MY INTERVIEW WITH KATHERINE GILBERT

 

 

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you first get into writing?

Through fan fiction for the ’90s tv series, La Femme Nikita. It was the sort of show which left so much unshown and unsaid, and, because no one else was writing the stories I wanted to read (filling in all the blanks the episodes left open), I started writing them.

By the time the show ended, I had branched out into alternate universe stories, including one which went on for 318 chapters and took several years to write. By then, I had realized that I could actually handle crafting my own plots–or, rather, that the characters would tell me where they were going, and I just had to follow along. It wasn’t a long journey from there to writing my own stories.

 

If you didn’t write, ideally what would you do for work?

Hm, I think a dream job for me would be as a museum curator. I love the way a good museum combines history with storytelling.

 

What was an early experience where you learned that words had power?

There was an older woman we knew who said to me once that books are precious, because they hold knowledge. If you accidentally drop one, you should pick it up and kiss it to ask for forgiveness. I’ve always found that oddly beautiful.

 

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want, write to market so to speak?

 I find it completely impossible to write to market, although I know it would be far easier to find readers if I did. My stories and characters take off on their own, in whatever direction they feel like pursuing. They make it darn difficult for their author, when it comes to trying to easily define and market their adventures.

 

What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Often, it’s just finding the time to write. Between my day job and learning how to market my work (I’m sooooo not a natural at this), I find it really difficult to get an uninterrupted hour or two to write a chapter–and it’s incredibly frustrating to want to know where my stories go (which I only discover by writing them) and not be able to find out.

 

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

Often, I find the research comes more in the editing stage, where I’m trying to make sure that where the story has gone makes sense. For instance, one of my characters in my latest novel is apparently married to a nixie (although it’s only mentioned briefly). After I wrote this, I had to go, “Uh, what’s a nixie again?” and head off to make sure I knew what the heck he was on about.

 

 

Tell me about your new release or WIP.

Well, like I’ve said, I don’t write to market, so it’s a little hard to easily define. Unearthly Remains is a quirkily humorous paranormal mystery/urban fantasy/paranormal romance. I’m not certain it’s entirely a sweet romance, as there’s a fair amount of innuendo and a few bad words, but it’s not over a PG-13 and not really the typical werewolf romance (I realized only after I’d finished editing that I’d written a werewolf romance without using the words “claim” or “mate” once). It’s filled with humor, mystery, and odd paranormal characters. Let me give you the blurb:

 

                A werewolf, a witch, and a vampire walk into a murder scene . . .

                Sgt. Marilyn Jaye of Supernatural Oversight (the investigative unit for all things which bump a bit too much in the night) is having a frustrating day. What should have been a simple case of a murdered ghoul has spun entirely out of control. It’s bad enough that she’s getting distracted from her investigations by her unreasonable attraction to Henry, a young werewolf with a terrible case of PTSD (Post-Turn Stress Disorder), especially since every Tom, Fang, and Hairy (previously known as her sensible friends) tells her she’s destined to be with him. Worse, her distraction allows a second murder victim to turn up, one of the gentlemanly Victorian vampires who lives in Highgate Cemetery. If that isn’t enough, the vicious werewolf who attacked and turned Henry is still on the loose. London’s creatures of the night seem to be in trouble, and it’s her job to protect them.

                Marilyn is determined to find the killer and the rogue wolf, but she’ll need a lot of help. That will include her friends, Hanover (Henry’s handsome Alpha and Marilyn’s ex-lover) and Julius Beer (a vampire who watches over his distressed comrades in Highgate from his ornate mausoleum). Also alternately helping or annoying her are the other members of the S.O., including her powerful sorcerer boss, the eternal spirit of Romantic poet William Blake, her ex-NYPD partner, a pool (yes, an actual pool) of secretarial sirens, and an imp who’s in love with a cat. Even Henry has to tag along. And they better solve the case soon, because the killer has made it clear that she’s the next target.

 

What was your hardest scene to write?

It was probably somewhere near the end, when the novel seemed to be about to wrap itself up but then suddenly took a completely unexpected turn. By the time the characters were off trying to see where that went, I was at least as uncertain about the answer as they were.

 

Do your characters talk to you?

Hm, yes and no. It’s more that I sort of watch, listen, and feel what they’re doing in a scene and then am trying my darnedest to describe it all in words.

 

Do you plot out your stories or do your character’s voices drive your storyline?

It’s all the characters. They go; I follow. Very occasionally they’ll give me a hint about where they’re headed, but mostly I end up saying, “Really?!”

 

 

What would the main character in your book have to say about you?

Hard to say. Probably, unless I was either the victim or victimizer of a supernatural being, she wouldn’t notice me at all. She’s got her hands too full with her cases to notice what some author gets up to.

 

Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

There are actually a lot of connections between them, even though they have different characters, as they all exist in various parts of the same, larger supernatural world. Each book reveals some other aspect of it in more depth.

 For instance, Protecting the Dead focused a good deal on the angelic and demonic side of things. Unearthly Remains delves much further into the challenges werewolves face, as well as how supernatural crimes are dealt with. Some others I hope to publish in the future go more into the magical systems behind everything. Honestly, I tend to be surprised with each new book what I learn about this world of mine.

 

What one thing would you give up if you could become a better writer?

I think I’m already doing my best in this area, as I’ve kind of abandoned the concepts of free time and too often a good night’s sleep. I have to remind myself not to wear myself too thin trying to get everything just right.

 

Do you read your book reviews?

 Absolutely! I just wish I had more of them.

 

How do you deal with bad or good ones?

The good ones make me enormously happy. As an author, it’s hard to know if anyone out there is reading or enjoying what I write, so a good review lets me know that I’ve made someone smile. I love that. While I can’t expect to touch others the way that so many great writers have touched me, I’d like my novels to have even a small positive effect on someone’s life.

The bad ones I mostly try to deal with by reminding myself that nothing is to everyone’s taste, and it’s not possible to write anything everyone will love. Besides, as I’ve said, I don’t write to market, so I have to search for a slightly quirkier audience.

Of course, there are the rare ones which seem to very pointedly want to cut my soul out, roast it over a pit, and sell it Satan. They’re very different than just the “meh!” “I didn’t get it,” or “It wasn’t for me” ones. With the truly, intentionally brutal ones, I end up wondering what went so wrong in this person’s life that he or she feels a need to go out and purposely try to verbally assault strangers.

 

Do you Google yourself?

Actually, that’s never occurred to me. It might be interesting . . . or maybe I don’t want to know.

 

What’s the best way to market your books?

Honestly, if you ever discover that, please tell me.

For now, I’m just trying to get my novels out there as much as possible and hope that there will be readers who like them enough to tell their friends.

 

What do your fans mean to you?

It’s pretty rare I meet anyone (even online) who’s read my book and tells me about it. Those few rare times it’s happened are absolute gold to me, though.

I had one lovely person who won a signed copy of my novel in a contest and then sent me a picture of her beautiful Persian cat lounging beside it happily. I treasure that photo.

I did start up a reader group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1169120069919462/

Right now . . . (cue sounds of crickets chirping). If you’ve read either of my books and want an opportunity to interact with me and learn more about them and forthcoming works, please do join. It would make me very happy to know that all my hard work means something to someone else.

 

 

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

There’s probably a book to be written on that subject alone. Let me just focus on one small writing detail, then.

You have to understand your process (whatever that is) and follow it. For instance, if I tell anyone about something I haven’t written, I’ll never write it. I can make notes for myself, but, if I speak it, it’s gone and will never see the page. I’ve seen this happen to a few others, as well, who want to talk at length about their ideas and then never actually write them. However, I’ve talked to other writers who, if they don’t talk them out, they’ll never get started. You have to discover for yourself what works, and, once you know it, don’t question.

 

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

I don’t know about meeting anyone. My closest encounters are usually of the “I was within a few feet of . . .” variety. Those would include David Carradine and Weird Al Yankovic.

Yep, I know. I never claimed to be normal.

 

What other authors are you friends with, and how do they inspire you to become a better writer?

I thank the heavens every day for all the kind people on Facebook writer groups. They’re a wonderful resource, as I’m still learning about how to publish and sell my books. I try to pay it back, too, with whatever advice I do have to give.

 

Read any good books lately?

Um, remember when I said I’d kind of given up the idea of free time? I do listen to audiobooks of some of my favorite novels on the way to and from my day job, though. I finished listening to all of the Agatha Christie Miss Marple novels recently, and I’ve started listening to Diana Wynne Jones’ Chrestomanci series. What truly amazing talent those women had.

 

Where can readers find you?

Well, there’s the previously mentioned readers’ group (please come save me from the crickets!): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1169120069919462/

 

You can also find me at any of the following:

My newsletter, which goes out twice a month with news, giveaways, and character interviews: http://eepurl.com/dCcccL

My Facebook page, where you’ll find me going on about whatever strangeness has taken my fancy today (among my favorite topics: weird and supernatural places, great paintings and statues I love, mini golf with bizarre fiberglass animals, and just general silliness): https://www.facebook.com/Katherine-Gilbert-Author-102573417043950/

 

Plus there’re my pages on:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18141907.Katherine_Gilbert

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/katherine-gilbert

Amazon: amazon.com/author/katherinegilbert

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KGilbertSC

 

 

 

Come talk to me! I get lonely!

Thank you for taking the time to do this interview!