Interview with Kristin Battestella

Thank you, Kristin Battestella, for agreeing to an interview on Eternal Press Blog.

EP: When did you seriously sit down, and say to yourself, I’m going to write a novel?

Kristin: Good question! Truly when *aren’t* I telling myself to sit down and write that novel. I wrote juvenile things when I was younger, then really got into world building and editing things seriously in high school. I had to steal moments in class or study hall to write. When summer vacation came, I really had the time to dedicated to a book. That’s when I knew the feat could be accomplished.

EP: What do you find the most difficult to write? Dialogue? Back story?

Kristin: Dialogue comes easy once you know your characters. If you have your time and place and style, the character’s talk comes naturally. Editing and scrapping conversations may come later, but better to get it all down when the mood strikes. Back story is a little tougher for me. You prepare your early sketches and research, but as a story progress, sometimes the character’s reactions and thoughts change your back story. It’s nice to have a notion of your character, but it can’t be set in stone and over power the plot you’re trying to tell.

EP: Have you ever found that you didn’t like your Hero or your Heroine? If so, what did you do to change that?

Kristin: In my trunk novel space opera The Centaurians I didn’t like the main character Mara Stellar for many years. I write a part, stop for a few years, then go back and write another adventure. Sometimes I really didn’t like Mara and the high horse she often takes when making difficult command decisions. Over the years she has mellowed, thankfully! A little living and learning for me and her. I don’t think an author necessary has to like all his or her characters, the villain especially. If you dislike him, the reader might, too. Better to build a realistically flawed character with emotion and emotional response to him. When Mara finally made the turn around the emotional bend, it brought tears to my eyes. In my latest book The Vampire Family, there are a lot of naughty vampires to love, but the main henchwoman Victoria is much more complex than that. I like her, but not the things she does. She really an insecure bully with too many vampire toys.

EP: If you were to start again, with the knowledge you have now, what would be the first thing you do?

Kristin: Writing wise? Everything! It’s amazing to go back and look at my kiddie work. It strange to recall when you didn’t know proper sentences or grammar-and how horrible it sounds out loud! Humility is always important. Unfortunately, there are some things about the publishing industry that can’t be taught. The entire experience is a lesson every time.

EP: Do you have the support of friends and family? Meaning, do they understand when you are writing that you cannot be disturbed? Or do you have friends that think since you’re home, you don’t work?

Kristin: Support varies. Sure my family is proud and appreciates what I do, but they don’t quite understand the writing process and find it tough to always support the writing system. It’s not anyone’s fault, but non writers just don’t get it. When I’ve not held a day job and written full time, yes my parents did wonder what I did all day. I kept telling them, honestly, that I can only write for hours at a time when I am alone all day. Ifmy family was home, I’d sleep all day and work all night. Yes, people think its weird and odd and most folks don’t realize the amount of energy it takes to write something constructive. It balances out however, when you see the surprise on everyone’s face when you’re done! That eureka and euphoria when they read and say, ‘So this is what you’ve been doing!’

EP: What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome in your career?

Kristin: Writing stigmas are a pain in the butt professionally and mentally. Folks not in the know often think short stories or e publishing are somehow not legitimate. In the business things can get caddy regarding what company or organization you’re with-genre authors either stick together or draw lines in the sand. Literary fiction authors have no time for fantasy, and horror writers scoff at romance. You do have moments of doubt. Am I doing the right thing? Maybe I’m not good enough? Have I wasted all this time and energy for nothing? The toughest thing is feeling that time of arrival, knowing that you have created something of substance that your peers find worthwhile. It’s a hurtle that’s never quite overcome-so far to me anyway. Every published work is not automatically worthy. Each work needs to re-establish your presence and portfolio. We’re not all the big seller names. It’s the ebb and flow of such a daunting task becoming an artistic hope. Or, maybe I just have high standards for myself?

EP: What genre do you write? Do you write more than one, if so, what?

Kristin: I can’t seem to write straight fiction. I’ve written shorts, longer stories, and novels of horror, science fiction, fantasy, paranormal romance, and mystery. Specializing in one area or finding your niche is important, but with trends in such flux, its important to vary yourself. Not only for a little writing security, but just to grow, experiment, stretch your imagination. I don’t think The Vampire Family is truely horror in that it isn’t always absolutely terrifying, and I don’t think its romance is too lovey dovey. It’s a mix. Mix is good.

EP: How do you research for your books?

Kristin: Online research is very handy, naturally, but I read as much as possible as well. Even if you’re doing fiction, its important to read what is already out there. Sometimes you need to find if an idea similar to your plot has been done-once you see it executed, you might find your notion, well, sucks. Other times books can inspire you to do better, give you a light bulb to take a plot in a new direction. I also like magazines for fiction inspiration or catalogues. What would my character wear or purchase? It’s silly but I also speculate on casting my book were it a movie. Having a face or build in mind can also spark something.

EP: How do you develop your characters?

Kristin: I have to think on a character for sometime before I take anything to the written word. I usually think of an idea or scene, then ponder how it would change or what the character should say. Then another scenario comes and another and before I know it, I have action and history for a character before I’ve written about him or her. It’s like I know something about him before the story begins. I’ll debate these things for months, sometimes years before I write anything. By time I come do come to the page, my characters and I are old friends.

EP: Are any of your characters a person you’d like to be? If so which one?

Kristin: Actually, no, not really. Most of my characters have flaws and problems and issues. I’ve got enough of that myself! It is nice to see how I have a character deal with a problem, because on some subconscious level my characters are a part of me and a fictitious resolution could be a real life solution or food for thought. Over time its just bizarre to consider from where I get these twisted people. Antonio, the patriarch in my Eternal Press novel The Vampire Family, is very fascinating to me. He’s become quite the naughty fellow over the years. He’s so latently evil that he thinks his demonic deeds are justifiable. He can’t see any other way out of a situation but thru bad means. Sure he’s got power an fame and fortune, but would I want to be him? Heck no!

EP: Who inspired you to write?

Kristin: I read a lot of King Arthur stories and comics as a kid, mainly Prince Valiant. Then Anne Rice and Isaac Asimov and Star Wars novels. I remember first reading The End of Eternity and having my first A-ha! moment from a book. I knew I wanted to capture that type of euphoria from the written word. Recently, I’ve become obsessed with Tolkien. There’s so many layers to inspire in his work. I don’t mean it in a boast ful way, but sometimes I inspire myself. I want to bring inspiration, education, and entertainment to readers. I want them to have as moving an experience when reading my book as I do writing it. It’s such a special and wonderful connection to capture.

EP: What is the most humorous writing experience you’ve ever had?

Kristin: Annoying as it is when your family doesn’t get it, it is quite funny when they are as disturbed by your writing habits as you are disturbed by their interruptions. I used to tape my notes all over my walls, much to my mother’s chagrin. Eventually I learned to hide them underneath proper posters and pictures. This is of course after my mom convinced me to stop writing directly on the walls! My family has also learned to get me notebooks and stationary sets as gifts. This came about since I used to wake up in the middle of the night and just write on my sheets. Writers do what we got to do, and sometimes it’s a little scary. I just had my nieces act out a fantasy play I wrote, costumes and all. I wonder how they told that one to their friends at school?

EP: If a new writer came to you for advice what would you tell them?

Kristin: You can’t start off thinking about the business-the scary stuff or the delusions of grandeur. Write your story, say what you have to say, create the type of book you love and would want to read for yourself first. Then you must hone your skills and learn your craft. I write because I enjoy creating fanciful times and places and people. I think of these things for myself, then think what a shame it must be to let such nice stories be known only to me-or worse, forgotten. Sometimes the writing process can seem like a chore, something you have to do, but if you try and let go, that yearning for creativity calls you back. Write for your personal love and joy.

EP: Do you have a book coming out? If so what? Do you have a web site? Do you have a blog? My space?

Kristin: The Vampire Family is out with Eternal Press now. Check out the details at http://www.eternalpress.ca/vampirefamily.html. It’s paranormal romance, horror, period piece and more. The Welshire coven goes through so many times and places. They have vampire powers and lust and immortality, but so many dang problems! It was an emotional book to write. Sometimes it was so cool! Other times it was so sad, thought provoking, melancholy. Excerpts are available at my website, http://jsnouff.com/kristin and The Vampire Family blog, http://vampfam.blogspot.com/.

In addition to The Vampire Family, I’m shopping a slightly naughty sf/futuristic novel and working on another horror short called The Haberdasher. I’ve also handwritten a dark fantasy that needs to be typed. Plenty of writing, so little time!

Thank you, Kristin, for taking the time to answer our questions for the Eternal Press blog. Good luck with your writing.

Thank you!