Interview with Author K. de Long
Hello to the best readers any author could ask for! So happy you could join us again today!
These interviews, getting to know the talented authors behind your favorite books, it's been so cool, right? I hate that we are almost done. One more tomorrow and that's it! *pout*
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Over 1 million words of riveting, sensual romance all in one place!
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I have K. de Long with me here today, folks. I 'm sure you'll all join me in giving her a warm welcome, right. *grin*
I write paranormal under K. de Long, but Katie works just fine.
Okies, Katie it is! Thanks! *smiles*
How long have you been a writer and how did you get into writing?
I've been writing around two years now, but before that I was a developmental editor, and an avid reader. My partner is a writer, too, and after a few years of working closely with him on his work, he took an interest in pushing me to write, too. It worked out, and he's even been cool about how on a good day, I can probably hit quadruple his word count. Thank goodness we aren't competitive.
Are you a full time author?
More or less. I'm homebound with health issues, so I found myself as a full time writing assistant to my partner, and then divvied up that time further to make space for my own writing, once things moved that direction. I work 12-18 hour days, usually every day of the week. Joys of being obsessive and methodical. If I'm gonna be sitting watching a brainless movie, I just as well do it while flagging typos in a rewrite.
I know how it is to be stuck at home due to medical issues, so I am very happy for you not letting life push you around. Good on you!
What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?
I've got a very love/hate relationship with my writing, to be honest. I love that in my family, it's a social thing. My partner and I pass drafts back and forth, though he's not much of a romance reader. We spend lots of time brainstorming together, and at this point, writing is as much a part of what binds us together as our pets.
As for the hate part of that relationship? It's that writing tends to be very personal; in choosing which aspects of a person or story are worth focusing on, you can get tremendous insight into yourself, or in the author. For me, that means that the characters I write best tend to be... challenging. Neurodivergent or mentally ill, involved in controversial or unorthodox things... As a former sex worker, and a woman living with a number of severe mental illnesses, those characters are the most personal to me, a little bit of me creating a mirror that I never had, growing up. But these characters are often challenging to readers, too, as well as to myself. I've written several novels that actually triggered my mental illness to the point of causing unhealthy relapses or spirals. To do these characters well often does mean putting my own blood on the page. It's rewarding knowing it's out there, but sometimes it's hard not to resent it, when I'm on my third night awake, shaking writing the aftermath of a sexual assault or something.
What inspires you to write?
Lots of things. I have entirely too many ideas- more than I'll ever be able to work with. And often, series snowball. Dreamers is a part of the Inkubus series, however I recently concluded that the series is getting long and convoluted enough that I'm gonna need to subdivide it into smaller subseries, for reader accessibility. The books have a massive central arc, but as they've gone on, I've found myself returning to narrators after their book is over (Each book is a standalone romance, though the overall story veers toward dark fantasy/urban fantasy), and doing other nonchronological things that make it a lot more expansive than you'd think. Dreamers, for instance, begins during the first Inkubus book (not that you'd know it), but the events at the end of the first Inkubus book are what enable Dreamers to have a happy ending. So you reach this labeling thing, like, what do I call that? Add retailers refusing to let you use fractions or decimals, and it's complicated even further. I tend to call Dreamers “Inkubus 1.5”, since it doesn't have an even place to sit in the series order.
I sink my teeth into characters or atmospheres, and once I get a good one, I can write it indefinitely. More on that later. I usually do “broad canvas” type things, like the Marvel movie universe, so there's lots of easter eggs and cameos across different series. My paranormal stuff is largely in the one series, but especially with my contemporary stuff, the same supporting character might recur in several series. I love the idea of my characters stumbling across each other on the street.
Is there a particular author who inspires you?
Oh hell, yes. My partner inspires me a lot. He's a hard worker, and an endlessly creative soul. He doesn't recognize limitations, and that do-or-die mentality has played a huge role in my development as a writer. I'd never have attempted my first NaNoWriMo without having seen him do his, effortlessly. I'd never have approached my own work with that same mentality, and discovered that I'm capable of producing a first draft of a 50k word novel in a week (Edgeplay, if you're curious to see what that looks like. A close runner up is Weapon, in the Inkubus series, which I drafted in about 10 days.).
I'm also inspired by some of my favorite writers: Tad Williams' series planning in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is the most perfect example of complex yet human fantasy worldbuilding. Mike Carey's Lucifer graphic novels, too, are the most striking unconventional love story with surreal visuals and tender touches, and surprisingly meta big-picture themes. Lucifer has been a tremendous inspiration for the Inkubus series.
What is the title of your inclusion in Beyond the Veil? How did you come up with the idea for it?
Beyond the Veil includes my novella Dreamers, a surreal fantasy romp through a succubus's world as she struggles to overcome her own fractured psyche on a journey to save a friend.
Dreamers was inspired by a dream I had, in which I was carrying a bloodstained stuffed animal, with the awareness that something inside it was alive. I'm a massive horror fan, so the little gruesome flourishes captivate me. The entire story built from that one idea. You'll see how it fits once you've read Beyond the Veil.
How did you conduct your research for your book?
Internet, mostly. I didn't want as dense a written tone as you often see in historical fantasies, but Dreamers does have historical roots, as substantial portions of it are affected by Aletta's mortal life as a professional ballerina in mid/late 1800s Florence. So for the most part, it was a balancing act between historical detail and my preferred tone, which is more modern, conversational, and streamlined.
Can you give our readers your two favorite lines/quotes from Dreamers?
“I am sex, made flesh. Or at least made dream.” I've used variations of that series stuff for Inkubus, too. It's the perfect summation of the incubi's relationship with lust.
The other one is the scene I've included as my excerpt: Aletta and Han's first real kiss. So much of Aletta's existence is shaped by isolation, so that first moment of them seeing each other... it gets me every time.
What would your friends say is your best quality?
My answer is my empathy. But their answer would probably be my brains. I am obsessive, especially obsessed with contextualizing the world around me. So my friends are treated to an endless series of ruminations on everything from the nature of our society, to its intersections with all of the various 'isms' that govern how we view ourselves and others. It's an exhausting way to live, but it's very intellectually challenging.
Are reader reviews important to you?
Absolutely. Writers and readers alike depend on these reviews to get an idea of what a given book is like. As a reader, I dig for the 3*s, the ones that show both strengths and weaknesses of the book. I avoid reviewing, because those are the reviews I write, and those reviews can be stressful to get as an author. To hear me talk about a book I love, you'd probably conclude I'm giving it 1-2*s lower than I actually would, just because of how deeply I analyze it.
As a writer, reviews can be a little more fraught. Remember how I said that the writing is a mirror? Well... it's doubly true in a reader's hands. It won't be my own reflection winking back at me, but someone else's, based on how they interacted with the book. And sometimes books don't just click for people. Sometimes it's hard looking at that distorted reflection and missing the one that I see when I look at the work. That's not to say that anyone's wrong... just that sometimes it's hard pouring my soul into a character and hearing that that reviewer just didn't “get” the character. But those are the times when I remind myself that those reviews aren't for me; they're for other readers.
What do you do when you don’t write?
Garden, mainly. I'm a plant fiend. I also am somewhat of a gamer, and a big nerd. Writing takes up the majority of my time, but I try to keep openings in my schedule to enjoy the rest.
Ohhh I love gardening myself! *smiles*
Tell us about your other books?
Well, I write a variety, and a lot. The Inkubus series follows a fantasy world with demonic factions, including the incubi, who are forced to reproduce through mortals to overcome their own sterility. Only the sterility is a lie the other demons are using to keep the incubi distracted and unable to work together, and when it's discovered... well, you'll see.
I also write another series, Love and Lapdances, following the staff of a strip club as they find romance. On top of that, I've got Princess of Thieves, following Anna, a criminal. I've got several other series in varying stage of rewrites, too: dark romances (Siren, Black Roses), erotic thrillers (Eden's Exiles, Honeypot), and more. Variety's the spice of life, right?
Absolutely!
If you could share one thing about yourself you would like our readers to know, what would it be?
About me? Not really anything coming to mind. About the series? Well, that there's loads more of it. And loads more coming.
Where can readers find your works, do you have a blog or website?
I blog at http://delongkatie.com/, which also has information on all of my writing.
Where else might readers contact you or follow your everyday writing journey?
I suggest readers follow my facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katie.delong.12 or join my Facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/696177510494600/
The Honeypots reader group is a great space to follow along with the day-to-day stuff, see previews and teasers, and inspiration. My Facebook tends to have a little more of that internal dialogue I mentioned above, as it's where I share various articles that are food for thought, and that shape the way I approach my characters. Just to warn you, that stuff is not for the faint of heart- I try to include trigger warnings for the worst of it, but you can expect to see some really serious discussions.
Thank you so much for joining us today, Katie. It's been a true pleasure working with you on the Beyond the Veil Boxed Set. I am sure readers will fully enjoy Dreamers.
We are going to leave our audience with a small tease to get them started. Care to give us something steamy? *naughty grin*
Thanks so much for including me!
I write paranormal under K. de Long, but Katie works just fine.
Okies, Katie it is! Thanks! *smiles*
How long have you been a writer and how did you get into writing?
I've been writing around two years now, but before that I was a developmental editor, and an avid reader. My partner is a writer, too, and after a few years of working closely with him on his work, he took an interest in pushing me to write, too. It worked out, and he's even been cool about how on a good day, I can probably hit quadruple his word count. Thank goodness we aren't competitive.
Are you a full time author?
More or less. I'm homebound with health issues, so I found myself as a full time writing assistant to my partner, and then divvied up that time further to make space for my own writing, once things moved that direction. I work 12-18 hour days, usually every day of the week. Joys of being obsessive and methodical. If I'm gonna be sitting watching a brainless movie, I just as well do it while flagging typos in a rewrite.
I know how it is to be stuck at home due to medical issues, so I am very happy for you not letting life push you around. Good on you!
What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?
I've got a very love/hate relationship with my writing, to be honest. I love that in my family, it's a social thing. My partner and I pass drafts back and forth, though he's not much of a romance reader. We spend lots of time brainstorming together, and at this point, writing is as much a part of what binds us together as our pets.
As for the hate part of that relationship? It's that writing tends to be very personal; in choosing which aspects of a person or story are worth focusing on, you can get tremendous insight into yourself, or in the author. For me, that means that the characters I write best tend to be... challenging. Neurodivergent or mentally ill, involved in controversial or unorthodox things... As a former sex worker, and a woman living with a number of severe mental illnesses, those characters are the most personal to me, a little bit of me creating a mirror that I never had, growing up. But these characters are often challenging to readers, too, as well as to myself. I've written several novels that actually triggered my mental illness to the point of causing unhealthy relapses or spirals. To do these characters well often does mean putting my own blood on the page. It's rewarding knowing it's out there, but sometimes it's hard not to resent it, when I'm on my third night awake, shaking writing the aftermath of a sexual assault or something.
What inspires you to write?
Lots of things. I have entirely too many ideas- more than I'll ever be able to work with. And often, series snowball. Dreamers is a part of the Inkubus series, however I recently concluded that the series is getting long and convoluted enough that I'm gonna need to subdivide it into smaller subseries, for reader accessibility. The books have a massive central arc, but as they've gone on, I've found myself returning to narrators after their book is over (Each book is a standalone romance, though the overall story veers toward dark fantasy/urban fantasy), and doing other nonchronological things that make it a lot more expansive than you'd think. Dreamers, for instance, begins during the first Inkubus book (not that you'd know it), but the events at the end of the first Inkubus book are what enable Dreamers to have a happy ending. So you reach this labeling thing, like, what do I call that? Add retailers refusing to let you use fractions or decimals, and it's complicated even further. I tend to call Dreamers “Inkubus 1.5”, since it doesn't have an even place to sit in the series order.
I sink my teeth into characters or atmospheres, and once I get a good one, I can write it indefinitely. More on that later. I usually do “broad canvas” type things, like the Marvel movie universe, so there's lots of easter eggs and cameos across different series. My paranormal stuff is largely in the one series, but especially with my contemporary stuff, the same supporting character might recur in several series. I love the idea of my characters stumbling across each other on the street.
Is there a particular author who inspires you?
Oh hell, yes. My partner inspires me a lot. He's a hard worker, and an endlessly creative soul. He doesn't recognize limitations, and that do-or-die mentality has played a huge role in my development as a writer. I'd never have attempted my first NaNoWriMo without having seen him do his, effortlessly. I'd never have approached my own work with that same mentality, and discovered that I'm capable of producing a first draft of a 50k word novel in a week (Edgeplay, if you're curious to see what that looks like. A close runner up is Weapon, in the Inkubus series, which I drafted in about 10 days.).
I'm also inspired by some of my favorite writers: Tad Williams' series planning in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is the most perfect example of complex yet human fantasy worldbuilding. Mike Carey's Lucifer graphic novels, too, are the most striking unconventional love story with surreal visuals and tender touches, and surprisingly meta big-picture themes. Lucifer has been a tremendous inspiration for the Inkubus series.
What is the title of your inclusion in Beyond the Veil? How did you come up with the idea for it?
Beyond the Veil includes my novella Dreamers, a surreal fantasy romp through a succubus's world as she struggles to overcome her own fractured psyche on a journey to save a friend.
Dreamers was inspired by a dream I had, in which I was carrying a bloodstained stuffed animal, with the awareness that something inside it was alive. I'm a massive horror fan, so the little gruesome flourishes captivate me. The entire story built from that one idea. You'll see how it fits once you've read Beyond the Veil.
How did you conduct your research for your book?
Internet, mostly. I didn't want as dense a written tone as you often see in historical fantasies, but Dreamers does have historical roots, as substantial portions of it are affected by Aletta's mortal life as a professional ballerina in mid/late 1800s Florence. So for the most part, it was a balancing act between historical detail and my preferred tone, which is more modern, conversational, and streamlined.
Can you give our readers your two favorite lines/quotes from Dreamers?
“I am sex, made flesh. Or at least made dream.” I've used variations of that series stuff for Inkubus, too. It's the perfect summation of the incubi's relationship with lust.
The other one is the scene I've included as my excerpt: Aletta and Han's first real kiss. So much of Aletta's existence is shaped by isolation, so that first moment of them seeing each other... it gets me every time.
What would your friends say is your best quality?
My answer is my empathy. But their answer would probably be my brains. I am obsessive, especially obsessed with contextualizing the world around me. So my friends are treated to an endless series of ruminations on everything from the nature of our society, to its intersections with all of the various 'isms' that govern how we view ourselves and others. It's an exhausting way to live, but it's very intellectually challenging.
Are reader reviews important to you?
Absolutely. Writers and readers alike depend on these reviews to get an idea of what a given book is like. As a reader, I dig for the 3*s, the ones that show both strengths and weaknesses of the book. I avoid reviewing, because those are the reviews I write, and those reviews can be stressful to get as an author. To hear me talk about a book I love, you'd probably conclude I'm giving it 1-2*s lower than I actually would, just because of how deeply I analyze it.
As a writer, reviews can be a little more fraught. Remember how I said that the writing is a mirror? Well... it's doubly true in a reader's hands. It won't be my own reflection winking back at me, but someone else's, based on how they interacted with the book. And sometimes books don't just click for people. Sometimes it's hard looking at that distorted reflection and missing the one that I see when I look at the work. That's not to say that anyone's wrong... just that sometimes it's hard pouring my soul into a character and hearing that that reviewer just didn't “get” the character. But those are the times when I remind myself that those reviews aren't for me; they're for other readers.
What do you do when you don’t write?
Garden, mainly. I'm a plant fiend. I also am somewhat of a gamer, and a big nerd. Writing takes up the majority of my time, but I try to keep openings in my schedule to enjoy the rest.
Ohhh I love gardening myself! *smiles*
Tell us about your other books?
Well, I write a variety, and a lot. The Inkubus series follows a fantasy world with demonic factions, including the incubi, who are forced to reproduce through mortals to overcome their own sterility. Only the sterility is a lie the other demons are using to keep the incubi distracted and unable to work together, and when it's discovered... well, you'll see.
I also write another series, Love and Lapdances, following the staff of a strip club as they find romance. On top of that, I've got Princess of Thieves, following Anna, a criminal. I've got several other series in varying stage of rewrites, too: dark romances (Siren, Black Roses), erotic thrillers (Eden's Exiles, Honeypot), and more. Variety's the spice of life, right?
Absolutely!
If you could share one thing about yourself you would like our readers to know, what would it be?
About me? Not really anything coming to mind. About the series? Well, that there's loads more of it. And loads more coming.
Where can readers find your works, do you have a blog or website?
I blog at http://delongkatie.com/, which also has information on all of my writing.
Where else might readers contact you or follow your everyday writing journey?
I suggest readers follow my facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katie.delong.12 or join my Facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/696177510494600/
The Honeypots reader group is a great space to follow along with the day-to-day stuff, see previews and teasers, and inspiration. My Facebook tends to have a little more of that internal dialogue I mentioned above, as it's where I share various articles that are food for thought, and that shape the way I approach my characters. Just to warn you, that stuff is not for the faint of heart- I try to include trigger warnings for the worst of it, but you can expect to see some really serious discussions.
Thank you so much for joining us today, Katie. It's been a true pleasure working with you on the Beyond the Veil Boxed Set. I am sure readers will fully enjoy Dreamers.
We are going to leave our audience with a small tease to get them started. Care to give us something steamy? *naughty grin*
Thanks so much for including me!
Dreamers
Excerpt
The concert ends, but neither of us makes an effort to move until the hall is mostly empty. Her eyes are glassy; she still hasn't come back to Earth yet. Finally, she looks at me with large doe-eyes. “Thank you,” she whispers.
I help her to her feet, then put my jacket back on her. She toys with one of its buttons, idly. Then, she speaks. “I know you're capable of understanding what I have to say.”
I blink, and wait for her to think it through.
“On the first count, I'm going to arch backward. If you don't catch me, I'll fall.” Her eyes are piercing, but full of faith and temptation.
I stop fidgeting, uncertain what she's playing at.
She begins the count, her voice breathless and quiet. “Five, six, seven, eight...one.”
She does exactly what she said, rising to tiptoe, dropping herself backward one vertebrate at a time, her arms above her head. I catch her waist just as her hand grazes the floor and pull her upright, sliding my hand along the length of her spine to make sure her weight is on her feet.
“What was that all about?”
“Trust. Trust in art. In your co-performers. You said ballet bored you. But I don't think you've looked at it from this angle. Dozens of people onstage, performing, frequently disregarding their personal safety to let themselves be caught, or catch. A borderline suicidal, driven version of the beauty that people can create when they abandon their self.”
I lose myself in her voice's purr, the muscles in her back shifting under my hand.
“Musicians play safely. They don't risk life, limb, and self to bring a performance to life.” She pauses as we step onto the sidewalk, and slips off her heels, tucking them in her purse. She takes my hands, puts them on her waist. “Help me push myself higher.”
“Wha—”
She jumps before I've finished the sentence, entirely too close to me. The motion startles me, and I instinctively tighten my grip on her, relishing her muscles under my palms.
“Let's try that again.”
This time, I'm prepared. Her muscles work as she tenses in my hands, helping me keep a firm grip on her while she's in the air.
She's right. It's in her trust. Something that makes me feel as though the orchestra were still playing. As though that moment never ended.
She takes my hands. “This time, when I jump, push up, and when I let go, catch my shoulders on one of yours, and then put your hands on my waist to control me.”
I would rather just hold her hands, maybe taste her sweet lips again, but she's animated, and the change is so striking, I can't turn her down. She holds my hands, our palms pressed together at her side, her back to me, that slender frame rubbing against me Then she bends her knees and jumps.
I push up as she pushes down, and her hips are level with my face. Gravity pulls her back down, and I struggle to recall the rest of her instructions. I lean in, braced for her. Through her straightened arms overlaying my shoulders, dispersing her weight, and my hands, firm on her hips, she comes back to earth slowly, every inch of her sliding against me, toned ass to muscular back. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as her bare toes touch the ground.
“You get it?” There's a yearning in her voice I don't fully understand.
“I think I do.”
Her face is relieved, bloodless under her faintly tanned complexion. A smile splits her lips, and she presses them to mine, kissing me with whatever the sexual equivalent of her dancing was. Falling backward into me, trusting me to catch her, to lead her.
Now, as then, I don't have the wherewithal to say no.
I help her to her feet, then put my jacket back on her. She toys with one of its buttons, idly. Then, she speaks. “I know you're capable of understanding what I have to say.”
I blink, and wait for her to think it through.
“On the first count, I'm going to arch backward. If you don't catch me, I'll fall.” Her eyes are piercing, but full of faith and temptation.
I stop fidgeting, uncertain what she's playing at.
She begins the count, her voice breathless and quiet. “Five, six, seven, eight...one.”
She does exactly what she said, rising to tiptoe, dropping herself backward one vertebrate at a time, her arms above her head. I catch her waist just as her hand grazes the floor and pull her upright, sliding my hand along the length of her spine to make sure her weight is on her feet.
“What was that all about?”
“Trust. Trust in art. In your co-performers. You said ballet bored you. But I don't think you've looked at it from this angle. Dozens of people onstage, performing, frequently disregarding their personal safety to let themselves be caught, or catch. A borderline suicidal, driven version of the beauty that people can create when they abandon their self.”
I lose myself in her voice's purr, the muscles in her back shifting under my hand.
“Musicians play safely. They don't risk life, limb, and self to bring a performance to life.” She pauses as we step onto the sidewalk, and slips off her heels, tucking them in her purse. She takes my hands, puts them on her waist. “Help me push myself higher.”
“Wha—”
She jumps before I've finished the sentence, entirely too close to me. The motion startles me, and I instinctively tighten my grip on her, relishing her muscles under my palms.
“Let's try that again.”
This time, I'm prepared. Her muscles work as she tenses in my hands, helping me keep a firm grip on her while she's in the air.
She's right. It's in her trust. Something that makes me feel as though the orchestra were still playing. As though that moment never ended.
She takes my hands. “This time, when I jump, push up, and when I let go, catch my shoulders on one of yours, and then put your hands on my waist to control me.”
I would rather just hold her hands, maybe taste her sweet lips again, but she's animated, and the change is so striking, I can't turn her down. She holds my hands, our palms pressed together at her side, her back to me, that slender frame rubbing against me Then she bends her knees and jumps.
I push up as she pushes down, and her hips are level with my face. Gravity pulls her back down, and I struggle to recall the rest of her instructions. I lean in, braced for her. Through her straightened arms overlaying my shoulders, dispersing her weight, and my hands, firm on her hips, she comes back to earth slowly, every inch of her sliding against me, toned ass to muscular back. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as her bare toes touch the ground.
“You get it?” There's a yearning in her voice I don't fully understand.
“I think I do.”
Her face is relieved, bloodless under her faintly tanned complexion. A smile splits her lips, and she presses them to mine, kissing me with whatever the sexual equivalent of her dancing was. Falling backward into me, trusting me to catch her, to lead her.
Now, as then, I don't have the wherewithal to say no.
Enter to Win!
Wonderful to get to know you better, Katie. So glad we had a chance to work together on this fantastic boxed set.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview!
ReplyDelete