writer interview #12

-- Writer Interview #12 --

Lillian interviews Katie Salidas, an author with a sincere passion to entertain. Katie tells us that since early childhood, she's dreamed up fantastical characters and scribbled them into pages of various journals and notebooks. Taking an interest in vampires at an early age, she devoured every book, featuring those blood-sucking creatures, in any genre she could find.

It was only natural that a love of reading about vampires, and a love of writing, turned into a desire to write her own stories. She is the author of the new vampire series, Immortalis Carpe Noctem. 

Find Katie at: http://www.risingsignbooks.com 

K: Lillian, thank you so much for having me on your blog today. I am extremely happy to be here!

L: It is a pleasure Katie! Tell us about yourself…

K: You want to know a secret? Ok it’s not really a secret considering I am telling it on a public blog. I am a horribly shy individual. It actually works for writing. I am comfortable at home clicking away at my keyboard making up lots of stories about characters who would do and say things I never would. The thing is, it doesn’t work when the story is published. – LOL - 

Many authors don’t realize this, I didn’t until I published my first novel, but marketing means getting out there and being social. You cannot spread the word unless you talk to others and for a shy person that is a hard thing to do. It’s something I am slowly overcoming as I continue to push my book into the world.

L: What is the name of your current book?

K: My novel is entitled Immortalis Carpe Noctem. I obsess over names endlessly until I find something that fits. It has to be perfect! While writing Immortals I kept looking into the story to find a basic thread. They are Immortal, vampires that is, and the Latin version of that is Immortalis. They live in the night. But, that is not the underlying theme. It’s a story about coming to terms and accepting it. Seizing the night so to speak. That is where it all fit together. Immortalis Carpe Noctem translates to Immortals, Seize the Night.

L: Very Cool! When it comes to a career in writing, what are some of the more common mistakes authors make?

K: That’s a tough question as I am still making many mistakes. It’s a learning process. Every step of the way there are new things to learn: writing craft, how publishing works, marketing, and beyond. I think the biggest mistake is not fully researching each step of the process. When writing, learn craft, go to crit groups, get beta readers… And never be too proud to hear a negative review or critique. They will come and they hurt, but they always make you better for hearing or reading them.

L: What are your greatest obstacles and motivators when it comes to writing?

K: My greatest obstacle is my own self. As an independent author/publisher I am accountable for what I do or don’t do. Taking a day off because I don’t feel like working that day will only hurt me in the long run. As for motivation... Well the muse is definitely a motivator; when she speaks I must write it down. –LOL- Also, there is that sense of satisfaction when someone has read your story and loves it. It just makes you want to write more.

L: What is your favorite memory in your career as a writer?

K: The day I held the first print copy of my novel was an awesome day! Finally seeing the culmination of years of hard work in a tangible form was … magical. I hope to have many more days like that.

L: What do you think about self-publishing?

K: Self-publishing comes in two flavors; neither are to be looked down on. The amount of hard work that goes into writing a novel is nothing to scoff at no matter how it is published. But there is a small distinction to be made. Some authors self-publish just to have their book in print while others do it to start their career. I hope to be in the latter. To do it right takes a lot of work, and it is up to the self-published author alone to do it. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know everything and have probably not done everything right, but as with all things, hard work and perseverance should pay off. Time will tell.

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio shows and free resources and more at: www.brummet.ca

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