Interview with B.R. Kingslover

  Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?

No, it’s not part of a series, but I do have a series, The Telepathic Clans, that’s set in the same world. This book is a suspense thriller. I started out to write a mystery, and rather than investigate a crime, it became larger than that. The private investigator, RB Kendrick, is a telepath who is engaged to find a telepathic girl, a succubus, whom it is feared has been kidnapped. In the course of RB’s investigation, she discovers that there’s a network trafficking telepathic girls throughout Europe, the U.S. and into Asia. This actually mirrors a major problem in the world today.

Do you have a favorite character?

I like the main character in this book quite a bit, but I tend to fall in love with my characters. I did use a character, Rebecca, in this book who is also in my other books. I like her take-no-prisoners attitude, her lack of judgment toward people and her loyalty. She’s what you would hope your best friend would be.

Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?

Rebecca was a minor character in my first book, The Succubus Gift. I really didn’t have a plan for her, but she’s evolved and many of my readers tell me she’s their favorite character in my books.

What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?

The process of publishing through traditional channels is daunting. Only a small percentage of the books submitted to them are ever published, and most of those sell very few copies. I didn’t even try to write fiction until inexpensive self-publishing came along. To spend all that time writing a manuscript and then just stick it in a drawer seems like a colossal waste of time. I may never have a best seller, but some people buy my books and tell me they enjoy them.

If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?

Mia Darien, who is also an author, does my covers. She also coordinates the critique group I’m with and was a beta reader. Since she’s actually read the book, we discuss the book, look for pictures to use and she’s very flexible. We went through several designs before choosing this one.

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?

Yes, and it was instrumental in helping me with my first novel. Several of the people in the group have beta read my novels, in addition to giving me feedback on other works that haven’t been completed.

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?

I outline my books, but not in great detail. And the stories often take off in directions I don’t anticipate. I also use the feedback I get from my beta readers and editors to make revisions, and sometimes those changes are major.

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?

I don’t hire an editor, but I have my books professionally edited. I’m lucky in that a couple of friends who beta read my books are professional editors. I also worked as an editor for several years, though not an editor of fiction. The final edits are done by my partner who is a middle-school English teacher.

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?

Absolutely. If not for the marketing, I would finish at least another book every year. It’s the worst part of being a writer. Even if you’re traditionally published, most of the marketing falls on the author.

What’s next for you?

I’ve started on the fourth and final book of the Telepathic Clans series. I also have several chapters written for a New Adult paranormal romance, and just completed an outline for an NA romance without any paranormal or fantasy elements.

I also have a shape-shifter romance short story that was just published in an anthology Here, Kitty Kitty, edited by Mia Darien with stories from six authors. All the profits from the book are being donated to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in Indiana. Mia and I and the other authors have discussed several ideas for another such anthology.

Broken Dolls Book Description

Private investigator RB Kendrick makes her living nailing cheating spouses, digging up other dirt to help in a divorce, finding long-lost relatives, and occasionally sniffing out criminal activity and fraud. When she takes a job to find a missing girl, she has no idea she is headed for the most dangerous case of her career. Usually, her ability to read minds gives her an edge. But when the people she’s hunting are also telepaths, that advantage is limited. The search takes her into the dark underbelly of telepathic society, where anything, and anyone, is for sale. She discovers that telepathic women and girls are being trafficked as the ultimate sex slaves. With people trying to kill her, she’s on the run, not knowing who she can trust. Will she find the missing girl, or become a victim herself?

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About the Author:

I made silver and turquoise jewelry for almost a decade, ended up in nursing school, then took a master's in business. Along the way I worked in construction, as a newspaper editor, and somehow found a career working with computers. I love the outdoors, especially the Rocky Mountains. I've skied since high school, with one broken leg and one torn ACL to show for it. I've hiked and camped all my life. I love to travel, though I haven't done enough of it. I've seen a lot of Russia and Mexico, not enough of England and France. Amsterdam is amazing, and the Romanian Alps are breathtaking. Lake Tahoe is a favorite. I have a very significant other, two cats and two Basset Hounds. I'm currently living in Baltimore, nine blocks from the harbor, but still own a home in New Mexico.

 

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