K.L.: My typical writing
ritual is managing to get 15-60 minutes of quiet time for myself (no kids, no
pets, you get the drill); next click on Pandora or my trusty mp3 player (preset
for soundtracks without lyrics); and lastly, something sweet (usually
chocolate) must be waiting for me when I am done. But honestly, sometimes the
urgent need to write strikes out of nowhere (rituals be damned), and then it's
grab the keyboard and work the magic.
Paul: If someone had the power to step into your
creative mind what would they see?
K.L.: My writing has almost
always been a reflection of emotions. I think that is why I prefer music
without lyrics when I write, so I am not distracted by them. Instead I can let
the flow of the music take my imagination where it will. While I am writing, I
can see the story happening in my head like a movie. I see faces and people
acting out and saying the things in the story as I type. I do the same thing
when I read books by other authors. It makes it more real to me and I can
identify with the story.
Paul: Do you have a favorite character in each of
your series, aside from the lead? If so, which one and why?
K.L.: My favorite character
so far is from my current work in progress. His name is Noah, and he was
spontaneously generated as a character in my story, Dark Horizon. I
had no plans to write about him, had never even thought about him, and suddenly
in the middle of a scene there he was. In the story, he steps out of a darkened,
shadowy stairway and immediately captures your attention. At the time, I wrote
him with no idea if he would be a blip on the map or a major character. Now, I
have decided to dedicate the next book in the series to his story.
Paul: How do you find the
time to write?
K.L.: I think it is impossible for me to
"find" time to write. I literally have to carve it out of my already
overcrowded day. We all have real lives, and everyone will say they can't find
the time. The truth is, you have to make the time or it won't happen. I think
it boils down to: How badly do you want it?
Paul: What is one thing
you hope I do not tell the readers?
K.L.: One of my favorite movies is "Twilight," the first movie of the Twilight series. There was a simplicity about the
chemistry between the characters in the first one that I truly love. I don't
want you to tell your readers that because at my age, I am way beyond the
teenage romance years. Then again, are we ever too old to appreciate a good
love story?
Paul: Do you plot your stories or do you just get
an idea and run with it?
K.L.: Though it pains me to admit this, I ALWAYS
just run with it. I get a scene or a character in my head, and I start to write
that scene or develop that character. As I do, more elements of the plot will
suddenly come to me at random. I have often started a scene with absolutely no
idea where it would end and been completely surprised by the sudden appearance
of characters or events I never even contemplated.
Paul: Do you do a lot of editing or do you find
that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?
K.L.: There is always a lot of editing to be done
on my work. The content is there, but I write on the fly and my first rough
draft shows that. Plus my stories develop as I am writing them, so plot changes
happen unexpectedly and require polishing over time.
K.L.: My most recently
published book is called, A Test of Faith. The story is about two
sisters who are trying to move on with their lives after their mother's death.
Each one is in a different stage in their lives, and the younger of the two
runs away. The older sister is searching for her in the middle of a huge city.
Unbeknownst to both of them, a guardian angel named Thomas is interceding in
their lives and trying to bring them together.
Paul: What inspired you to write this book?
K.L.: I wrote this book
while going through a divorce. I was doing a lot of soul searching and
introspection on people and relationships. My faith had become a huge part of
my life. From the midst of my emotions this story emerged, and I plan to do a
sequel in the future.
Paul: Do you also write any poetry, non-fiction or
short stories?
K.L.: I originally started my love of writing
through poetry. I wrote a great deal of poetry between the ages of 15 and 35.
Some of it was good, some of it was not, but we can all say that about things
we've attempted. I have had several non-fiction articles published as well but
under a different name.
Paul: Do you have any pieces of work that will
never see the light of day?
K.L.: I believe with absolute certainty that ALL
writers have pieces of work that will never see the light of day. Writing is a
process you learn by doing, just like most everything else. So it goes without
saying, early attempts are not something you’re likely to put on a shelf for
others to view.
Paul: What do you do when you’re not writing? Do
you have any hobbies or party tricks?
K.L.: Writing
is not yet my full time paying job (but we all the share the dream don't we).
So I put in a full 40 hour work week pushing paper from behind a desk. On rare
occasions that I have time for myself, I love to snowshoe, go for scenic
drives, acupuncture or massage, and movie nights! As far as hobbies and party
tricks go, I am the least talented person I know (unless self-deprecating humor
counts).
Paul: Many Thanks, K.L.. I wish you every success for the future.
K.L.'s Blog: K.L. Toth
K.L. on Twitter: @KL_Toth
K.L. on Facebook: K.L. Toth
K.L.'s latest book: A Test Of Faith (Amazon)
Follow Me: 
No comments:
Post a Comment