MY INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR KIERSTEN MODGLIN♥️

MY INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR KIERSTEN MODGLIN♥️

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What’s your name and what genre would you consider your books to be?

Hi! I’m Kiersten Modglin. I’m a suspense author and I write all subgenres of suspense (so far— psychological, YA, domestic, and romantic)

Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?

Each of my books comes from something different. My latest book, The Cleaner, came to me when I was doing research for my last book, The Beginning After. I had to research the decomposition process for a body and I came across an article about crime scene cleaners. I’d never known that job was an actual job and I became obsessed with learning more. As I did more and more research, the character Gunner began “talking” to me. I actually already had my next story plotted out, but when I finished The Beginning After and tried to write my new one, Gunner was still in my head and I couldn’t ignore his story anymore.

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How did you get interested in writing this particular genre (historical novels, mysteries, sci-fi, children’s books, etc.)?

I love suspense! Be it movies, TV shows, or books…those are my go-to. I love trying to solve the mystery before the answers are revealed and so, for me, my goal is to make it so my readers never can!

What kind of research did you do for this book?

When writing The Cleaner I read a ton of articles about crime scene cleaning. I wanted to know the ins and outs, the bad and the ugly. And I learned it. I’m still fascinated with Gunner’s profession.

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What’s a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a daily writing goal?

Unless I’m under a deadline, I don’t set a writing goal. I like to write when I’m inspired, rather than forcing it out. I don’t have any set writing rituals but I do like for it to be quiet. I have trouble focusing if the TV or radio is going. I need nearly complete silence so I usually do my writing in the early mornings or late at night when the rest of my house is asleep.

Do you have a new book in the making and if so, what’s the name of your upcoming book?

The Cleaner releases June 1st. I have about three stories in my head right now, one that I started before I started The Cleaner, so I’m trying to decide which way I want to go right now.

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How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?

I love naming my characters. Often, the names are either names of friends of mine or names that I wanted to name our children that hubby has vetoed! I joke all the time that I have a list of names I love and I’ll keep making book-babies until I run out. I also run contests with my readers and they often appear in my books! In The Cleaner, Holly, Misty, and Gemma are all readers’ names.

Is there a genre that you’ve been wanting to experiment with?

The Beginning After and The Cleaner were my first experiences with writing more of the romantic side of suspense, which I have really enjoyed.

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What is the hardest part of writing for you?

The hardest part comes after the writing, funny enough. It’s having to show the world the book you’ve put your heart and soul into and hoping they don’t hate it. I never promise anything with my books, they’re each completely different. I write the stories that are in my heart and I just have to hope my readers see them like I do.

What do you think of book trailers? Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book?

I love book trailers! For my first book, If It Walks Like A Killer, I went all out. We hired a production company, held auditions, and filmed a trailer that turned out beautifully. It’s not something I’ve done with any of my other books but it was a ton of fun and definitely something I hope to do again someday.

What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?

As of now, getting published in the first place. Being an author is something I’ve dreamed of for as long as I can remember so receiving that email from my publisher, my first ‘YES’, was one of the best days of my life. It’s something I’ll never forget.

What’s the best thing about being an author?

Meeting new fans. I love connecting with new readers who have read my books and enjoyed them. I love hearing from them, their theories, what they loved, who they hated. It’s so exciting hearing others talking about a world that at one point was just in your head.

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Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In ten years, I hope I’m still writing. My original goal was to publish ten books, but I’m a year and a half in with six books already out so I’m moving my new goal to thirty books! Maybe I’ll have that goal met in ten years.

Have you always liked to write?

Always. Always. Always. I was that kid in class constantly getting told to put my pencil down and pay attention. I wrote five books in junior high and high school. One of which, The Truth About My Scratches, was published in 2016!

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What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Read and Write like you breathe! When you aren’t writing, be reading. The best writers are readers first. Perfect your craft. Love what you do. Build a supportive team around you—there’s no room for people who don’t believe in you. If you do that, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish.

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?

I would’ve loved to be a surgeon. Blame that on too many years of watching Grey’s Anatomy. Unfortunately, math and science aren’t my friends. English has always been my best subject. So, in reality, if I wasn’t a writer, I would enjoy being an English or History teacher.

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Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

I read all of my reviews (though I’ve been told not to). I never ever respond to them, good or bad. My readers have a right to share their opinions without worrying about me responding, so I just don’t. I appreciate every review, but I’m not going to lie…the bad ones sting. My coping process is simple, and I’m getting better about it with every release: I search my favorite books, Harry Potter, Gone Girl, anything by Jodi Picoult or Mark Edwards, and I look at their one star reviews! If someone out there can one star Gone Girl…who am I to think I wouldn’t get a bad review?

What is your least favourite part of the writing / publishing process?

Marketing! I love the writing part. That I can control. But marketing is a foreign world to me. I’m learning as I go…some stuff works, some doesn’t. Hopefully I’ll eventually get the hang of it.

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What are you working on now?

Right now, The Cleaner is getting ready to release so my attention is all focused on it. Pretty soon though, I’ll be moving on to book number seven!

Where did your love of books come from?

I have been a reader for as long as I can remember. I come from a long line of book lovers (both my grandmothers nearly always have a book in their hand) and they have instilled in me an insatiable urge to devour all the books I can.

Do you have any favorite authors or favorite books?

Harry Potter and A Series of Unfortunate Events were my favorites growing up! Now, I love Jodi Picoult, Mark Edwards, Elizabeth Haynes, Rachel Abbott, and of course Stephen King.

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Of all the characters you have created, which is your favourite and why?

I have two favorites. I love Frank from The Beginning After. He has this dry sense of humor and is completely gorgeous! I just love everything about him.

And Gunner from The Cleaner. He is the perfect mix of vulnerable and bad. I love how protective he is of Reagan and how tough he can be when the situation calls for it. I have a soft spot in my heart for bad boys…don’t we all?

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

A little of both. Writing gives me a high like nothing else. My heart pounds and my skin feels like it’s on fire when I’m writing an especially exciting scene. At the same time, it exhausts me. My writing can go very dark and I have to mentally get there in order to write it the way it needs to be written. I have to read articles, talk to people who have experienced things like my characters, and sometimes it’s very hard on me mentally. If I want my readers to cry, I have to cry. If my character is broken, I have to break. Writing is a blessing and a curse, depending on what my characters need me to experience and share.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

It’s a tough balance. I try to be original, of course, because I get tired of reading the same stories over and over again. At the same time, that means sometimes the stories aren’t what people want to hear. Whether they’re about a very dark subject or they don’t have a happy ending, sometimes my stories just aren’t the norm.

But at the same time, I need to sell books in order to eat, so I have to somewhat give readers what they want. It’s all about balance, I think. But, at the end of the day, I have to stay true to my characters and story. I have to go to bed happy with the books I’m putting out and if I let worry cloud my vision, then it’s no longer my book.

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