Interview with L. A. Kelley
Published 2015-02-06.
When did you first start writing?
When I was old enough to hold a pencil. I wrote my first book at age seven. It was ten pages and twenty seven chapters with lots of short punchy sentences like...Chapter Five. He saw a ghost. Chapter Six. It was scary. Chapter Seven. He ran away....well, Mom like it.
What's the deal with writing? Why do you do it?
Did you ever feel life would be so much more interesting if only everyone would do exactly as you say? I know. It's a darn shame, but that's not going to happen. Instead, I create my own worlds populated by my own characters...and they still don't do what I say. Sometimes, I try to write them with a specific characteristic or doing a particular action. They just won't have it and decide to go their own way and lead the story in a completely unexpected direction. I like the surprise of not knowing what's around the next paragraph.
What do your fans mean to you?
Everything. You have to have a thick skin to be a writer as rejections outnumber acceptances a hundred to one. To know someone has taken time out of their busy day to read my words and actually takes pleasure in them is intensely gratify. Seriously, I would bake you all cakes if I could.
What is your writing process?
I'm a morning person. I get up and exercise first and then do the New York Times crosswords puzzle to jumpstart the old neurons. They grumble, but with a threat or two they usually oblige. Typically, I write until the afternoon and take a break. If I have something completed that needs editing, I may do that in the evening. I rarely work past seven at night because my brain shuts down and I only respond to questions with, "Me no thinkee good now."
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
It was Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss and although it outlines a horrific case of parental abuse, I thought it was hysterically funny.
How do you approach your cover design?
I don't. I'm smart enough to buy one from someone who knows what they're doing.
What do you read for pleasure?
I'll read almost anything except boring technical manuals. I enjoy fantasy, mystery, adventure, a bit of romance, but don't like books with graphic violence. Also, the book must have a happy ending. Life is too short to be depressed. For nonfiction, I gravitate toward books with a scientific bent. I admit it, I'm a nerd.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I own a Nook, but have Amazon's Kindle reader installed on my laptop and phone.
Describe your desk.
I don't sit at a desk. I have a large overstuffed chair with a cluttered end table.
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