Well,
after lo these many years, the terms “cross genre” and “independent”
have come to describe a lot of writers that are difficult to pigeon
hole. I’m proud to be counted among these authors, even if most book
stores don’t quite know what to do with me. If readers like my work,
they have to ask their favorite store for my titles, since most shops
don’t consider my novels “book shelf friendly.” Like many cross genre
writers, I write stories that fit multiple categories at once. But I’d
say my style generally runs to thrillers, mysteries, romance and the
metaphysical. My themes explore the way we work our way through the
dark side into the light.
I never let a theme get in the way of a good story, though.
It's rare today to find an author who
does nothing but write for a living. Do you have a 'real' job other
than writing, and if so, what is it? What are some other jobs you've
had in your life?
KL Nappier: Contrary
to popular belief, it has always been rare. It’s a tough biz. For every
best selling author that can write full time for a living, there are a
hundred that struggle. Sorry to say, I’m one of those of the rule and
not the exception. My husband and I have worked together in a business
entirely different from novel writing for 25 years. But we do count
ourselves among the fortunate ones who have been able to design our
“day job” around our desires for family life and -to use Joseph
Campbell’s term- our blisses.
Make
no mistake, however. Any time someone wants to hand me one of those
multi-million dollar contracts, stop on by. I’ll make espresso. We’ll
talk.
Tell us a little bit about your book/s. What are their titles; which is your favorite if you have more than one?
KL Nappier: Oh
no, a favorite?! It’s cliche, I know, I’m sorry, but it’s true that an
author’s books are like his/her children. Really, I’m proud of them all
and -to keep beating the cliche to death- like children, they each have
distinct personalities. “Voyagers” is an entirely different story from “Full Wolf Moon.” And even “Bitten”-which
is the sequel to “Full Wolf Moon”- has a feel all of its own. Then
there are the short stories I write for the “Twisted Tails”
multi-author anthology series. Since the series explores multiple
themes and genres, it
really keeps me on my toes.
The
one thing the kids all have in common is that...well...they’re all a
little dark. But by degrees. “Full Wolf Moon,” the one usually billed
as a supernatural thriller, broods more than “Voyagers” does.
“Voyagers” is more of a romp. It’s a ghost story, a mystery and a
romance with a flair for adventure. “Full Wolf Moon’s” follow up,
“Bitten,” is probably the most angst filled. Really gets into the
gritty business of what happens to our best intentions. But the
“Twisted Tails” series ain’t nothin’ but fun. Plain, twisted fun. At
least that’s true for the shorts I write for the anthology, with the
exception of the very first one.
Are you currently working on any writing projects our readers should watch for release soon?
KL Nappier: Always
have something in the chute. But, right now, with most of my published
work getting ready to come out in paperback, I’m having to lay down my
pen (or keyboard, actually) and fulfill my promotional duties.
“Full
Wolf Moon” was the first to be released in paperback, earlier this
year, through Aisling Press. Aisling Press will also be releasing
“Voyagers” and “Bitten.” Then, over at my ebook publisher’s -Double
Dragon Publishing (DDP)- all volumes of the “Twisted Tails” short story
anthology are also coming out via DDP’s paperback line. They’ve begun
the paperback releases with “Twisted Tails II: The Complete Edition of
Out of Time & Time On Our Hands.”
If
you’re an ebook fan, you can get any of the above right away, either
directly from DDP or from your favorite ebook seller. But if you love
the feel of a shiny, new book in your hand, please be patient. All of
the above are coming out in traditional book form throughout the next
year and half. And, as mentioned, “Full Wolf Moon” (at Aisling Press)
and “Twisted Tails II” ( at DDP) are out right now via the publishers,
Amazon, et al.
Readers,
you’d be doing me a big favor by coming to see me at my scheduled
events. Getting the chance to meet you face-to-face is the only thing
that makes leaving my writing behind worthwhile and joyful.
Have you ever won any writing awards? If so, what?
KL Nappier: I’ve
enjoyed some luck. It’s both humbling and thrilling when a panel of
experts puts their stamp of approval on your work. The most recent
competitions are still in the judging mode, but here’s the list the
date, starting earliest to most recent:
Honorable Mention, Fiction: 2002 Santa Fe Writers Project Literary Awards: "Sophia"
Finalist, Novels/Novellas: 2003 New Century Writer Awards: "Full Wolf Moon"
Finalist, Novels/Novellas: 2003 New Century Writer Awards: "High Ambitions"
2nd Place, Fiction: 2004 Kay Snow Writing Awards: "Full Wolf Moon"
3rd Place, Horror: 2004 Draco Awards: "Full Wolf Moon"
Winner, Anthology: 2006 Dream Realm Awards: "Twisted Tails I"
Winner, Best Science Fiction: 2008 EPPIE Awards: "Twisted Tails II, Vol. 2: Out of Time"
How did you feel the day you held the copy of your first book in your hands?
KL Nappier: Oh, goodness gracious. Man, did it feel fantastic! And you know what? It never gets old.
The main characters of your stories -
do you find that you put a little of yourself into each of them or do
you create them to be completely different from you?
KL Nappier: I’m
not sure I can say I put a little of myself in them, but I do put the
poor characters into ethical situations where I hope they’ll do a
better job in resolving them than I think I would personally. Poor
guys. I want them to teach me how to be a better person. That’s a lot
of pressure to put on your characters. And, yet -particularly in the
case of David, Doris and Max of “Full Wolf Moon”- they seem to always
come back for more. Gluttons for punishment, it seems.
Is there an established writer you admire and emulate in your own writing? Do you have a writing mentor?
KL Nappier: The
writers and artists I admire are a real mixed bag, which probably
explains why I like to blur the lines of genre. And I’m a child of the
TV and movie age, so my creative heroes and heroines aren’t all
novelists. But it’ll probably come as no surprise to people who read my
books that my strongest childhood influences were Edgar Allen Poe and
Rod Serling. The sheer beauty of Poe’s word craft still captures me.
And Serling was a master of irony and wit.
I
count Alfred Hitchcock as a strong, early influence, too. His cinematic
genius for suspense and mood was and still is a standard-setter and,
when I write, I know Hitchcock has inspired what I see in my mind’s eye.
Anne
Rice’s earlier works, especially “Interview with the Vampire” taught me
that horror didn’t have to be jump-out-of-the-closet jolting. It could
be classy. It could be seething and dreadful.
The
nonfiction works of Joseph Campbell are every bit as influential to my
writing as any of the novelists and film artists above. His lifelong
studies of mythology, spirituality and the human psyche have been part
of my writing for 20 years.
But,
even more important to my career than these, there is no doubt I
wouldn’t be writing today without the support and input of the members
of the Indiana Writers Workshop. I was an active member for almost 20
years and still keep in contact with the group. And that group would
never have formed without the pivotal influence of Elizabeth Arthur,
who mentored all of us founding members.
What about now: who is your favorite author and what is your favorite genre to read?
KL Nappier: Oh,
this question is sooo tough! Love Chuck Palahniuk, but I can only take
him in small doses. Brilliant writer, but too much of him at once can
mess with my mind. Joyce K. Jensen is someone who has been writing as
long as I have and, like me, is a longtime member of the Indiana
Writers Workshop. I’m privileged to count her as a friend, but -even if
I weren’t- I’d find her work stunningly beautiful. She writes literary
science fiction and deserves to be published a lot more often than she
is. Her best work isn’t even out yet.
Sterling
Watson -another under appreciated author- blows me away with his
literary fiction. And I’m a big admirer of Dennis Lehane. And then
there’s Amy Tan, Audrey Niffenegger and Howard Frank Mosher. Pick up
any of these writers and you’ll see they’re all very different from
each other. And maybe it’s ironic that I don’t write in any style or
genre that comes close to theirs. But what I love above all things
literary is beautiful writing. Excellent word craft. All these authors
have that in spades.
Location and life experience can
sprinkle their influence in your writing. Tell us about where you grew
up and a little about where you live now - city? Suburb? Country? Farm?
If you could live anywhere you want to live, where would that be?
KL Nappier: I
would live in MoIndiCaribFlorida. A very pleasant place that would have
the rolling hills and rivers of rural southwest Missouri, where I was
born and raised; the charm and class of the Midwestern metropolis
Indianapolis, Indiana, where I lived with my husband and two stepsons;
the wide, rolling seas and island beauty of the mid-Caribbean chain,
where my husband and I lived for several years on a sail boat after the
boys grew up; and the laid back, small town feel and international mix
of Florida’s Tampa Bay area, where we live today. Even with such
unique, geographic beauty, it’s all the people of MoIndiCaribFlorida
that really make the place irresistible.
But, since MoIndiCaribFlorida lives only in my mind, I’ll have to be content to live physically in the Tampa Bay area.
Bring us into your home and set the
scene for us when you are writing. What does it look like? On the
couch, laptop, desk? Music? Lighting, handwriting?
KL Nappier: I’m
an office girl. I have a desk that looks out at a classic Florida view
with Live Oaks, plumerias and palms. I can see our cocktail pool (we
call it a cocktail pool because it’s just big enough to float around in
with a cocktail in your hand) and, beyond that, a little pond that
supports herons, moorhens and turtles. No gators, though. Haven’t
gotten a new laptop yet, but plan to. Much as I do like my usually
writing environment, it’s nice to have a change of scenery from time to
time.
But I have to say
that I don’t like to write with music. Afraid I listen too much to the
songs. I envy writers that can write and listen to their favorite tunes
at the same time.
Definitely,
I’m a computer writer now, but I began with long hand. I’m a lousy
typist, so before the advent of the home computer, I wrote by hand and
only did the final draft on the typewriter. Computers changed all that
for me.
Do you watch television? If so, what are your favorite shows? Does television influence of inspire your writing?
KL Nappier: It’d
be fashionable to say no, but I’d be lying. Definitely, I watch TV.
Most of my recent favorite series are gone now, though: “Deadwood,”
“The Wire,” “The Sopranos.” Although I am very hooked on “Lost,”
“Dexter,” and “24.” Yeah, I know. They’re not very deep, but they’re
sooo much fun.
Do those
series inspire my writing? No, I can’t say they do. They’re vacations,
not destinations. But certain programs on certain channels do provoke
thought and inspiration. I watch quite a bit of PBS, the Discovery and
the Science Channel.
What about movies? Same as above.
KL Nappier: Love movies, too, from blockbusters to indie art flicks.
Focusing on your most recent (or
first) book, tell our readers what genre your book is and what popular
author you think your writing style in this book is most like.
KL Nappier: Well,
“Full Wolf Moon” and “Twisted Tails II” are the ones that have come out
most recently in both ebook and paperback. And, of course, they’re very
different. “Full Wolf Moon” is a novel that some call a supernatural
thriller and others call “straight up horror.” I’d say it evokes the
brooding mood of an Anne Rice novel more than a King’s or a Koontz.
“Twisted
Tails,” on the other hand, is a multi-author short story anthology.
There’s really not much out there to compare it to. It bucks the trend,
because it’s only criteria are theme (in TT II’s case, the theme is
time travel) and that each story must have a twist ending. So, while an
edition in the series may lean toward a certain genre, it never stays
strictly within those borders.
I’m
proud to say that both “Full Wolf Moon” and the “Twisted Tails” have
had time as best sellers on several ebook seller sites and both have
garnered an award or two.
How long did it take you to write your
most recent (or first) book? When you started writing, did you think it
would take that long (or short)?
KL Nappier: It
always takes me about a year and a half to two years to write a novel.
Longer, if it’s a short story. 
Seriously, though, I’m not a very
fast writer. I do a lot of mulling and incubating and brooding (there’s
that word, again). I almost always block midway in. I’ve come to accept
that as part of the process and don’t really get anxious about it any
more. Frustrated, maybe, but not anxious.
Is there anyone you'd like to specifically acknowledge who has inspired, motivated, encouraged or supported your writing?
KL Nappier: Having
given kudos to all my influences and mentor in an earlier question, I’m
happy to have this special space to honor my whole, supportive family
and -most especially- my husband Richard. He’s the one who suggested I
take up writing again almost 25 years ago, and he has not stopped
rooting for me since.
Is there any one particular book that when you read it, you thought to yourself, "Man, I wish I'd written that one!"?
KL Nappier: Oh so many. But “Disappearances” by Howard Frank Mosher stands out amongst them.
Thinking about your writing career, is there anything you'd go back and do differently now that you have been published?
KL Nappier: Yes,
a point I’ve made in several other interviews, but is no less relevant
in this one. I would have stayed in college. Leaving school, I’m sure,
cost me years in building my writing career. So, to those writers now
in school, I recommend you stay there. Colleges are a fertile field
that agents and editors go to for harvesting.
But,
for those who didn’t get the chance to go or who might have blown it
like I did, take heart. The Internet has ushered in a new golden age of
book publishing. Your potential for getting published is greater than
it has ever been.
What is your main goal or purpose you would like to see accomplished by your writing?
KL Nappier: You
know, I used to agonize over that kind of question. I had always wanted
to be the kind of writer that was sure of her intentions and literary
place. Why do I write? What am I saying? Who am I writing for? I spent
a lot of years trying to figure out the answers or manufacture them.
Finally, after all these years, I’ve come down to this: I just write.
It’s who I am and what I do. If I over think it, my writing suffers.
Have you ever had a character take
over a story and move it in a different direction than you had
originally intended? How did you handle it?
KL Nappier: LOL.
Better to ask me when a character hasn’t. They do it all the time. By
and large, all I ever do is provide a framework, a roughed out
landscape for them to move around in. Much as I might like to be God to
my characters, they treat me more like a marginal game master.
Do you have any book signings, tours
or special events planned to promote your book that readers might be
interested in attending? If so, when and where?
KL Nappier: How about if I just cover summer through fall?
June
21st, Aisling Press and Barnes & Noble are partnering up for a
large, multi-author event in Carrollwood, Florida from 2:00 p.m. to
6:00 p.m. These are always popular, reader friendly events. A lot of
fun for both authors and fans.
Then
August 2nd and 3rd begins convention season for me, beginning with
Ancient City Con in Jacksonville, Florida. This is a very new and
energetic fan con that’s gathering a lot of attention. I’ll be there as
a workshop panelist and, of course, I’ll make sure there’s plenty of
time for book signing.
And this year will be my first at DragonCon in Atlanta, GA August 29th to September 1st. Who wouldn’t be excited about that?
In
October, the 10th through the 12th, I’m back at Necromicon, being held
this year in St. Petersburg, Florida. Absolutely, one of my favorite
fan conventions. I’ll be on a discussion panel or two and signing books.
Then,
in October again, on the 25th, I’ll be at the St. Petersburg Times
Festival of Reading in St. Petersburg, Florida. This is a gargantuan
book fair, one of the premiere author/reader regional events of the
year. If you’re a reader and you’re in the Tampa Bay area, this is a
Must Do. My publisher, Aisling Press, will be there with a booth full
of their top selling authors ready to chat and sign books.
It's said that the editing process of
publishing a novel with a publisher is can be grueling and often more
difficult than actually writing the story. Do you think this is true
for you? How did you feel about editing your masterpiece?
KL Nappier: A
good editor is a partner in making your story as great as it can be. I
have been very fortunate when it comes to editors. My first editor,
‘way back in the day with Berkley Publishing Group was great to work
with. And each editor I’ve been working with at Aisling (each book has
a different editor) have been just as terrific. They’re talented, have
a great editing eye and treat the process as a collaborative effort.
I’ve heard the horror stories, but, happily, I’m not one of them.
Now, use this space to tell us more about who you. Anything you want your readers to know?
Readers can find my books just about anywhere, whether they go directly to my publishers or to a favorite book seller like
Amazon,
Powells’, Fictionwise, Barnes & Noble or others. But not all my
work is out in paperback, at the time of this interview. By the end of
2009, however, I’ll be available in both ebook and paperback.
Links to me or my books are:
My personal websites:
www.klnappier.com
http://www.myspace.com/klnappier
My publisher’s websites:
Aisling Press:
http://www.aislingpress.com
Double Dragon Publishing:
http://www.double dragon ebooks.com
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