Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Well, I’m Kelly Wyre (rhymes with “beer”), and I like to tell stories. I’ve written all kinds of things from horror to romance and sometimes a combination of the two. So far I’ve written five novels, an assortment of short stories and novellas, and have no plans to stop any time soon.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is MEET ME AT THE GATES. It’s a contemporary supernatural romance.
The idea actually came to me via a book journey, so to speak. I bought one book and there was a bookmark in it for another book. So I bought the second one, too, and that one turned out to be a graphic novel that was loosely based on a Japanese folk tale about a fox, a badger, a monk, and a raven. The graphic novel got me to thinking about what it’d be like to remember your lover across every lifetime you’d ever lived, and thus the plot of the book was born.
Initially, MEET ME AT THE GATES was called, “Fox and Monk.” The characters are named after the original inspiration, and the book also features a “badger” and a “raven.”
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Everybody’s “unusual” is relative. I cannot write with noise, so I don’t listen to music or anything when I’m working. I often feel the urge to “chew” on something while working, so I like gum, hard candy, mints, and chewy fruit snacks (not gummy; more dried fruit than anything). I talk to myself, I use a ton of post it notes, and when I’m done with a first draft, I often print the whole thing out and read it the old fashioned way. I edit with a red ink pen.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh goodness, tons. Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Anne Rice, Stephen King, Christopher Rice, Pat Conroy, Craig Johnson, and dozens of others. I read and watch anything and everything because I love new ways to tell stories.
What are you working on now?
Oh, a few things. I’m what we’re going to call an over-achieving multi-tasker.
I’m working on a horror-fantasy novel under a different pen name. I’ve got another book in my New Amsterdam series outlined and ready to go. I’ve got a male/male romance called UNDER THE SUN, which I really want to work on. I’ve got a paranormal book about a bunch of kids who think it’s a good idea to raise a forest god. And most recently, an author and friend of mine, AF Henley, and I discussed a new supernatural series we’d like to tackle.
So yeah, I keep busy.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Anything and everywhere, basically. If an opportunity comes along to promote yourself? Take it.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Several things, actually:
1. Write what you love. Forget about writing what you know. If you don’t know, that’s what research is for.
2. Write for the love of the words. Don’t write for money, fame, to prove something, because you said you would, or for any other reason. Write for your own love of the craft, and for heaven’s sake, do it for yourself and never, ever for anyone else. Therein lies the roads to madness, depression, and anxiety.
3. Respect the craft: learn about grammar and remember the rules. Always be willing to level-up your writing game. Writing is like having sex: you never completely perfect your craft, and about the time you think you’ve got it, you have to change dancing partners.
4. It’s okay to be afraid of your stories or your characters. Being afraid means you respect them and want to get the story right. Be afraid, be concerned, but never let those fears rule you. Remember that the stories and the characters chose YOU for a reason; they thought you could do it. They believe in you. Don’t let them down.
5. Just write. Even if you think it sucks, even if you’re tired, even if you can’t remember why you ever wanted to put words on paper in the first place – just write. The only blocks out there are the ones you give yourself. Destroy them with prejudice and JUST WRITE.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading a book on Shamanism, a Beautiful Creatures novel, a book on the Alexandrian Technique, a Stephen King collection, and probably one or two more that I’m forgetting. Again, shameless multi-tasker.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing. *laughs* I’ve got lots of books to do in 2015. Also, my book FIGHT that came out in 2014 will soon be out in print, so I have plans on promoting it.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Dark Tower by Stephen King, War and Peace, and How To Build a Raft & Escape A Desert Island Every Time for Dummies.
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