Author Interview

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a new author Kayden Lee; she offered to be my first Author Interview and a copy of her novel, 'Abandoned Angel' how could I pass that up. I have not had the pleasure to read her novel as of late, I am working my way to it though and I am excited to dive in. I hope you enjoy getting to know Kayden as much as I did through our interview and in exchanging emails with her.

*Please tell me about your first novel. What or who inspired you to write it?

 Abandoned Angel, a suspense novel dipped in romance, is about the journey a young mother must take in order to rescue her kidnapped son. After being left at the mercy of a biker gang, the frightened woman rides across country with the members of the club, hoping to find help.

Blaze, the biker with whom she rides, introduces the vulnerable woman into the threatening world in which he lives - endangering her life in the process. Angelina must discover an inner strength and determination if she wishes to survive the ride.

My husband and I spend as much time as we can on the open road enjoying the feeling of freedom motorcycling offers. Abandoned Angel was created during these rides. From the back of the motorcycle, I would jot down sentences and ideas for the book until I had enough of a concept to begin writing. My husband, who is not much of a reader, became caught up in the story, which inspired me to have it published.

*Who are some of your favorite authors and books? Did they influence or inspire your writing style and give you ideas?

I imagine that everything I read, in one way or another, influences my writing. With that said, I don’t think I can pinpoint any one particular author as my inspiration. I love to read, and any author who is able to make me feel a wide range of emotion, inspires me to keep writing.

Some of my favorite authors include Dean Koontz, Harlan Coben, James Patterson and Lisa Gardner. More recently, I have enjoyed books by Kenneth Hoss, Amanda Kyle Williams and Wendy Corsi Staub.

*What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What was the biggest compliment? Did those change how or what you did in your next novel?

 

Toughest criticism, - I suppose that is probably still to come. LOL

Any compliment, or constructive criticism for that matter, is appreciated. Of course, the compliments are much easier to take than the criticism, but it is all part of being an author. I take what my readers have to say very seriously, and hope to learn from their comments.

The one criticism that comes to mind though has to do with the importance of having a book edited professionally. The editing process of Dead End Stranger, my second novel, has been different from the editing process of my debut novel, Abandoned Angel.

Any time a reader tells me they have enjoyed my book, is wonderful. My favorite compliment though, is when I am told that I need to write a sequel because they can’t get enough of the characters. Because of this compliment, there will most definitely be a sequel to Abandoned Angel.

*If your protagonist was a real person, what would they think about you? Would they want to hang out with you?

That my life is a lot easier, and less stressful than theirs.

*What has been your favorite part of being an author? What has been your least favorite?

I love being an author. It gives me a sense of pride like none I have known before, and the writing community is full of wonderful people. The marketing, on the other hand, is my least favorite part of the process. It is very time consuming, and to be frank, I’m not sure I am real good at it.

*When you walk into a book store, where do you head first?

Usually to the children’s section – though I have not been in a bookstore for a while. With the e-reader technology, most of what I read seems to be ordered online, and as my kids have gotten older, we seem to spend less and less time there. Of course, thinking about it now, makes me want to go to a bookstore and snuggle in a cushy couch to read.

*Did you get to quit your ‘day job’ and become an author, or do you have a ‘day job’ and writing is something you do for fun?

I have not been able to quit my full time job yet, but I am hoping that will happen sometime in the near future. Whether it does or not though, I enjoy writing, and hope that it will always be fun.

*What is your favorite junk food vice?

 

Although I would rather have cheese and crackers over junk food, ice cream is one of my favorites.

*If you could step into the shoes of your protagonist for one day, would you? What would you like to experience or see during that day?

I hate to say it, as much as I love the characters in Abandoned Angel, I think I would rather be me. That way, I don’t have to recall the heartache and hurt experienced by the protagonist. The protagonist for Dead End Stranger, no way – but you will have to read it to understand why.

*Is their anything else you would like to share or say to those with those who will read this?

Being a part of the writing/reading community has been an absolute enjoyable experience. It is amazing how much help and advice the more experienced writers are willing to offer, and how wonderful the feedback offered by the readers is. For this, I am grateful.