BookWenches

Interviewed by Bobby 

Hi Kelli. I recently read your story “Beauty and the Bigfoot” and thought it was a lot of fun. What inspired you to write a story about the Sasquatch and to give him the romantic lead role?

Thanks for the kind words! I’m glad you liked the story. Beauty & the Bigfoot was inspired by a wacky idea that popped into my head: “What if a girl fell in love with a Sasquatch?” I’m not sure where the idea came from, but the more I thought about it, the more the story unfolded.

I knew that a romance about Bigfoot would have to be a comedy – nobody would buy into the idea of a “serious” love story about Bigfoot. From there, the idea, characters, and back story about the legend grew and morphed into the book. It’s sort of a modern take on Beauty and the Beast – with plenty of humor and drama to draw readers into Tara’s crazy world.

Were you at all nervous about teaming up a human heroine with a hero that some might consider an animal?

Yes, at first. When I was writing the story, I was concerned about two aspects: One was readers being turned off/freaked out by the idea of a woman being intimate (repeatedly) with a “monster” (or an “animal”); the second thing that concerned me was that readers wouldn’t “get” the wacky humor and unusual characterization of Tara and her father, Charlie.

When I wrote the story, I made sure I gave the Sasquatch a name, (Joe), and humanistic traits so readers can see him as Tara does – as a really hairy guy. I’m happy to say that Beauty & the Bigfoot has received several excellent reviews, so the story and humor are connecting with readers.

Did you do any special research to get yourself in the groove to write this story?

Actually I did a great deal of research before I wrote the book. Although I know a lot about Bigfoot, I had to know everything about the history and mythology of the creature.

To write the part of Charlie (Tara’s “Bigfoot-expert” father) I needed to be able to rattle off all kinds of details about the creatures that only an avid Bigfoot hunter would know (sort of like how a baseball fan can recite a favorite player’s stats).

For my research, I went to the library and took out all the Bigfoot books they had. (And yes, I got strange looks from the librarian.) I also watched Bigfoot shows on TV. While doing research, I came across Sasquatch accounts that dated from as far back at the 1500s, and sightings that referred to them as wild men who sometimes took human wives. Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest have several names for the creatures and had their own legends, as well.

A lot of the tiny details in the story are authentic – based on the research I did and the actual reported Bigfoot sightings. Knowing these details made it easier to understand the characters and write the story.

I adored the sense of humor that you injected into “Beauty and the Bigfoot”.  Is a sense of fun something that you try to incorporate in much of your writing?

I’m glad you liked the humor! Some of my books feature characters that have odd/strange senses of humor or are just plain witty. (Prince Allan’s character in Dalton’s Temptation was so adorable and clever that I gave him a book of his own, The Pauper Prince. (Allan is able to cope with bad situations and maintains his smartass sense of humor even though the book is not a comedy.)  A Most Unusual Princess also has a lot of humor in it. However, Beauty & the Bigfoot was the first book that I set out to intentionally make funny. (It’s one thing to sprinkle in some humor here and there, but to start out trying to be funny can be a bit daunting.)

I try to make my stories fun or lighthearted in some scenes, dramatic in others, and steamy when the romance heats up. I think giving the characters variety helps – not everyone is always clever or always serious.

So tell me…how long have you been writing? What caused you to decide to write for professional publication instead of simply your pleasure?

I started writing short stories in high school. After college, I took a Commercial Writers Program and read some of my stories in class. At the time, I was writing short horror fiction. Everyone liked the stories and encouraged me to submit them for publication. One day I read a short romance in a magazine and said “I can write that.” So I did. A few months later, I sold my first “10-Minute Love Story” to the Sun – and from there I was hooked.

Many authors have told me that they don’t just want to write, they need to write. Would you say this is true for you?

Usually yes. I generally go from project to project, and sometimes I’ll be halfway through one story when another one starts brewing in the back of my mind. But every so often I take a break from writing and catch up on my reading. When I’m writing I don’t read, and when I’m reading, I don’t write. But I’m always thinking of new ideas, plots, and characters.

Taking a peek at your website, I see that you have written several horror stories. Between horror and romance, does writing one come more naturally than the other? What inspires you to pick up the pen (or fire up the keyboard) to write a horror story?

I originally started out writing horror short stories, and then I alternated with romance. I think I have a good balance of writing in both genres. (One half of my brain does horror the other half does romance.) I generally get inspired for horror the same way I do for romance – an idea pops into my head, the story clicks, and off I go.

I was able to combine both worlds in my paranormal romance, Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover. It’s a romance, but it also has a gothic-horror feel. So does my historical, The Dark Lord. Although it’s not a paranormal, it takes place in a secluded Carpathian Mountain castle.

Sometimes after working on several romances I’ll switch and write a horror story. It allows me to change up my writing style, use different settings, and create characters you wouldn’t find in romance. My horror short stories are more psychological/spooky/creepy than gory, and I like to explore the darker aspects of a story and not always give the characters a happy ending (as I do in my romances).

Your website indicates that you have penned a number of non-fiction pet care books as well. Will you share the story behind the publication of these books with us?

Sure! I’ve always been an animal lover, so I understand the importance of proper pet care. I had a few contacts at a non-fiction pet book publisher and they needed someone to write cat books. I ended up writing Cats, Quick & Easy Cat & Kitten Care, and I co-authored The Simple Guide to Cats. Another contact asked me to write Hermit Crabs for Dummies, so I did. I learned a lot about hermit crabs in the process! I hope the books help pet owners understand their responsibilities to their animals and that they learn how to take good care of their pets throughout their lifetimes.

And what about Kelli Wilkins the person, tell me about her. What do you do when you’re not creating stories to delight your readers? Will you share a little bit about your family and your home?

When I’m not writing, I’m usually reading, gardening, traveling, going to flea markets, or hanging out with my husband and friends. I try to balance my writing life with my “regular” life, so I’m not being anti-social and slaving away writing when I could be out enjoying the world. I like going places and seeing new things, because you never know when something will spark an idea for a story or a character. I also work a Full-Time job, so I’m constantly busy.

So tell me about your pets – is it safe to assume you have cats and hermit crabs, given the fact that you have written books about them?

Cats have always been a constant in my life. We always had cats around while I was growing up (and my father would like me to mention the fact that we also had beagles, too!), so I’m a cat lover by nature. I’ve rescued and fed strays that have wandered into my life, and I’m always around to answer “cat questions” for my friends. However, at the present time, I’m mourning the loss of my cat, Inky. She was with me for 16 ½ years and helped me write my stories. (Sometimes I wonder if she was writing them and I just helped out by doing the typing!) I’ve never personally owned a hermit crab, but I know a few people who have.

What is your favorite waste of time?

Watching TV is my favorite waste of time. Sometimes after work or after I’ve been writing a lot, I just like to sit in front of the TV, not think, and watch shows I like. My two favorite shows, Lost and Supernatural end this year, so I’m not sure what I’ll watch when they’re gone!

How do you want to be remembered by future generations? If there was an encyclopedia entry for “Kelli Wilkins” a hundred years from now, what would you want it to say?

I guess my encyclopedia entry would be: “Kelli Wilkins was a 15-time New York Times best-selling author. Her horror and romance novels were international best sellers and several of her books were made into motion pictures. After winning the lottery, Kelli founded numerous cat sanctuaries around the country.”

If you could sit down with one person from history to have a conversation, what would you ask them about?

If I could talk with someone from history, I think it would be Edgar Allan Poe. I’d like to know about his ideas and his writing process, and hear the plots of the stories that he didn’t get to write.

So what are you reading right now? What books would I find on your bedside table? And do you tend to purchase the books you read or are you more prone to borrow from the library?

Right now, I’m in a reading mode. I’ve been re-reading a bunch of books that are on my shelves: Dr. Wayne Dyer’s The Power of Intention, M.C. Beaton’s Death of a Celebrity, and Bret “Hitman” Hart’s autobiography. I have a very eclectic bookshelf. There are all sorts of new age, self-help, horror, romance, mystery, and non-fiction books on my selves. (It’s like a mini-library.) I pick up books everywhere – from friends and family, at flea markets/yard sales, at bookstores, and I borrow from the library, too. Basically, if a book looks interesting and the subject appeals to me, I’ll give it a try.

Share with us one thing about yourself that we wouldn’t think to ask.

Even though I write horror stories, nobody ever asks me about the paranormal. One thing you probably wouldn’t think to ask: “Do you believe in ghosts and the supernatural?” The answer is definitely yes.

Will you share a little bit about what you’re working on right now? What can your readers expect from you in the near future?

Right now I’m working on a few new ideas for stories – both horror and romance – and I’m mulling over another paranormal romance! Readers have asked me about a follow-up story to my scorchingly-hot historical A Midsummer Night’s Delights: some people want a sequel, and others want a prequel, so I’m toying with different ideas. I’m also in the process of editing a full-length romance novel that’s set in the world of professional wresting. I’m hoping that will be my first release of 2010.

My science fiction story, “Not Your Ordinary Little Green Men”, is scheduled to appear in an upcoming “What If…” anthology. I’m always writing, revising, or submitting something. I have several stories entered in writing contests, so you never know where or when I’ll have a new piece of writing pop up.

Finally, how we can find more information about you and your work? Do you have a blog, a newsletter, a Facebook or Twitter page? Where can readers purchase your books?

My website, http://www.kelliwilkins.com/ is the best place to find all of my writings. All the stories and books in the different genres (horror, romance, non-fiction, and anthologies) are there. The site contains summaries, reviews, and excerpts from my Amber Quill Press romances; descriptions of my non-fiction books; and teasers from my short stories. Readers can purchase all of my writings from links directly on my site.

Every other month, I send out my newsletter, Kelli’s Quill. Each issue contains news and reviews, as well as a special “For Writers” blog/advice column where I offer writing tips, prompts, and suggestions. It’s fun to write and I enjoy sharing my writing advice with readers.

I’ve also created pages for my books and myself on Facebook (facebook.com/kelli.wilkins1), Goodreads, Shelfari, RomanceWiki, and Authors Den. I’ve started posting blogs and my newsletters on Facebook and Goodreads so readers can catch up on back issues. I also blog on the Amber Quill Press author blog site from time to time. And somehow, when I’m not doing all that, I write!

Kelli, thank you so much for taking the time to answer our nosey questions. We wish you the very best in the future with your life and your career.

Thanks for having me! It’s a lot of fun to answer questions about my writing habits, stories, and life in general. I hope your readers enjoyed the interview!