Interview with Kylie Mae
Published 2014-03-17.
What is your writing process?
I am still trying to work this one out. I have to admit I am horrible at planning every little single detail out. I normally have a rough draft, bullet points of the main things that happen in my stories and I wing it in the middle. The problem with this is I sometimes go off my original plan and such. I always like to hand write chapters and then type them out instead of going straight to typing them out because I tend to spot mistakes more in my handwritten work than I do in typing it. I normally need to be alone when I do series writing as well, as I am distracted easily.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I have grown up and lived my whole life in Christchurch, New Zealand. I guess in a way this has influenced me in wanting to set my stories in places that I have always wanted to go and places I think are beautiful and magical. NZ is a very beautiful and nature filled country and I think this has influenced me as I do love describing such things. Most of my writing will have a prominent nature environment that will be described in detail. I also find that a lot of slang of NZ or odd saying just seem to pop up in stories as well.
What's the story behind your latest book?
My next project is a Science Fiction novel set in the future. Its a little dig about how we treat the people not as influential, rich or proper than us. Its pretty much a jab at social justice and how we treat the less of these in our world. The idea came as a dream (as most of mine do) about a ship, sailing in space, a small crew, who are told that are the last of the human race, living in a world that is made up (virtual reality that is pretty much your dreams), in this world you can be anyone you want to be, you build up the perfect life. But there are rules, there are limits and no one questions them because its what they've been told. The world is made up of "dreams" that are not real, that have no emotion and whose only purpose is to be the background players in the humans perfect reality.
Its pretty much is what if one of the "Real" humans becomes friends with a "dream" and what could come out of that.
When did you first start writing?
I have been writing since I was thirteen. I started off with fanfiction, which I think is fine. The good thing about fanfic is that it gets you writing, you know these characters, the reader knows them, the know the world so you can concentrate all your energy on the story telling. I wasn't very good was I was thirteen I will admit that. I think I was.... twenty one, maybe a little earlier when I really got serious with writing and tended towards original story lines (AU's when everything was new and made up helped) and really got into the coming up with own characters and own worlds.
What do you read for pleasure?
I am a big crime novel fan. We're talking anything by the likes of James Patterson, Dean Kootz, Kathy Reichs, Karen Slaughter.... mysteries just capture my attention and make me want to read more and no more. If I am feeling the need for a huge pick me up of happiness though I normally turn to re-reading the Narnia books or any of my "here are awesome animals doing adorable things" books, thoose always put a smile on my face
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Writing something that people can genuinely feel. If someone says that they felt the emotion or they really got what something was trying to be conveyed, that is what I love. People engaging in the world you have made and the characters you have created, caring about them - is the best feeling in the world.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
My faith, God, my friends. Knowing that today could be the best in my life, knowing that today I could come across a miracle and that staying away from that day, could be a missed opportunity to make a real difference in someone's life.
Each day is a new adventure, each sunrise a beauty beyond measure.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I have a full time job, that takes up most of my time. And then I try to catch up with friends, family. My faith and belief in God is something I try to grow and make sure I put time aside for.
Describe your desk
I don't actually have a desk! I write whenever I can, normally in spare time at work, or when I am on the bus. My little notebooks are kind of like my desk. I like them to have inspirational things on them, normally pictures of places around the world I want to visit. If I had a desk I am sure it will be stacked with these notebooks, and a cup of pens (I am always losing pens so you can never have enough). There will probably also always a cup of tea on it - cause I like tea.
What do your fans mean to you?
People that enjoy my work, that look out for my work and genuinely get excited about it just astound me. I sometimes still don't understand why people want to read my books when there are great and amazing authors out there, so when people care it makes me smile, it makes me want to be a better author and it makes me want to be a better person.
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Books by This Author
Murder in Cinema Seven
by Kylie Mae
Israel Graystone has worked at Bass-X cinema for four years now and she thought she had seen it all, she thought that maybe nothing could surprise her. Israel should have known that the world existed to surprise her. When Israel said she wanted something to do being in the middle of a Murder investigation wasn't really what she hadn't had in mind. Her training didn't cover this.