed writing the male characters in my novels. My current
favourite is writing from Mike Walsh’s perspective. He is Ronnie’s boss and
happens to be a Gerard Butler look alike. I think it is so different from the
female perspective I live daily so it is a great escape to live for a brief
time as a strong, successful man trying to vie for the attention of my main
character, Ronnie Andrews.
Where can people buy your books?
My
books are available everywhere you can imagine. Here are the links of the three
most likely places. You can search for my name and book titles to find on other
outlets.
Amazon:
Barnes
and Noble:
iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/stealing-time/id977501005?mt=11
I just released
a short story called Blow that after
a week is a Hot New Release on Amazon and a Best-Seller. It is a quick piece
about Hurricane Ivan. Here is the blurb:
Caught between a hurricane and a deadly secret, Rick Harris struggles
against a ticking clock when the wrong people show up at his door looking for
shelter. As the storm closes in wreaking havoc on Pensacola, Florida, he has to
make a choice between saving their lives and exposing a secret that could cost
him everything.
This has given
me a lot of momentum towards the release of my second book. I also want to
create more short stories and I’m planning on a short story collection from my
blog, Blondie in the Water. More of a non-fiction water adventure selection
than science fiction, but will be easy to put together and put out into the
world.
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