I’m excited to launch a new regular feature on Dark Side of the Covers, one I’m calling “Indie Views” – a behind-the-scenes chat with some of the indie authors whose work I enjoy. I admire their creativity, I admire their guts, and in the case of Kate, I *love* her sense of humor – so I’m thrilled that she’s agreed to be my guinea pig test subject practice dummy guest today!
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my squee-view of Kate Danley’s urban fantasy novel, Maggie for Hire.
Icebreaker Round:
- Harry Potter or Bella Swan? Harry Potter. When I moved to California, I had to fit everything I owned into my Toyota Corolla. The only books I brought were Shakespeare and Harry Potter. My sisters and I never missed a midnight book release party. My 90 year old grandpa read the stories and we talked about them around the dinner table. One Christmas, he handmade wands for us from the tree branches in his yard. I won a ticket to J.K. Rowling’s book signing in NYC and it was one of the greatest evenings of my life. She is an absolutely amazing woman – incredibly smart, deeply humble, completely genuine, and just brimming with a deep love for humanity.
- Favorite pizza toppings? D – All of the Above. You could put a shoe on a pizza and I would eat it. Keep your chocolate and your ice cream, pizza is my kryptonite. Picking a favorite topping is like Sophie’s choice… except worse…
- Airship or Spaceship? ZEPPELIN ALL THE WAY! They have one tethered near the Ikea by my house. There is a stick in the ground and a wire attached to the nose of the blimp and it just floats around this field. It is the most bizarrely delightful thing to come across when you’re stuck in traffic.
- It’s Friday night – what are you drinking? Coffee. Black. As the Turkish proverb goes, “Coffee should be black has hell, strong as death, and bitter as love.” It actually says “sweet as love”, but I’ve been around the block a few times… I mean… uh… I… * uncomfortable cough* I don’t like sugar in my coffee.
Q. What’s the first book you remember reading that pulled you in head-over-heels?
A. It was A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. I was in the third grade, reading in bed long after I was supposed to be asleep. I wept, absolutely WEPT, when I came to the last chapter. I was so overwhelmed by the hugeness of the emotions I felt.
Q. If you were in a zombie movie, which character would you be? (Hero, zombie, self-sacrificing best friend, etc?)
A. I’ve got some Girl Scout wilderness survival skills in my back pocket, but I’m juuuust co-dependent enough to tell the hero to run off with his twinkie girlfriend… that I’d be fine… the zombies would just eat my brain… but he should go… save himself… love must endure… and I would die a martyr’s death just like any good Irish Italian Catholic granddaughter should do.
That, or I’d unfold a brilliant plan to the group and then, just as I told them it WOULD work, a zombie would jump out of the doorway and brain me. Commence screaming and bloodbath.
Q. When you’re not writing, what do you do to relax? Any hobbies?
A. I got my start as an actor and started writing during my down time. I do improv and sketch and stand up, as well as the heavy drama and classics. So… that keeps me off the streets and out of trouble. I have to say, improv ended up being the most valuable writing class I’ve ever taken. Seriously. I do “soap opera” style. We make up a 45-minute soap opera episode and then the next week, pick up where we left off and continue the story for twelve weeks. It taught me character development, plot development, pacing… and the audience told me when my instincts were off. Long form improv training is my #1 recommendation for writers looking to hone their word skillz. Word.
Q. If you were to jump into Maggie’s world, what part of it would be the most challenging for you?
A. Probably not having a heart attack every day. When I wrote Maggie, I decided to attack my worst fears and disarm them through humor. When I was a kid, I was SURE that vampires lived on top of my canopy bed. I had night terrors and pretty much slept under the covers till I was fourteen. I used to have this reoccurring nightmare about getting ripped apart by dogs, so that was the monster in my first book, The Woodcutter. Maggie tackles some of the other monsters and images that scared the bejeezus outta me. I figure if life threw me these ridiculous, paralyzing fears in my youth, I should at least get SOMETHING out of them.
Q. Which of the characters in your story would you be most likely to fight with? Bond with?
A. It’s funny how everyone assumes that I am Maggie, but the truth of the matter is I’m much more like her sister. When I wrote the character of “Pipistrelle”, I just wanted to wrap him up and put him in my pocket. I have a feeling he and I would have a great time watching TV together… preferably involving some pizza he had made… As far as fighting, it would be with the random bureaucrats in Maggie – Frank & Bart. I’m one of those people who can handle a crisis with ease. It is the shoelace breaking that sends me over the edge. And people like Frank and Bart make me want to punch things in the throat.
Q. If you were to write a Personal Classified Ad searching for a reader for Maggie for Hire, what would it say?
A. Single fantasy author seeks out reader for long term, series oriented relationship. Must love smart blogs, Joss Whedon, and general badassery. Prefer those with a sense of humor, love of adventure, and appreciation for Sam Rami. Glittery vampires and those offended by the English language need not apply.
Ahh BJ. You are killing me with these glowing reviews. I have just bought this one and will be looking forward to some non PC stuff! I swear indie authors are just the most interesting people. Can’t wait for more interviews.
*happy dance* I hope you like it!
This interview is hilarious! Really, I should go get this book, since I can’t resist a funny read. Kate seems like a really funny person IRL, so hopefully, that translates into her writing. I guess it ought to since she’s a stand-up comedienne.
I look forward to more of this new feature, BJ. Shout-out and much love to the indie authors!!!
Cathy Keaton recently posted..Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Given our shared love for the Iron Druid books, Cathy, I’m 99.9% sure you’d love the humor of Maggie for Hire.
I love this interview! Thanks for adding this feature to your blog. Can’t wait to read more!
Camille Picott recently posted..Review of Nine-Tail Fox