Name:
Katharine E. Hamilton
The Title of Your Work or Group:
The Unfading Lands
Where are you from? Does not have to be the name of the place exactly. You can say Hick-ville Florida, for example if you are more comfortable with that.
A ranch in the heart of brush country in South Texas.
In what genre do you write?
Fiction/Fantasy/Epic
In your own words, what is your book about? If you were not the author and trying to explain this awesome book you just read to a friend, what would you say about it?
The Unfading Lands is about the good and evil within us all. A Realm is faced with a terrifying threat of darkness, and several kingdoms will need to unite to overcome it. But the enemy takes many shapes and forms. It makes you think on a deeper level about the temptation of darkness, whether it be a physical being or inner struggle.
What is your writing style? Do you follow all guides and rules? Synopsis, outline etc. or do you just sit down at the computer and type to see what happens.
When I sit down to write, I like to think I have a plan. I map out a small web of key events and characters, but I have quickly found that once you start typing the story and your characters start to take on a shape of their own. I scrapped my ending twice once the story began to develop in its own way. So I, myself, had great intentions of being an organized writer, but was taken on an adventure while writing it and it becomes a tangled web you sort out while you type. It’s a blast to see how things develop.
Have you ever written anything and thought; " The world has got to see this!" ?
I actually feel this way about this particular book. I’ve published children’s books in the past, and yes, they have positive messages. But this book takes young adults and adults through deeper issues of self-reflection… but in a cool way. It’s one of those books that can be interpreted in multiple ways. So far, just hearing how people feel about it or what they think will happen next (because this is the first in a series of 3) has been so fun, because they read so much into small things. It makes me steeple my fingers and want to cackle. ;)
Do you have an editor and Cover Designer or do you do this yourself?
For this work, I DID have an editor and a Cover Designer. My editor was fantastic! I am a stickler when it comes to proper grammar, but even I miss things. And she found EVERYTHING. Haha. But hey, that’s why I asked her to do it.
My Cover Designer is actually my sister. She is a graphic designer and she actually handles all of my website graphics as well. She read the manuscript in its early stages and I told her to just come up with something. Little did I know, that she would design a cover that fit PERFECTLY with the book as well as the vibe I was going for. She’s sort of nailed every project I’ve requested from her. It’s awesome.
Who is your favorite author? Not just someone that you read allot. I wanna know whose book you read that made you suddenly know that if you didn't do this for the rest of your life then you would never be happy.
I have several favorite authors… I think to choose just one would be like asking me to choose my favorite candy. Almost impossible. Haha. But the two books I have read that made me realize I wanted to write were:
The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James
This Present Darkness, by Frank Peretti
Yes, they could not be MORE different. BUT, both books do impact the way I write. I love the structure of Henry James, his eloquent writing style, and his strong female characters. Isabell Archer is extraordinarily written, and a power house. I LOVE that. With Frank Peretti, he brings out the good vs. evil motif in all his books. The spiritual warfare that goes on within the world and within the person. I love that particular idea, and have modeled my own writing after it. He leaves you thinking and reflecting with every single one of his works.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
One thing that surprised me while writing this particular book is how hard it is to kill someone. Yes, killing people. ;) When you are attached to a character, it is hard to not only let them go, but also to write HOW you are letting them go. I cried while writing a death scene, because I did not want to see the character leave, but I also knew it would add a little something extra to the book and the series later on. I would like to think it makes the scene more touching too, because I’m grieving the loss just as much as the other characters.
Do you write your characters or do they write themselves through you?
When I first started writing out the temperaments and characteristics of each of my characters, they were pretty concrete. But again, once you start typing, the story starts taking on a complete mind of its own. And several of my characters turned out to be more in depth or more intriguing than originally planned. Certain characters that I did not intend to have a strong role in this book, ended up being forces to be reckoned with. It’s fun to see how they develop.
Do you ever write yourself into the characters?
ALL. THE. TIME. Within this particular book, I relate with Princess Elizabeth. A LOT. Her attitude is pretty similar to mine and her spirit. But I also like to write in a little wit through other characters. That’s the luxury of writing. You may not show that side of yourself in reality, but you can sure pour it into your characters. It’s sometimes quite therapeutic. Haha.
Is writing your full time job or are you "Keeping your day job"? So to speak.
At the moment, I do still have a day job. I am one of those people who needs to stay busy. Constantly. My hope is that one day I can be a full time writer. In fact, that is definitely my goal. I love the industry. I love creating. It’s more my style than being in an office. I’m a little too free-spirited to be in an office all day. ;)
If you could go back in time and meet one famous person or legend in history, who would it be?
That is a hard question. There is a HUGE list. I think the obvious ones would be: Jesus. Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin would be cool too… you know, the early presidents... Then maybe Marilyn Monroe. Wouldn’t mind meeting Grace Kelly. There’s too many cool people out there. But I will narrow it down to my literary figure I would love to meet. And that would be Geoffrey Chaucer. The man was a genius. Witty, sarcastic, and not afraid to speak his mind. I think he would be quite a character and keep me laughing.
There are millions of new books released every year. What in your mind makes yours stand out from all those millions in your genre?
One thing that stands out to me is the purity of it. A lot of what hits the market nowadays contains language, sex, and unspeakable crimes that just make some readers shift uncomfortably. Not all readers. And not all of those books are bad. It just seems there is a lot of it out there. The Unfading Lands still has drama, romance, battles, mystery, and adventure, but there’s a purity to it. There are no curse words, there are no scandalous sex scenes. There is a clear line drawn between what is good and what is evil without the saturation of indecent content. I want the book to appeal to every reader, young and old. Those who wish for romance, will find it. Those who wish for war and battle scenes, will find it. I write what I want to read. I prefer books that portray a moral standard, and that is what I write. Not to say I don’t enjoy books that are written with different standards every now and then. It is just not how I prefer to write.
In the world of Indie, marketing is very difficult, especially if you don't have the funds to pay for it. Have you found a great free way to market your work that you think other Indies will benefit from?
Two words. SOCIAL MEDIA.
I cannot tell you how beneficial social media has been! It’s incredible. You can now reach thousands of people with a click of a button.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. ALL of these platforms can help an author spread their name and work. Utilize these tools. Don’t be intimidated by them.
Now give me your links so we can get people to your book sites!
Twitter: @AuthorKatharine
Blog: On website below
Website: www.katharinehamilton.com
Amazon:
