Best of Family & Relationships
Best of Family & Relationships
"So Many Books, So Little Time!"
Exclusive Interview with
Kelly Shade
When did you start writing?
I started writing as a child, almost as soon as I learned how to put words on the page.
What makes writing your passion?
Writing, along with other forms of art, helped me through a tough upbringing. It isn’t just a passion for me; it’s my way of expressing myself and making sense of everything.
How long have you been writing?
What was the feeling when you published your first book?
I was proud of myself for finally sharing my work with the world, something I hadn’t done before, and at the same time, I felt very uneasy about how it would be received.
What’s the story behind your choice of characters?
My characters are usually complex, with morally gray hearts, and I tend to focus heavily on the psychological side of things.
What annoys you the most in pursuing a writing career?
The most annoying part of pursuing a writing career, and honestly of working in the art world in general, is how much is controlled by money. Talent and hard work matter, but so often the biggest opportunities go to whoever has the budget or the right backing. It can feel like your art is being judged less on its value and more on your connections, and that’s frustrating when what you really want is for the work to stand on its own.
How do you get over the “writer’s block”?
For me, writer’s block is often self-inflicted. If you do creative work and expect your creativity to show up at the exact same time every day, then yes, you’ll probably hit a wall. But if you accept that some days you have a lot to say, and other days you don’t, it stops feeling like “block” and starts feeling like a normal creative rhythm. I try not to force art...art should feel natural.
We all know the writer’s path is never easy, what makes you keep going? What advice would you give to new authors?
I write because I love it. I love developing the story, unraveling the mystery, creating my characters, and bringing everything together. My advice may sound like a cliché, but it’s a cliché for a reason: do what you love, and you’ll never feel like you’re working a day in your life.
If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say?
You weren’t the difficult one. They were. Stay calm and focus on what truly matters. Don’t self-sabotage just because you think it might hurt them. They don’t matter.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with the bad ones?
Sometimes. I believe everyone has their own preferences and should be respected. So the negative ones don’t really bother me.
What is the feeling when you get a good review?
Happy I found someone who clicked with my story.
Have you ever incorporated something that happened to you in real life into your novels?
Yes. A lot.
Which of your characters you can compare yourself with? Did you base that character on you?
Jane Blake is my alter ego.
What do you think, the book cover is as important as the story?
I think it is the "face" of your work, and it is of great importance.
Do you connect with your readers? Do you mind having a chat with them or you prefer to express yourself through your writing?
A bit of both, I guess. I can have a chat, of course.
How do you feel when people appreciate your work or recognize you in public?
Who is your favorite author? Why?
What’s the dream? Whom would you like to be as big as?
Would you rewrite any of your books? Why?
If you could switch places with any author – who would that be?
What would you say to the “trolls” on the internet? We all know them – people who like to write awful reviews to books they’ve never read or didn’t like that much, just to annoy the author.
What would you say to your readers?
Share a bit about yourself – where do you live, are you married, do you have kids?
What is your day job if you have one?
What are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time?
I love dancing, listening to music, walking outside or along the beach, swimming, roller skating, and playing tennis. I love moving.
Did you have a happy childhood?
No.
Is there a particular experience that made you start writing?
Do you have unpublished books? What are they about?
What do you think should be improved in the education of our children? What do we lack?
We lack an understanding of how different children are from one another. Grouping them together and expecting the same from everyone doesn’t create leaders or thinkers; it creates followers and a lot of traumatized children.
If you were allowed 3 wishes – what would they be?
What is your favorite music?
Hip-hop is what I grew up with, and it’s closest to my heart. Eminem’s music helped me cope with a lot of difficult moments, and it’s become a part of who I am.
Share a secret with us 🙂