Romance at Heart Magazine Author Interview: Kate September

Interview with Kate September:

Hi Kate. Thank you for doing this interview. I would like to welcome you to the Romance at Heart Interview and Author Grilling session. *bg* We are interested to find out as much about you as we possibly can, so lets get started...

- Please tell us about your latest book.

The next book I have coming out is “Duet of Desire” from Siren Publishing. It’s the second book in “La Belle Epoque” collection – the first is “Portrait of Desire.” “Duet of Desire” is about a haughty young opera diva and the terrible secret she must hide from her new lover, the handsome, mysterious Marquis de Dramond.

All three books in this series are set in Paris, 1901, which has to be one of the most romantic periods and places in history!

I also just published a short story with 4 Girls Publishing called “Carta di Paradiso.” It’s a little romantic romp with antique maps.

- What can we expect from you in the future?

Gosh – I have so many books on my “to-do” list! I have plots outlines for at least another historical romance/mystery, a contemporary romance/suspense novel, and several adult fairytales. The trouble right now is setting the priority for the next book to write. I’ve started on the third and final book of “La Belle Epoque” collection, “Dance of Desire.”

- How do we find out about you and your books?

Just check out my website at < a href="http://www.kateseptember.com/" target="_blank">Kate September.com! I update the website at least once a week. It has my bio, my blog and all the news on my latest releases.

- How may readers contact you?

Feel free to contact me by my email address – kate@kateseptember.com

- How many readers contact you?

I get a number of readers who contact me, and I love every single piece of email!

- Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?

I find that my fans are my inspiration to keep going, even when I’ve hit a dry spell or a patch of writers’ block. Sometimes, I go back and look at their emails, rereading them as a way to get myself jazzed up for writing more.

- Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?

I love it when they ask me what’s coming next – it makes me smile and pushes me to keep writing when I’m feeling lazy or uninspired.

- Why did you decide to write romance novels?

I think I’ve always been a secret romantic – though most people who know me would never peg me for a romantic, as I forget things like birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

I finally admitted to myself that my writing in other genres just wasn’t inspiring enough to me to get me to finish a manuscript. So, I sat down and started to write a romance novel. A month later, I had the complete manuscript in my hands.

- How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

I definitely draw on my time living in Paris for the books set in France. I also rely on my training in classics, philosophy and anthropology to help me with research and writing in the right amount of historical detail into a story.

I think in every book, I discover something new about myself and the way I think, and what I believe. It adds a dimension that hopefully goes beyond girl-meets-boy narrative and gives the reader something to take away with them and reflect on past the end of the story.

- When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?

I’ve been writing all my life. I walk around, describing things in my head as if I was writing them down. I had been trying to write a novel since I was 10! I actually had a bit of success getting an editor with a major publishing house interested in a series of children’s’ stories that I had written when I was 12. When she left, the project fell through. But I think it was that early taste of possibility that spurred me to keep going and keep trying.

I submitted my first manuscript at the end of September, 2005. Twenty-four hours later, I was signed with Ocean’s Mist Press. I had palpitations for days, I was so excited!

- Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?

A novella takes me about a month to produce a polished manuscript. Novels take about two months, depending on the word count I’m aiming for.

- What is your writing routine?

I generally set a word count for every day, and a general word count for every week, and a fairly flexible deadline for being done with the manuscript. A lot of the times, I will jot notes of an outline for each chapter in a notebook that I keep. Once that is all worked out, I sit down and bang out the entire chapter in one or two tries. Periodically, before I start to write more, I will read the entire story from the beginning to make sure I’m not missing anything.

- Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?

Generally, I do my best writing in the evenings. I rarely write much or well in the mornings.

- What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?

I usually get interrupted – either by my dog or my husband. But I’m pretty good about just grabbing whatever few minutes I have to write.

- What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?

I love to knit, to read old books – they’re like old friends, easy to visit with – cook, hang out by the ocean collecting beach glass, walking my dog.

- Where do your ideas come from?

They come from everywhere – books, museum exhibits, recipes, documentaries, clothing, people- watching. I never can tell where the next idea is coming from, which is what makes it so much fun!

- Do you feel humour is important in women's fiction and why?

I think it is important. I also think it’s very important to sometimes let your hero or heroine not be perfect and make a perfect ass of themselves. I have characters who take pratfalls, say the wrong thing, or comically bungle a situation. Humor can keep a character grounded and real. Humor can also make dialogue razor sharp and inject real chemistry into a relationship.

- What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?

I don’t find love scenes difficult to write at all. The first few I tried, I was, of course, rather tentative. But after you write one, you lose your inhibitions and just go for it. I try not to judge love scenes in novels because people write them for different reasons and read them for different reasons. For example, I feel it is unfair to say that a love scene wasn’t hot because the characters weren’t well developed. Well, sometimes, a reader may just want a love scene without a whole lot attached to it. So, I just enjoy them for what they are and hope that my love scenes give readers something good.

- What kind of research do you do?

I do a lot of research! I use the Internet, the Boston Public Library, my own collection of research materials, and any other resources I can get my hands on. One of the things I loved doing for my current series of books set in Paris, 1901, was I studied tons of photographs, works of art and posters from the era. I listened to music from the composers who were popular then, and I have spent hours chasing down the littlest details about life, fashion and society in that time period.

I love doing research. It is wonderfully invigorating and tremendously exciting for me. I love to learn, and I love to use what I have learned to make a place or at time come alive for readers.

- What does your husband think of your writing?

My husband thinks I write “porn with pretty dresses”! Seriously, he’s very supportive of my writing and my ambitions.

- Do you ever ask him/her for advice?

Never. If I did, he’d probably give it, which is probably why I don’t ask.

- Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)

I grew up in Indiana with my wonderful mum and dad. I went to Vassar College for my undergraduate in French and Boston University for my masters degree in communications. I am married and live in Boston with my husband, our dog and our fish.

- Fill in the blank favorites -

Dessert - Tiramisou
City - Boston
Season - Fall
Type of hero - Dangerous heroes
Type of heroine - Flawed heroines

- What are some of your favorite things to do?

I love traveling, reading, cooking, playing squash, cuddling with my dog. My pet peeves include dry- cleaning and talking on the phone.

- Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book?

I really enjoy classic literature. I don’t have a lot of modern/contemporary authors that I read. I do love to read true-crime non-fiction and positively haunt the Crime Library website!

- Who are some of your favorite authors?

I love English satirists and humorists like E.F. Benson and P.G. Wodehouse. I also love Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and Frances Hodgson Burnett. For erotica, I enjoy Anais Nin and Henry Miller because of the way they mix in philosophy with beautiful, lyrical prose.

- Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?

My mother has been a huge influence. She is my most demanding editor and relentless critic, always pushing me to go further with my writing. My father has always been my number one fan and never wavered in his belief that I would be a published writer.

- Are you a member of any author groups - RWA, critique groups, etc.?

I am a member of the RWA.

- What do you think of critique groups in general?

If they work for you, that’s great. I personally don’t belong to any critique groups or show my manuscripts to anyone before they’re done.

- Where do you see yourself in five years?

A year ago this time, I hadn’t even written my first complete novel. Now, I have two published books, one published short story, and contracts for three more books. Where will I be in five years? It’s hard to say for certain except that I will still be writing.

- How many books have you written, how many have been published?

I have two published books, one published short story, and contracts for three more books.

- After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and read it?

It takes me a long time to want to go back to something I’ve published and read it. I get really sick of it towards the end of the editing process, and I’m so anxious to move on to the next story that I rarely want to re-read it for pleasure. The closest I come is checking over the excerpts I post for promotions to make sure they’re all set.

- Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?

It’s always the next one, and the next character. Though, I have to say that I am really proud of “Portraitt of Desire” and “Duet of Desire,” and I’m very excited about writing “Dance of Desire.”

- What book for you has been the easiest to write? The hardest? The most fun?

They are all relatively easy to write. The hardest part of any story for me is getting past the two-thirds mark. It’s just that last push that I find myself dragging my feet on. But I force myself, reminding myself that an unfinished book doesn’t get published!

- Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting?

It all comes in a blinding, disorienting flash, as if I am watching a movie in my head. I may have been percolating on a setting or a theme for a while, but not really focusing on it. Then, suddenly, the entire story will reveal itself, totally complete, in my head. Then, I’m in a total fever to write it all down before I forget.

- What are the elements of a great romance for you?

Ironically, it’s not the sex for me. The great romances that I love are the ones where it’s about words, dialogue and the psychological game of cat-and-mouse. “Pride and Prejudice” and “Jane Eyre” come to mind as examples. They have some of the most romantic, sexiest scenes in all of literature, but it’s all about the interplay between strongly developed characters.

- Have you experienced writer's block---> If so, how did you work through it?

I give in to it. I allow myself the time I need to just recharge, mull plot points over, or do nothing at all. I also take a critical look at the exact place in the story where I’ve gotten stuck. Usually, if you hit a brick wall in writing, it’s because you should have taken a left turn!

- What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?

The ability to create and to share what you create.

- If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?

I have no clue. I simply can’t think of myself without thinking of writing.

- Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

Anybody can be a writer as a hobby. Being an author is a business. In order to get published, you have to be professional, well-organized and persistent. Keep on a schedule, have a short-range and long-range plan, complete your writing and pitching to-do’s. Treat your efforts to be a published author as you would your “day job” in terms of your attention to detail and level of commitment. You’ll find that editors appreciate people who are serious about their careers as writers, and the more effort you put into your writing career, the more likely you are to be successful.

Thank you very much for taking the time with us and answering our questions. I really appreciate this interruption to your busy schedule. Good Luck, and we will be looking forward to the next delightful creation from your talented imagination!

Yours in good reading,
Rose!

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