Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Nadine, a native of Seattle, Washington (US) and a lifelong bookworm-turned-author with a particular passion for fiction. My love of writing stemmed from the many books I read as a child, from authors like Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume. Hence, I’ve been writing stories since I was seven or eight years old. Then, during the few days of a horrific experience I had when I was thirteen, a novel saved my life: John Nielson Had a Daughter by Ruth Livingston Hill. That whole experience is a long story, but my purpose for writing books (beyond writing for my own pleasure) was first awakened there. I now write to help people: to bring hope, to change minds, to expand imagination, to provide entertainment, and to save lives, all of which other authors’ books have done for me. To date, I’ve written twelve books: some nonfiction and poetry, but mostly fiction, my “first love.”
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is actually three books: The Movement of Crowns Series, a novella series of royalty, romance, war, and hope, set in the fictional kingdoms of Diachona and Munda. I began drafting scenes for the first book, The Movement of Crowns (which I thought for years would be the only book) back when I was a high school senior, inspired by the thought that although my generation was young, we weren’t precluded from aiming toward greatness. It took over ten years of growth, both as a person and as a writer, for me to be able to convey the story as I see it, and I wrote and published Crowns in 2012 in Love & Eminence: A Suite of Stories. It wasn’t until the spring of 2013 that I got the idea for a sequel. The “other side” of the Crowns story came to me, pretty much all at once, one afternoon. Out came The Movement of Rings, which demonstrated to me how the other side of a story isn’t the “other” side to the people who are actually there, living life on that side. After that, I thought one more book would round out and top off the Crowns message nicely, so I wrote The Movement of Kings.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, I have a tendency to physically play out some of the scenes in my fiction, either to get a feel for the way I’d like to write them, or to make sure I’ve written them the way I see them playing out in my head. I’ll take on the role of a character or two: standing in their positions, quoting their lines in my best renditions of their voices, doing my best to make their facial expressions and to use their body language, whispering, yelling, crying (sort-of)–whatever gives me the best sense of the scenes. Songs I know or musical scores I’ve made up accompany most of my fiction, and if it’s the scene for it, I’ll hum the music in the background if none of the characters are talking. (I actually recorded myself humming the main part of The Movement of Crowns score. The full orchestra sounds much better in my imagination, though.)
What authors, or books have influenced you?
John Nielson Had a Daughter and Ruth Livingston Hill first inspired me to help people with my writing. I’m also heavily influenced by Henry James for his command of language and by L.M. Montgomery for her beautiful descriptions and timeless characters. James and Montgomery may be the two writers who influence me the most outside of myself; the writer I will be someday ultimately inspires me the most, pushing me to keep on writing. I don’t wish to be the next James or the next Montgomery, but I do wish to be the best me.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on not always “working,” taking time to reconnect with my love of literature for the sake of my love of literature. For an author with so much writing, researching, editing, publishing, promotion, and whatnot to take care of, it can be hard sometimes to just sit down, breathe, relax, and enjoy a book. However, turning literature into drudgery, something to work-work-work at apart from my love for it, would eventually separate me from my purpose for immersing myself in it, which would wind up being reflected in my writing and would therefore be of no benefit to readers. I’ve recently made a commitment to give myself time to read for pleasure, so that in all of my work, I don’t lose my love.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Admittedly, I’m still trying to figure that out, but as a reader, I enjoy Goodreads the most.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
My main piece of advice that I repeat for any writer is simple: know the specific reason(s) why you, the individual, write, so that you’re writing (and living) on purpose. Be able to clearly articulate your purpose for writing to yourself and to other people. Whenever you experience discouragement anywhere in your writing, publishing, or book business process, you can revisit the reason(s) why you write, which will motivate you to keep on doing what you’re doing, and to do it well.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’d be hard to pin down what advice is the overall best, but some of the greatest advice I’ve ever gotten is simple: “Don’t worry.” Worrying about tomorrow doesn’t add anything good to tomorrow, but it does rob you of the joy of today, the joy of the moment. Don’t worry. Be at peace, and live.
What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m trying my hand at writing Chick Lit longer than a short story. We’ll see how it goes.
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?
Oh, dear, only four? I’d better not be stranded for long! I’d bring The Holy Bible, John Nielson Had a Daughter, Yella’s Prayers (the first book I ever wrote), and The Movement of Crowns Series, since a number of its characters have been with me as long as the ones from Yella’s Prayers.
Author Websites and Profiles
Nadine Keels Website
Nadine Keels Amazon Profile
Nadine Keels Author Profile on Smashwords
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