I want to thank Kathi Goldwyn for taking the time for this interview!
BIO:
Kathi Goldwyn lives a quiet but fulfilling life in Oakland, California. She lives with Earl and her dog Stanley. She has two grown children, one lives in the area and one lives over in Australia with her two grandchildren. She has a great passion for Indie Authors and has spent years promoting their books on Facebook. The writing bug hit her a year ago. She loves romance, love and hope.
Now in her later years she has begun the amazing journey of becoming an author.
Additional Info I gathered on the amazing Kathi!
It all started with a fan group Wicked Dirty Girls.
I have built two Facebook groups made up of hundreds of kind, amazing women who love to read romance.
I spend countless hours on Facebook, promoting authors, creating friendships, doing giveaways, spreading the word on the books I read and love, and so much more.
I write reviews, tag authors, encourage book sales and interact with their members on a daily basis.
I have a blog Kathi Picks where I post my author's work. My passion for the written word has carried over into helping authors chase their dreams, and that is how Kathi's PA Services was formed.
My mission: to help authors succeed.
When and how did you
know you wanted to be a writer?
I never set out to be an author.
I wrote a short portion of a story we were developing with all the authors in the Dark Angels and someone was sick so I filled in for her. But the characters wouldn't leave me alone. Charity Bailey encouraged me to keep going until I had TWO complete books about Henry and Samantha.
I learned how much I loved my fingers flying over the keys and kept writing stories. Killing Spree is my newest book.
Did you have any influencing writers growing up?
Growing up we weren't allowed to watch TV except one night a week so I became an avid reader. My stepfather had a bookcase right outside my door, and I read everything on those shelves.
The Boxcar Children was the first book that really affected me. I wanted to be one of those kids.
Are any of your
characters based on people in real life?
My characters develop over time. I come up with a sketch of what they look like and go from there. But yes, they have attributes that come from the people in my life.
Where do you draw your
book inspirations from?
A subject, a word anything can inspire an entire novel. I love suspense thrillers and wrote them.
Do you use have a
basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the
way?
I'm a total pantser. I tried make an outline once but that didn't go very well. For me it's better to let my characters lead me in the direction I need to go.
When you are
picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for
inspiration?
If I find the perfect picture that looks exactly what is in my mind, then yes! I keep it at hand to inspire me.
Many people read as a
form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back
and relax?
Reading is everything. It helps me relax, it inspires my own writing. I've learned so much by the words of my favorite authors. Plus I have a ton of author friends and it still amazes me how big a heart our community has. Authors helping each other, have helped me a great deal.
Who are your favorite
current authors to read?
I read so many authors, a few of my one click authors are Charity Bailey, Catherine Wiltcher, Tillie Cole, Casi McLean, Jade West.
I could keep going on and on. The indie community is filled with talented authors.
What are your
favorite books by others?
Strangers in my Bed by Jade West is my current fav.
Do you write in single or multiple POV?
I write from Two POV's
What do you find to
be your best research tool?
I google search everything I need to learn about. I love research! One of my favorite things about writing.
Do you write under a
pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?
I use my own name.
What genre do you
write and why is this your preference?
I write what I love to read, suspense thrillers.
I'm writing a vampire story right now it's taking a long time to figure the story out. PNR is a new genre for me.
Tell me something
about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky
trait...what led to you being you?
I had a company for 25 years, Goldwyn Productions. I managed and booked acts all over the country. I travelled on tours.
Rock Star is based a lot on my experiences. But mainly it was a blast and it really shaped who I am today.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Write what you know! Never force a situation on a story. Stop and reconsider where you want to go and change direction. I've seen it time and time again and pray I don't make the same mistakes haha.
How do you deal and process negative book reviews?
Negative reviews can help an author grow and I take them seriously.
But if it's negative without saying why that burns my butt! I get over it, believe me sometimes it's hard on me.
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
Sometimes my characters won't talk to me, and if I try to push further into my story without them it's a mess and I have to start all over again.
So I guess my impatience with waiting for the words to spill from my hands, that's the hardest thing.
What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you
focused?
I don't set up anything special to signal I'm going to write.
The tv is on in the background, the cat usually sitting nearby. And I click over to look at my last paragraph I wrote to assess if I can keep going in that direction.
I write from the same spot on my bed every single word.
What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?
I don't really have one, I wish I did. I used to love sweets but not so much anymore. I do eat these hot spicy chips. I guess those could be indulgent.
If you could spend a day with another popular author,
whom would you choose? And why?
Well that's just downright mean! haha
How can i choose just one? Faith Rabbiosi, Charity Bailey and Casi McLean share the number one spot. I am very close to them.
What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or
drink?
I write when I'm moved to write. That means until late in the night or early in the morning. When I have a good idea of where I'm going I can't stop until I'm finished. Of course I sleep but I don't want to miss a word when I'm inspired.
Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of
music is your favorite?
I can't listen to music while I write. I find it too distracting and I'm singing along. haha
I love all types of music. From rock to punk to classical. But not while I'm busy writing.
Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?
Tuxedo my cat lays on my arm or pushes my hands off the keyboard and lays on it. So yes, he likes to interrupt and tries to stop me, it makes me laugh unless I'm irritated because he's successful at stopping the flow.
What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?
Anything can hurt my writing process. Someone dropping by irritates the heck out of me. Usually happy to see our friends, but a drop in bugs me. I want them to go so I can get back to it but I don't push them out the door.
Have you ever killed off a character that your readers
loved?
I haven't had the courage to kill off a main or secondary character. Someday maybe I'll find the guts to do it. I know it's a great technique to change the subject but I love my characters so much I can't kill them.
How do you celebrate after typing THE END?
When I write the end I get up and yell it out loud so Earl can hear me. Then I PM one of my author friends so we can celebrate together.
I hope you enjoyed this interview!
Check out all my interviews/reviews for Kathi Goldwyn!
https://readingbydeb.blogspot.com/2022/06/author-at-glance-kathi-goldwyn.html#more
Kathi Goldwyn and Casi McLean also host a Reading Challenge! I participated in their Winter Reading Challenge and met some wonderful authors! Looking forward to the Summer Fling Reading Challenge.
Read more about their event below!
Make sure to give Kathi Goldwyn a shout out and FOLLOW her on social media!
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