Tell me
a about yourself. What got you started in writing?
I
started out as a reader. Throughout my childhood, I read voraciously. It really
was a natural progression to become a writer, but I didn’t know any writers
when I was growing up. After I graduated college, I learned about MFA programs
and decided to take a fiction course. That was really the beginning, but my
lifelong affair with books began as soon as I learned to read.
How
do you schedule your writing time? When do you write?
I have
two young children, so I have to play a lot of mind tricks to get to the page
each day. Over the years, I’ve become a morning person. Some days I get up
earlier than my family to get to my desk. Other days, I write as soon as the
kids are off to school. I used to write at night. Now I can barely stay awake
past 10 pm!
How
and where do you write? Do you prefer a lap top or some other method of getting
your words down?
I write
longhand in a notebook or I use a laptop. It really doesn’t matter. I prefer
libraries, but I can also get it done at home or in a coffee shop. I really
don’t have time to be picky about my writing environment these days. I do wear
noise cancelling headphones, however. I don’t like interruptions once I get
started.
What's your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite part about
writing?
My favorite
part about writing is the act of imagination. I love making things up. It is
probably why I prefer fiction over nonfiction. My least favorite part is that
it takes a long time to finish a book. I am a slow writer. I wish I could write
faster, but I can’t.
How
did you come up with your book idea? How long did it take you to write your
book?
The
idea for my first book Wench came
while I was reading a biography of W.E.B. DuBois. I discovered that DuBois had
taught at Wilberforce University in Ohio, a school that had once been a resort
where slave owners frequently vacationed with their enslaved mistress. I was
shocked, and I could not stop thinking about it. The idea for my second novel Balm was a bit more organic. I did not
want to write a sequel to Wench, but
I did want to explore the next chapter of history: the Civil War era.
What
types of marketing do you do to promote your writing?
I use
social media a lot. I also travel frequently and speak at libraries and
universities.
What
are you currently working on? Do you have a new book out?
 |
| Get the Book at Amazon |
My most
recent novel Balm just came out in
paperback this February 2016. It is a novel about people rebuilding their lives
at the end of the Civil War. Set in Chicago, it tells of two women with magical
powers who share a love for healing. It is a meditative historical novel about the
resilience of the American spirit.
Do you have a
project on the back burner? Tell me about it.
I’m at
the very beginning of a new project. It is very different for me because it is
set in the 1970s.
What
would you tell a beginning writer who wants to publish but doesn't believe
he/she has enough talent?
Don’t
worry about comparing yourself to other writers. There is a story in your heart
that is yours to tell. Nobody else can tell it. Take it one page at a time, and
tell it the best way you know how. Just have fun!
***
Thank you, Dolen!
Learn more about Dolen:
I like Dolen's interview. Her advice to new Authors is refreshing. Truly, nobody can tell their story..It's been placed in them for a purpose. Thanks Kathryn for another wonderful interview. You're such a blessing to us.
ReplyDelete