Interview with Kimberly Derting

 

Hey all you readers and writers! Emma Michaels here to introduce our guest author of the day:

Kimberly Derting

Hello Kimberly and welcome to The Writers Voice!

Can you tell us what scene you can remember being the hardest to write? What scene was it and why was it difficult for you?

I’m not sure I can pinpoint a specific scene that was the hardest to write, but I definitely spent a lot of time on the kissing scenes. Mostly, I wanted to capture that indescribable first-kiss feeling. You know, that chaotic mix of nervousness and exhilaration that teens go through. That wasn’t just me, was it???

How important is your writing environment when you are working on a novel? Can you write anywhere or do you need a specific setting?

For the most part, I can write anywhere. Before I had an office, I would write in my kitchen surrounded by the everyday, kid-chaos, which never really bothered me until I would hear: “Mom, Mom, Mom...” enough times that I’d be forced to stop what I was doing and pay attention to them. Now, I have a door. With a lock!


Do you have any closet/trunk novels hidden away?

I actually do have a middle-grade trunk novel that I absolutely love! One day, when I have some “spare” time, I plan to go back and revise it. I also have an adult horror novel, titled ONE OF THEM, which I absolutely hate and will never, ever re-write, no matter how much time I have.

When you are looking for a book to read what do you look for? Has what you look for changed since your first publication?

I’ve always loved reading horror and thrillers—anything that’s action-y. (That’s a word, right?) I love getting caught up in a book that I can’t stop thinking about, even after I’m finished reading it. That really hasn’t changed for me, although now I usually look for those kinds of books in the YA section.

How long does your first draft normally take you to write?

If the family didn’t need anything from me, I could probably finish a first draft in 6 or 7 weeks. Unfortunately, they need to be fed on a daily basis, so it’s usually more like 3 ½ months. Although, lately, I’ve been writing almost 12 hours a day, so my family is actually starving to death. It’s okay though, because I plan to feed them all a little extra on Thanksgiving. I’m hoping this will keep them alive through my next deadline in January.

When you are writing your first draft what do you try to accomplish with your first chapter? Are you just trying to get the words out, do you consciously try to write your hook first, what is the first chapter like for you?

Actually, I’m a prologue girl. I know, I know...some readers have a love-hate relationship with prologues, but I really like them! I like to give the readers a glimpse into the past—or future—that helps setup the rest of the story.

Do you ever identify with one of your characters more than the others?

Sadly, I do. In the Body Finder series, I found myself completely identifying with Chelsea, the “say it like it is” best friend of my main character, Violet. Although, I’m 85% sure I’m not as abrasive as Chelsea.

To all our readers out there, thank you for following The Writers Voice and happy reading!