Hello riders and readers. It is Saturday and I am starting things off with sitting down with Multi-Fantasy Genre Author Kari Kilgore. We are going to break down her journey as an author and how she is running her Kickstarter for her book "Voices Through Time." Dive into the details of her life below and find out how she ticks. Not only that but head over to her Kickstarter page for "Voices Through Time," to back her project today. She has 6 more days left then her campaign ends and you will miss out on her special edition hardcover that she is offering. I hope you enjoy this interview. Happy reading everyone :)
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Author Interview with Kari Kilgore
Hi, I’m Kari Kilgore, and I’ve rarely met a genre I don’t like! Fantasy, romance, mystery, science fiction, I write them all. My favorite kind of writing is when I have no idea which genre a story will fit until I finish. Even better is when it a solid mix of them.
What inspired you to become an author?
I’d say the roots go all the way back to reading Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, and Anne McCaffrey when I was in grade school. Seeing how those stories featured girls and that women wrote them was tremendously inspiring to me. Between that and my habit of telling myself stories for as long as I remember, the desire to write persisted through several career hops over the years.
How long have you been in the publishing industry?
My first sideways experience was as a technical writer back in the very early 2000s. That gave me a lot of experience in making sure ideas were explained clearly, formatting, and seeing my writing in action. From there, I published books and a magazine with my uncle, Frank Kilgore. The intricate layout of Far Southwest Virginia: A Postcard and Photographic Journey in particular gave me a great skill-boost in page layout and design. So when it came time to publish my first books in 2016 (Until Death, The Dream Thief, and Songs in the Mountain), I was ready to hit the ground running.
Tell us how you spend your usual day…
One of my favorite things about writing and publishing is the only possible answer is “It depends!” The one constant is I have a writing streak that’s been going for almost eight years, so I make sure to get in at least 250 words of something people will see every day. That might be a blog post or something like this interview. But on most days, it’s fiction.
Other than that, sometimes I focus on background tasks like getting new books ready to publish, or updating books that need a refreshed cover or interior. When I have a Kickstarter or a project like a StoryBundle coming up, I may create graphics and other promotional materials. On great days, I get to write fiction and not worry about all the publishing stuff.
I have to mention continuing to take classes and workshops, and study and learn new things. That’s the other constant, whether it’s writing craft, publishing, or something I’m curious about for a story. I make sure I’m always learning.
And I’d be in big trouble if I didn’t mention our dogs Dana and Pebbles, and at least two of our cats, Zortea and Lafeyette (Huka is quite shy). And my husband, Jason A. Adams, who’s a fine author himself!
What is your favorite genre to read and write in?
That’s a tricky question, because I love writing in so many. The big four overall are fantasy, mystery, romance, and science fiction, and my very favorite is some mashup between them. But when it comes down to it, more of what I write fits into various fantasy subgenres.
For reading, it’s even more varied. Pretty much whatever catches my attention or which library hold is available. My current favorite writers are Stephen King, Nora Roberts, Dean Koontz, and Sarina Bowen, but I love discovering new writers in any genre, and reading nonfiction. I just finished and absolutely loved Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark, and now I’m reading Heartstopper Volume 6, a graphic novel by Alice Oseman that inspired the fantastic Netflix series. I might jump into Martin Cruz Smith’s Gorky Park next, a Soviet-era espionage novel from 1981 that inspired one of my favorite movies.
Tell us about your first book that you wrote?
Hand Me Downs follows John Falconer and his wife Branwen on what seems like an ordinary visit to her home in Wales and his in Scotland. But each of them harbor secrets, and they’re both part of a much larger and deeper secret that’s about to change their lives forever. I was crossing genres from the very start, since it’s fantasy with strong romantic elements, and more than a little secret society thrown in.
The sequel, Sheltering Souls, is on the way!
Right now you have a Kickstarter going for your special edition of “Voices Through Time.” Can you tell us a bit about the genre and target audience you are aiming for?
Voices Through Time is a bit different because it has rewards for fiction readers, history buffs, and those who like jigsaw puzzles, postcards, and calendars. One of my first published books was Songs in the Mountain, a romantic suspense tale with a modern-day couple helping an ornery Appalachian ghost solve a deadly problem in their town. Several more stories with the same couple and a growing bunch of ghosts followed.
The first story and all the others were inspired by an antique postcard I spotted while working on a nonfiction book full of them with my uncle way back in 2012 or so. I thought it would be all kinds of fun to offer reproductions of those fascinating postcards. That idea led to puzzles and calendars, which I’ve really enjoyed putting together.
Can you share with us information about the main characters in your Kickstarter Special Edition “Voices Through Time?”
When we first meet Beth Azen, she’s working on a book of... Yes, historic images! She’s scanning the same image that inspired me when strange things start happening.
Mark Hersch visits their shared hometown to talk about his project of clearing up toxic water seeping from old coal mines in the area. When the two of them meet, sparks fly.
Another important trait they share is growing up in a culture that doesn’t immediately dismiss ghosts as crazy or impossible.
What inspired you to do a Kickstarter for your book “Voices Through Time?”
The first Kickstarter projects I backed were for books. When I considered running one of my own, the three books in Voices Through Time made sense. I thought some kind of special edition featuring the antique images that inspired me would be a great project.
I’m really glad I waited until I had a couple of other Kickstarters behind me, though, and that I’d backed and studied bunches of other campaigns. That gave me a much better idea of the cool things I could offer.
Can you tell us about the different tiers you have available for your potential backers for “Voices Through Time?”
For readers, there’s the Voices Through Time omnibus, which includes Songs in the Mountain, Secrets in the Land, and Sorrows in the Earth, along with more than two dozen antique postcards and other images, notes on the history of our region in far southwestern Virginia, and how the images inspired me. It’s available in e-book, paperback, and a full-color hardcover.
There are three related Add-Ons. Moments Through Time, a short story collection with the characters from Voices Through Time. Secret Wishes on Dandelion Seeds, a historical romance, goes back to tell the story of the scene on the antique postcard that started it all. And Walking the Ghosts is a spin-off in the same world. They’re all available in e-book, paperback, or hardcover.
Far Southwest Virginia: A Postcard and Photographic Journey, the book I was working on with my uncle when the idea first struck me, is available as well. It’s 11 by 8.5 inches and 320 pages full of over a thousand images and how they relate to the history of our area.
Finally, I had a great time putting the merch together for this campaign! Folks can get a pack of reproduction antique postcards to mail out themselves, or a year of antique postcards mailed to them that include their own story in the world of Voices Through Time. I also created a calendar with the antique images as well as dates from the stories, and three different jigsaw puzzles.
How many Kickstarters have you done so far in your career? Can you point us to the others under your belt?
Two low-bling campaigns that funded and did well. The first was Team Building Revenge, a novella about women in IT dealing with a workplace bully in a most satisfying way.
The second was Fantastic Sisterhood, a short story collection about women setting things right. Unlike Team Building Revenge with its real-world setting, all of the stories in Fantastic Sisterhood have strong fantasy elements.
Do you plan to implement Kickstarter in the future as part of your publishing process? Tell us how you plan to use it…
So far I’ve launched two new books with Team Building Revenge and Fantastic Sisterhood, and one new edition of three book with Voices Through Time. I like both strategies, so I plan to continue with both.
For example, my husband Jason A. Adams and I plan to participate in Make 100 with collections of our short stories written from the same writing prompts. That will include both new and already published stories.
I also have a habit of using Kickstarters to update older books as part of the Add-Ons as well, so it helps me get my catalog brought up to date. Voices Through Time includes two new Add-On books and an updated older one.
What is some advice you would give to an author thinking about running a Kickstarter for the first time?
First and foremost, take your time. Back and study bunch of Kickstarters, which you can do for as little as a dollar. That way you’ll get a clear idea of what works and what doesn’t, and things you’d like to try in your own campaign.
I also highly recommend Anthea Sharp’s book Kickstarter for Authors, and the Facebook groups based on it. Dean Wesley Smith also has workshops about Kickstarter. Those will give you a tremendous head start!
Do you have any advice for a budding author thinking about publishing their first book?
Much like with Kickstarter, study and don’t be afraid to ask questions! The publishing world has changed immensely since the days when traditional publishing was the only option, and it continues to change at a rapid pace. We have so many cool and exciting options as indie authors.
Don’t feel like you have to do everything at once. Again, take your time and learn as you go.
Unfortunately, with all of those options comes a lot of less-than-helpful folks and a few downright scammers. So approach anything that seems too good to be true with great respect and caution, and take the time to read anything you’re asked to sign carefully beforehand.
And it’s worth repeating: study what’s out there, and ask questions! Plenty of help is available.
Please share any additional details on yourself or your Kickstarter…
Voices Through Time is a great example of how I love to write in different genres, and mixing them at will. Between the omnibus edition and the Add-Ons, the stories range from romantic suspense to contemporary romance with ghosts, from coming of age to historical romance, with historical fiction and even nonfiction added in. Many of the stories have a good mystery at their hearts, and a couple get a bit scary, though not quite into horror range.
To learn more about me and my writing, visit KariKilgore.com. And for cool behind-the-scenes content, check out my newsletter The Confidential Adventure Club!
Want exclusive stories, discounts, early releases, and adorable pet photos? News about Kickstarters and other fun projects, Spiral Publishing Exclusive Editions, and a whole lot more not available anywhere else?
Join in the fun at ConfidentialAdventureClub.com and get a welcome gift of four stories across Kari’s main genres!
Hope to see you there!
Last but definitely not least, I have a collection in a StoryBundle right now that’s full of light fantasy to give all of us a much-needed break from the real world. It runs through the end of the month, and you can pick up fifteen exclusive books from some amazing writers for a great price. They make great gifts, too!
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Now Live on Kickstarter!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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