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Featured Author - Kelley Armstrong


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Kelley Armstrong



 

website

interview

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BOOKS:


Women of the Otherworld:

Bitten

Stolen - Review

Dime Store Magic

Industrial Magic

Haunted - Review

Broken - Review

No Humans Involved - Review

Personal Demon (out 2008)



Nadia Stafford:

Exit Strategy (paperback out 1 July 2007)

 

Online-Fiction:

Savage - Review

Ascension - Review

Beginnings - Review

2005 Stories - Review

The Case of El Chupacabra - Review

Framed

Becoming

 

~ ~ * * * ~ ~

The featured author for the month of June is something of a special treat for me, as we have as our guest none other than one of my favourite authors, Kelley Armstrong! (Please forgive me if I get a little excited!).

 

Well known for her Women of the Otherworld series of novels, which feature supernaturals (werewolves and vampires and demons, oh my!) living along-side regular people and star strong female characters who are down to earth and superbly flawed, making for a sense of reality that makes the books all the more thrilling to read.

 

On 1st July, her new book, Exit Strategy, is published in paperback - a departure from the Otherworld series and with a very human protagonist, Nadia Stafford.

 

Kelley will be with us for the month to answer any questions our members may have.

 

:lol: to the forum, Kelley - it's a pleasure to have you here!

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Sorry, I can't wait - I have to jump right in an ask a question or two:

 

Kelley, how and when did you first get into writing? And was there any moment in particular that really made you feel you were a "real" author?

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Kelley, how and when did you first get into writing? And was there any moment in particular that really made you feel you were a "real" author?

 

Hi, Kell!

 

I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I started reading at a young age, and quickly wanted to tell my own stories. It wasn't until my early twenties, though, that I moved beyond "writing for fun" and starting taking courses, joining writing groups, etc, trying to improve in hopes of someday getting published.

 

I'm not sure I still feel like a real author :) I've always felt like a writer. To me, author means "professional." I am (well, in the strictest sense of the word :lol: ) I write full-time. But when I dreamed of getting published, I dreamed of someday getting a book or two out, maybe writing part-time. Being able to do it full-time seemed too lofty a goal. So I guess I still struggle with accepting that I've "made it." I'm wary of getting comfortable with it, which can be a good thing in that it keeps me striving to improve and try new things, stretching myself as a writer.

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Hi Kelly. Finally get a chance to ask you some more questions.

 

While you were writing your books how did you decide on what kind of preternatural creatures you were going to use and how did you decide on the rules that would apply to them. An example is vampires and their relationship with the sun, holy items, stakes ect.

 

Cheers,

 

Wraith.

 

P.s any chance of having someone named Wraith getting horridly killed in your next book :lol:

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Hi Kelley,

 

How are you?

 

My question is: Where do you find your inspiration from?:lol:

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For choosing what "races," I'd include, I just went with the ones I was most interested in. Vampires almost got left out because I really didn't feel I could add to the vampire myth, but I was persuaded to include them. Shamans I did include, then didn't find a lot of use for...as readers may have noticed.

 

Most of my rules decisions were based on boring practicality and realism. For example, with werewolves, if you needed a silver bullet to kill them, the logical part of me says "okay, so if they get flattened by a transport truck, do they just crawl away to heal? Wouldn't someone notice?" Or with the vampires, having them only out at night made things very inconvenient when I needed them working with other races--are the meetings only at night? can they only help at night? There is mythology with vampires who have no reaction to daylight, so I used that. In other cases, it was "which part of the legend interests me most or could provide the best plots."

 

Now Wraith I might get away with as a name. I recently tried to run a "get your name in the Otherworld" contest, only to discover that because I'd be running it from Canada, I hit all kinds of legal hurdles.

 

Hi Kelly. Finally get a chance to ask you some more questions.

 

While you were writing your books how did you decide on what kind of preternatural creatures you were going to use and how did you decide on the rules that would apply to them. An example is vampires and their relationship with the sun, holy items, stakes ect.

 

Cheers,

 

Wraith.

 

P.s any chance of having someone named Wraith getting horridly killed in your next book :lol:

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Hi Kelley,

 

How are you?

 

My question is: Where do you find your inspiration from?:)

 

I'm fine, thanks! ;)

 

Honestly, "where do you find your inspiration" is always a tough question to answer. The simple response is that I'm inspired to create my own stories, which is I think is the motivation for most writers. I started reading early and wanted to write my own stories, and I've been doing it ever since. It's become part of my life--and one of my favourite parts--so while I might not be as motivated by "wanting to create my own stories" these days, I couldn't really even say what inspires me to sit down and write--only that I love doing it, the way others love to play the piano or paint. :lol:

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For choosing what "races," I'd include, I just went with the ones I was most interested in. Vampires almost got left out because I really didn't feel I could add to the vampire myth, but I was persuaded to include them. Shamans I did include, then didn't find a lot of use for...as readers may have noticed.

 

Most of my rules decisions were based on boring practicality and realism. For example, with werewolves, if you needed a silver bullet to kill them, the logical part of me says "okay, so if they get flattened by a transport truck, do they just crawl away to heal? Wouldn't someone notice?" Or with the vampires, having them only out at night made things very inconvenient when I needed them working with other races--are the meetings only at night? can they only help at night? There is mythology with vampires who have no reaction to daylight, so I used that. In other cases, it was "which part of the legend interests me most or could provide the best plots."

 

Now Wraith I might get away with as a name. I recently tried to run a "get your name in the Otherworld" contest, only to discover that because I'd be running it from Canada, I hit all kinds of legal hurdles.

 

Thanks for your reply. What is your favourite race and, if you can tell us, what races would you have liked to introduce but couldn't.

 

One more, do you think that a secret world of supernatural beings could exist and if it did woud you want to know. (please note, I don't have any information that one does or anything, I'm just curious)

 

 

Please feel free to use my name and kill me in any way you want :lol: alot of authors I've read recently have been auctioning off parts in their books to raise money for charity.

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Hi Kelley - lovely to see you on The Book Club Forum. :sleeping-smiley-009

 

My question is... if any of your books were to be adapted for the big screen, who would you love to play your lead characters?

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Thanks for your reply. What is your favourite race and, if you can tell us, what races would you have liked to introduce but couldn't.

My favourite would have to be the werewolves. I wrote about them first because I was most interested in them, and only moved away because I was afraid, by book 5 or so, I'd lose that interest! It would be fun to explore other "were-animals" but I was afraid it would become just as repetitious as doing non-stop werewolves, so I decided to stick with just the one type for now.

 

One more, do you think that a secret world of supernatural beings could exist and if it did woud you want to know. (please note, I don't have any information that one does or anything, I'm just curious)

No secret information? Damn :tong: I call myself a reluctant skeptic. I'm absolutely fascinated by the paranormal and the possibility of its existence, but whenever I see "proof," I can always come up with other explanations. Maybe that makes me a good person to write about a world where no one believes supernaturals exist, and explain away anything they see :sleeping-smiley-009

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My question is... if any of your books were to be adapted for the big screen, who would you love to play your lead characters?

Hard to say because I don't picture actors when I create my characters. There's an online graphic novella slowly unfolding on my site right now and conveying my images of the characters to the artist was tough--I kept sending her actor pictures saying, "he looks kind of like this, but the nose is more xx and the chin is more yy and the eyes are more zz" Drove her nuts, I'm sure :tong:

 

When Bitten was in development (it no longer is) Angelina Jolie was signed to play my werewolf lead Elena. While she doesn't physically resemble Elena--a "tie her hair back with an elastic band" blonde with a boyish, athletic build--Jolie seemed to be genuinely interested the part, and that's more important to me than matching the description. Interest in the role and the ability to project the character's personality would be my main critieria...not that I'd have any say in choosing actors, should any of my films head for the big screen :sleeping-smiley-009

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I have one that Nelson De Mille once answered. Do you know what author's books are before and after yours on the shelves and do you have any contact with these authors?

 

How well do you take criticism and do you, like some authors, spend ages reading reviews of their work?

 

:sleeping-smiley-009

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Hi Kelley! Welcome to the forum and thank you for taking the time out to answer our questions.

 

I have only read your first two books, Bitten and Stolen, but I loved them. Before joining the forum, I would never have considered reading books about werewolves, but was persuaded to by Kell. I think the reason I can read them and not be completely spooked is because Elena is so 'normal'. She's a really nice, down to earth girl who, when in human form acts and reacts just as I would. Did you make her like that consciously? In many books the heroin is someone superhuman, or widly out of touch with ordinary people, so it was really refreshing to be able to relate to Elena.

I have Dime Store Magic ready to read and I bought No Humans Involved a couple of weeks ago, but won't read it until I've read all the others. My friend has offered to lend me all the ones I don't have so far.I am really looking forward to catching up with Elena and Paige again!

Thanks again for being here.

 

Pp

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I have one that Nelson De Mille once answered. Do you know what author's books are before and after yours on the shelves and do you have any contact with these authors?

Well, that's probably easier for him than it is for me, because when I walk into a store, I never know where I'll find my books :sleeping-smiley-009 I've seen them in fiction, fantasy, horror, romance and mystery. If they shelve all the paranormal in one section, though, I'm usually followed by Keri Arthur, whom I have met and chatted with--lovely lady, great books

 

How well do you take criticism and do you, like some authors, spend ages reading reviews of their work?

I take constructive criticism very well. I know I'm far from perfect and I want to improve. Reviews sometimes have constructive criticism--the kind that says "this worked and this didn't" and I can learn from that. But just as often they have the type of witty/snarky criticism that's intended to entertain readers, not help authors improve, which is fine because that's really who reviews are for--readers. So there are some I read and some I stay away from :tong: The best source of my criticism is editors, writing group members and readers.

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Hi Kelley! Welcome to the forum and thank you for taking the time out to answer our questions.

I'm happy to be here! And I'm happy Kell persuaded you to give the books a try. They can be a tough sell. As soon as someone says "werewolves" people get a distinct impression of what they are about...and usually run the other way :sleeping-smiley-009

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When Bitten was in development (it no longer is) Angelina Jolie was signed to play my werewolf lead Elena. While she doesn't physically resemble Elena--a "tie her hair back with an elastic band" blonde with a boyish, athletic build--Jolie seemed to be genuinely interested the part, and that's more important to me than matching the description.

I've always pictures Natasha Henstridge as Elena. Whether or not she could pull off the role is another matter, but I always picture her anyway.

 

I have another question too - I see from your sig on your own forum that you

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Hi Kelley, and welcome to here.

We are talking about book covers in another thread, and it got me thinking - Do you get any say in the artwork chosen for your book covers?

 

Sorry I'm late with this! I was off promoting for the weekend and I'm just catching up now.

 

I have no say in the American covers. I see it when it's done :) Canada usually uses the US covers, but if they do their own (as with Bitten/Stolen) they let me see and comment. When they redid Stolen, they had a woman's face with blood on her lips. I commented that it suggested a vampire, and they agreed and changed it.

 

I do have input into the UK covers. Someone outside the publisher connected me with the artist (Dominic Harman). When he's ready to do a cover, he asks me for suggestions and sends me samples, which is very cool. Just saw the proposed cover art for book 8 (Personal Demon) and it's very, very good :sign0072:

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I've always pictures Natasha Henstridge as Elena. Whether or not she could pull off the role is another matter, but I always picture her anyway.

She's been mentioned when people are thinking who'd work as Elena and I agree she's closer to the look. And, like Elena, she's Canadian, which is always a plus with me :)

 

I have another question too - I see from your sig on your own forum that you
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They do sound exciting! (I have Exit Strategy on order at Amazon). How did you find moving to non-supernatural?

Seems my "forum tracking" stopped working. Sorry it took a while to respond!

 

Moving to the non-supernatural was...interesting. :roll: Before Bitten came out, at least half my pre-published work was non-supernatural, but in the years following, the only other piece I did was a mystery short story for an anthology put together by Karin Slaughter. As that might suggest, mystery/crime is my second genre love.

 

When I switch to the crime novels, it's a refreshing change of pace, which I really need to keep up my interest level. I write one of these, and by the time I'm done, I'm excited about getting back to the Otherworld. With the crime, it's nice to follow set rules in a "normal" world (I need to research everything and keep it real) With the Otherworld, it's nice to be able to make my own rules :) A good balance!

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Kelly thanks for your answer - if I may another general question about the same topic - which we were talking about here http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=2060

why is it that UK and US versions of the same book have a different cover?

 

Different publishers. I'm with Bantam in the US and Little, Brown in the UK. Authors often sell world rights, meaning one company edits, designs and distributes the books in all major English-speaking markets. Others split them up. This is how my agent prefers it, and it's worked well for me. I also have a Canadian publisher (Random House) but they use the same covers because they're under the same umbrella company as Bantam. Confusing, I know.

 

What it means for me is that each publisher can tailor their promotion, book design etc to suit their particular market. In North America, paranormal suspense/romance is hot, so my books have half-naked women and pentacles on them :roll: In the UK, fantasy sold better--though paranormals are now increasing in popularity--so my covers are more fantasy-like.

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Different publishers. I'm with Bantam in the US and Little, Brown in the UK. Authors often sell world rights, meaning one company edits, designs and distributes the books in all major English-speaking markets. Others split them up. This is how my agent prefers it, and it's worked well for me. I also have a Canadian publisher (Random House) but they use the same covers because they're under the same umbrella company as Bantam. Confusing, I know.

 

What it means for me is that each publisher can tailor their promotion, book design etc to suit their particular market. In North America, paranormal suspense/romance is hot, so my books have half-naked women and pentacles on them :) In the UK, fantasy sold better--though paranormals are now increasing in popularity--so my covers are more fantasy-like.

That's really interesting - thanks. :roll:

 

Have you ever had your books published under different titles in different countries?

 

I got all excited once because I thought Emily Barr had a book out I hadn't read (I spotted it on Amazon), but then I discovered by reading the reviews that it was one I'd already read, but was for the American market.

 

I don't normally read Amazon's reviews until after I'd read a book, and Amazon hadn't provided a synopsis in this case, so I'd have been pretty annoyed if I'd ordered it.

 

I can understand why they do it in some cases, but sometimes the name change appears completely unnecessary.

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