Kathrine Willson

There's an ongoing debate in my family about whether I was actually born or researched and developed. It's either that or I'm military issue. I was raised an Air Force brat. Because we moved around so much, books were a constant source of distraction and entertainment throughout my early childhood. As I grew older, books became an escape from life's difficulties like algebra (or math in general), bullies, and boredom. After a traumatic loss, I turned to writing as a catharsis.

My first book, A Tale from the Darkness, came about after I severely broke my wrist. (The one year I decided to do a tree skirt on the Christmas tree.) While recovering from wrist surgery, I was watching Phantom of the Opera (2004) and it occurred to me that in all the interpretations of that story, we've never actually heard the Phantom's side of the story. I asked myself, 'What if we got to hear him speak?' After that, writing became an addiction. Now I've finished my first series and have begun a new series- one that has been haunting me for over thirty years like a cold case.  

Outside of writing, I am a mother to three beautiful daughters, a dog, mother-in-law to the best son-in-law, and grandma to one grandson, one Jack Russell-Chihuahua mix, one German Shepherd, and one ADORABLE Pitbull who thinks she's a lap dog. Oh, yeah. And an unexpected cat who was adopted by my dog (Traitor. LOL). I spend my spare time researching historical events thoroughly, collecting movie memorabilia, and am employed as a library clerk. I reside in southwest Ohio.

“Welcome, readers! To start off, could you tell us a bit about your research process for your books?”

When it comes to research, I dive in as much as it takes. I have a genuine love of history, and I find joy in conducting thorough research. It’s fascinating to take a fictional character and place them in an accurate historical setting, allowing them to experience the events firsthand. Erik, for example, was born in the 19th century. He lived through the development of electricity, of the telephone, telegraph, photography, etc. The man couldn’t possibly live in a bubble of ignorance — he was a genius. Scientific progress would have fascinated him.

Another example, the series I'm writing now takes place in the early to mid-1960s Los Angeles. There were a lot of things going on: Civil Rights, more women entering the workforce in traditionally male career fields, the Kennedy assassination. I want my stories to be believable, so yeah. Loads of research. Even into cars, clothes, and grocery prices.

“That sounds incredibly detailed and immersive. Moving on, how important are book reviews to you as an author?”

As a reader, I find reviews helpful in deciding to take a chance on someone I've never read. As an author, it's like a pat on the back or a slap upside the head, depending on the review. Authors- especially new authors- want to know what their readers like and don't like. It helps us improve our writing and strategize our marketing.

“That's a great perspective. And when it comes to writing, does it energize or exhaust you?”

Both. Writing makes me feel good. It gives me an endorphin rush. Conversely, writing also exhausts me because I’m up all night writing until the wee hours. If I don’t write, I feel guilty and I don’t sleep.

“It's interesting to hear about the range of emotions that writing brings. I feel like we all experience that low when we don’t get words down. Moving on, what is your favourite motivational phrase or mantra?”

Dory from Finding Nemo said it best: 'Just keep swimming!' You only fail if you stop moving forward.

“I love it!. Lastly, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?”

Write what you like. The readers will find you. Don’t write because you want to get rich- you’ll end up disappointed. Just tell your story. Out of 8 billion people, someone on this planet somewhere wants to read it.

“Before we conclude, could you briefly discuss the most rewarding and challenging aspects of self-publishing and how you navigate those challenges?”

The most rewarding thing is opening that box and seeing my name on the book cover and seeing the pride on my kids’ faces. The most challenging thing is marketing. Self-marketing is expensive, it’s time consuming, it’s full of scammers and con artists, and you’re probably safer playing Jumanji. There should be an easier and less expensive way to market when you self-publish.

“Thank you for sharing your insights and advice with us. If you’d like to check out Kathrine’s work, simply click on the book displayed below. And if you want to stay updated on her journey, you can follow her through the social media links provided.”