Friday, July 15, 2011

Author Interview with Kate Fuentes



I had originally planned on having this interview up yesterday...but my teething baby had other plans for me the last few days! Better late than never, right? Enjoy!

1. At what point did you realize that this story you were writing was something you wanted to pursue more seriously?
By the time I had passed the 10,000 word mark, I realized this may be more than just a "bedtime story" and quickly grew into a "project". I had always felt at ease and rejuvenated after writing short stories or the occasional poem, but I only dreamed about writing a novel and did not pursue the dream until my children inspired me to do so. I owe my husband and children endless gratitude for starting the flame once again and encouraging me to continue.

2. As a mother, what challenges did you face while writing this book?
I work a full time 8-5 job during the week and as most moms know the work doesn't stop at 5:00 p.m. I found that most of my writing took place after the kids went to bed and before I could no longer keep my eyes open. My family was quite supportive of my late night scribblings and keyboard clicking throughout the entire process, thank goodness we have a downstairs office! I began to carry a notebook everywhere I went to write down any ideas or paragraphs I brewed up at the most inopportune times (soccer practice, church, baseball games, etc), so that I would be able to transfer those ideas to my computer once I got home. I also kept the writing a secret from our extended family until I knew this was something concrete and wasn't just a phase I was going through. My husband and kids were sworn to secrecy until the day before the book was released. What a relief to finally tell everyone! In the end, I am grateful I began this journey and look forward to where the road might take me.

3. Are any of the characters in Elements fashioned after people in your own life?
The two main characters are almost identical to my children with the exception that they are not twins. The way I described their features, their character, likes, dislikes, down to their favorite foods. I did so because originally this was supposed to be "their" bedtime story, not a novel. My youngest gets a kick out of seeing his name in a book, but the oldest is mad I didn't use his given name. I have vowed to rectify that situation in one of the other series! I did dedicate the book to them and used their given names, at least that eased some of the tension! Whew!

4. What would you tell others that are wanting to pursue a writing career?
I have come across a couple of people that have expressed their desire to become a writer and/or author. I wholeheartedly support their willingness to put themselves on the line and out in the open. It is a wonderful thing to be able to curl up on a couch and get lost inside a good book. If you are the writer it doubles as therepy! For me personally, I love to broaden the scope of imagination and see how far my mind can stretch the realm of fantasy. The unfortunate, but small side effect of writing is making yourself so vulnerable to criticism and negative responses. My advise to aspiring authors would be to take the negative comments with a grain of salt and pat themselves on the back for the courage to write what is in their heart and stand behind your work proudly. Think about all the great authors we can benefit from and who inspire future authors to continue the legacy. What if they decided against pursuing their dreams? What a tragedy! Behind every critic is two die hard fans who will no doubt be looking forward to your next book, even if those fans are family or friends, you can hold your head high and proclaim yourself an author!

5. Writing aside, what are some of your other interests or hobbies?
I enjoy spending any spare time I can with my family doing the things we love to do such as taking a road trip, playing sports, going camping or taking in a movie. I also like to bake and dabble a bit with photography from time to time.

Thanks again to Kate for doing this interview! I love to see how moms, dads and really anyone can fit writing into their lives. If you love doing it you will make time for it!

1 comment:

Jessi E. said...

This is a great interview that is very encouraging, especially to others who are trying to write. I'm not a mom, but it's always a challenge to fit it in. :)