Welcome back to an exciting Friday post! I have been sitting on this surprise forever and I cannot wait to share all the amazing things I have in store for you, starting with the lovely and talented Elizabeth Kirke!!!
I have known Elizabeth for ages, honestly, since the beginning and I have adored her right from the get go. Down to earth, sweet, generous, and talented as frick, this lady has it all, oh, and two adorable little boys. Guys, I can’t even! š
For 2021, I promised myself that I would get more involved in the book world. I wanted to celebrate the talented women and men of the industry and I wanted to share them with you. So, in that spirit, I have reached out to some of my favorite authors and asked them to do a tiny interview takeover with me and share themselves (and their books) with you.
So, please join me in welcoming the talented – ELIZABETH KIRKE!
1) What is the weirdest nickname someone has ever given you??
A. Probably Zabs (somehow derived from Elizabeth?). Although my sons routinely come up with pretty weird names for me.
2) Where were you born & are you still there?
A. I was born (but never actually lived) in Washington D.C. Iāve bounced around a few of D.C. suburbs in VA, but Iāve only lived outside of the ā703ā for school.
3) What did you think was super cool when you were young, but isnāt cool now?
A. Iām actually rediscovering all of my childhood loves though my kids haha. On a serious note though, the only thing that comes to mind, save for stuff Iāve grown out of, was probably āthe cool kidsā. You know, wearing the right clothes, that sort of thing. I realize now the only cool thing to be is yourself.
To write great dialogue, read it outloud or have someone read it with you. It you stumble or it sounds stiff, rework it. Better yet, say it as you write, the words will flow naturally from your mouth and then you can write it down.
– Elizabeth Kirke
4) What is the funniest typo youāve ever written?
A. Iām not sure it counts as a typo, but I dictate while driving and sometimes my GPS interjects at hilarious moments. Most recently I ended up with, āYou will not need your wallets or your phones, you will not turn left on Route 50.ā So that sort of thing cracks me up. Theyāre also filled with me randomly talking to my kids or cursing at other drivers.
5) Do you feel like youād be a better writer if you wore sparkly socks during your writing sessions? Points if you send pictures!
A. I wear fuzzy socks or no socks. My husband actually bought me a huge box of socks one year because I never wore any ever. They never match though!
6) How long do you think you would last in a zombie apocalypse?
A. It depends on where the zombies are and what theyāre like. If theyāre slow and I donāt have to physically fight or escape, I think Iād actually do quite well. I can farm, mill, blacksmith, and spin/crochet/weave. Assuming I can get to a place where I can set up or a settlement where they need my skills, Iād do okay! That said, I did was on the kendo and fencing teams in college, so I think I could defend myself against one or two of them as well.
7) What as your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome it?
A. Time! I never have enough time to write. Honestly, itās still a problem! Iāve used a few tricks, including removing social media app shortcuts from everything so Iām less tempted to click and I started dictating.
8) If you could be āvoted the most_____ā as an adult, what would it be and why?
A. Most Likely to Be Writing. Remember what I said about time management? I pretty much bring my laptop everywhere and if Iām not sitting and writing in the middle of a party, then Iām on my phone checking book sales and taking notes.
9) What was the first mistake you made while publishing your first novel?
A. Only the first? I didnāt have a professional cover nor did I do any sort of launch or build a social media following BEFORE releasing. As for the story itself, I wrapped everything up with a neat bow that didnāt really leave room for a sequel, so even though it ended up being a trilogy, each book is very separate in terms of plot, an issue I have fixed in subsequent series.
10) Who is the most supportive person in your life when it comes to your writing?
A. I canāt pick just one! Thereās my editor (shoutout to Rachael!) she started off as an obsessed fan and is always following up and checking in and nagging. Then Erin, my Alpha Reader, who is also obsessed and loves to hash out plot points with me. And, of course, my triad with Lynn Shaw and Stacey Rourke, who are always there to listen to me talk to myself and occasionally make suggestions I can disagree with. I wouldnāt be here today without any of those wonderful ladies!
11) What does being a successful author look like to you?
A. For me, when I picture that, thereās a different between monetary and readerly success. Iāll feel successful from a monetary standpoint if I can make enough money writing to not worry about a day job. And that will be nice, but I think for me to feel successful in a satisfied, Iāve made it, sort of sense, then seeing a random person reading my book somewhere. I actually had lunch with an old friend once who name dropped an author friend of mine as a book series she had been binge-reading. And, no joke, this afternoon I was driving and spotted someone crossing the street, reading a paperback from an author I know. Thatās sort of my dream, just to have a random person be like, āHave you read this?ā and to be like, āActually, I wrote it.ā
FREEBIE! FREEBIE! FREEBIE!
Aside from being an insanely talented author, ‘Zab’ š is a USA Bestselling Author and the creator of The Rise of the Arcanist Series, More than Magic Trilogy, and The Curse Collector Series, she’s offering the first book in the Rise of the Arcanist (Magic Betrayed) completely free from January 8th-12th!!
YOUR MISSION!
Alright my dear reader, do what you do best —— check Elizabeth’s pages, her books, and drop her a comment. Let her know what what you thought of her interview and if you grabbed her FREEBIE!
And don’t forget to come back next week for another Writer’s Life! Until then, I love you so, so much!
