My Interview with K.S. JONES!
I am
so excited about this interview for many reasons – thank you for hanging out
with us today! My philosophy has always
been, put simply, that authors paint pictures with words, so when I read one of
your quotes, I knew this interview would be slightly different. It felt as though I’d have a chat with a
kindred spirit over a shared pot of coffee (or tea…wine – whatever LOL).
“In the hands of a skilled writer, a carefully chosen
sequence can paint a world as artfully as Monet, Gauguin, da Vinci, or Renoir.
Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the beauty of words when given
cadence. Like Baryshnikov, Astaire, Kelly, Pavlova—words have a flair and a
style unique to their artist. The right words never lie flat on a page; they
dance!”
-
K.S. Jones
Did I
mention I love Mikhail
Baryshnikov and Fred Astaire? 
I was
both pleasantly surprised (because I’ve lived in Houston for over a decade) and
saddened (because I just moved away) that you resided in Texas. I found myself more grateful for technology
and the knowledge that time and distance have no dominion over friendship.
Then,
I read another quote by you, and I couldn’t wait anymore – I needed to
interview you! LOL
“Words define us, even when we’ve not spoken them.” -
K.S. Jones
1.
It’s my tradition to begin with
the same question – please, tell us how you’d describe yourself?
o
Hi Julie! I'm definitely a Solitary. One of my all-time favorite
movies is The Awakening Land.
Actually, it was a 1978 television mini-series. That's where I first heard someone
called "a Solitary." The story is based on Conrad Richter's trilogy of novels: The Trees; The
Fields; The
Town. (Which are fabulous novels, by the way!)
o
In Mr. Richter's story, Portius Wheeler (played by actor Hal Holbrook) was referred to
as "a Solitary" because he stayed to himself, he knew how to write, he
read books all the time, he lived far from his neighbors, and rarely sought out
human interaction. Though I am married, have friends aplenty, and live with
more dogs than I can count most days, I am still "a Solitary."
2.
As I know your older sister, Kathleen O’Neal Gear, and have interviewedher, I have insight into your intriguing family and childhood. I would like to discuss how you were
influenced by them as a writer in this first set of questions.
·
Not
only were your parents writers but they took your family to archeological sites
for holiday. What did you think of this,
and how do you feel that formed your love for literature?
o
Yes, both parents were writers. My father worked the fields of
our Central California farm every day, but by mid-afternoon we would usually find
him out in the bunkhouse typing away on a new western story, which was usually sold
to one of the western or treasure hunting magazines. The money he earned from
writing, he saved for our summer vacations.
o
Some of my best childhood memories are of our family crammed
into a station wagon barreling down a nearly deserted highway headed for some
place history had almost forgotten. Mom and Dad read a lot, so by the time we would
arrive at our destination they usually knew more about the site than the guides
or the Rangers.
o
Literature and knowledge were part of the process.
·
You
have been winning awards for writing since grade school. When did your love for the written word first
manifest, and how did that lead you to becoming a published author?
o
At age four or so, after my older siblings were off to school, I
would sit at the breakfast table with my mother and read her the Peanuts comic
strip. One morning, Mom looked at me and said, "What if you made up your
own story about Snoopy? Just look at the pictures, and without reading the
words, tell me what you think they're saying." So, I did, and it
was such fun! The only difference between then and now is that I imagine my own
"pictures" and write the words on paper.
o
And yes, Julie, your research is excellent! While in elementary
school, I decided to enter the school-wide American Legion Essay contest. (The
contest was not separated by grade level.) I asked my father what I should
write about and he said, "Write what you know." Our cotton farm was
staring me in the face, so I wrote about cotton. That essay won me my first
writing award, being bested only by my older sister.
·
Knowing
a little about your background, it makes sense to find a touch of historical
fiction in your work. Your young adult
novel, Shadow
of the Hawk is set during the Great Depression
and your middle grade book, Black
Lightning has Apache
symbolism in it. This leaves me with
several questions…
·
How
did your family vacations, touring archeological sites, influence your love for
history, and is there a particular era that speaks to you more than the
rest? If so, what is it, and why?
o
Yes, absolutely! History is so important. Keep in mind, while our
family visited Indian ruins, ghost towns, and other historical sites in
abundance, there were always nights around the campfire when Mom and Dad told
their own family histories. For example, they were youngsters when America's
Great Depression hit and their childhood stories about those years were captivating!
o
As a child, my mother lived in the hills of Arkansas (the
setting for Shadow
of the Hawk) and she brought the hills alive
for me. Mom was more of a verbal storyteller, while Dad felt more comfortable
in front of a typewriter. Both, however, told stories incredibly well. I truly
loved all Dad's tales about the Old West, the frontier, and the pioneers, but
when my mother talked about her childhood during the Great Depression, I felt I
could truly see it through her eyes.
o
So, to pick a favorite era is difficult, but I have a soft spot in
my heart for the 1930s.
·
How
has Native American cultures impacted your views on life, and therefore, your
writing voice? I know this is a huge
theme in your sister’s writing. How
important is it to you?
o
Native American culture should have an impact on everyone's life.
From the modern day Hopi,
Apache, Sioux, Cherokee,
and more, back to the Anasazi and
further, their amazing stories still guide and teach. What we know of their
lives may seem like fiction or fantasy to many, but it is not. They did what was
necessary to influence the outcome of their world, just as we must do. I hope
"their voices" will live in me until I am no more.
o
And when I write, I hope their souls influence my voice. Black
Lightning, my MG sci-fi/fantasy, is the only
book I've written that touches on Native American influence.
·
With
history and literature being so integral in your own childhood, did you
consciously choose to write in young adult and middle grade, or how did you get
into those specific genres?
o
I am a mother of two amazing people, both adults now. I think
they were my main influence in writing MG/YA—other than my mother's stories of
her childhood, of course!
o
Voices of young people were what I heard when writing my first
books. But since Shadow
of the Hawk (YA) and Black
Lightning (MG) were published, I've found my
way to adulthood.
o
My work-in-progress is Women's Historical Fiction. I have another
two books planned in the same genre.
·
I,
too, write primarily in YA/NA and I have a MG books, as well. In doing so, I don’t curb my vocabulary – I
don’t ‘dumb it down’. I think exposure
to descriptive words and complex concepts will feed curiosity, driving readers
to delve deeper into what sparks their interest. What is your take on this idea?
o
Julie, I completely agree with you. In fact, as a child I lived
in a house stocked with over 5,000 books. Back then, "children's
books" were not as prevalent as they are today. Oh sure, we had Charlotte's
Web, Curious
George, The
Cat in the Hat, The
Hardy Boys, etc., but we didn't have the plethora of kid's books that exist
today. At our house, the closest books we had to children's books were the
greats like Call
of the Wild, Robinson
Crusoe, The
Swiss Family Robinson, The Hobbit, and Journey
to the Center of the Earth. I'm sure you'll agree that the words and
concepts in those stories are more difficult than you'll find in most children's
books today.
o
I feel it is a disservice to young readers when writers
"dumb down" a story. They deserve better.
·
What
author or book made the most impact on you as a child, and has that changed now
that you are an adult? Why, or why not,
and how?
o
Ah, the book that started it all! Call of the
Wild by Jack London was the book that changed my life. The wilderness, a
dog, and adventure at every turn! Hmmm . . . sort of sums up my life today.
Maybe it had more impact on me than I realized.
3.
Each writer has a unique
journey that leads them to publishing. I
would like to focus on yours in this set of questions.
·
What
made you decide to publish your stories?
o
I started writing a long, long time ago. Way before
self-publishing, or Indie, was a "thing." Only traditional publishers
existed when I began, so that's always been the goal for me—traditional
publishing. But I married early, had kids early, and found myself poorer than
expected. I sometimes worked three jobs while raising kids and helping care for
my parents as they grew older.
o
I am lucky to have a wonderful hardworking husband, but life
wasn't a piece of cake. Instead of writing novels, I wrote children's stories
for the magazine market to help make ends meet, but it was always my dream to
write a novel and have it picked up by a publisher.
·
Do
you consider yourself indie, hybrid, or traditionally published? Why, or why not, and does it really matter?
o
I consider myself traditionally published. Two different small
presses published my books. And, yes, I think it matters. My personal opinion,
which probably will not be a popular statement to my many writing friends, is
that the bigger the publisher, the better the quality of the final product. I'm
still reaching for the stars.
·
What made you choose the publishers you signed with?
o
Great question with a "not so easy" answer.
o
My debut novel, Shadow
of the Hawk, took fifteen years to research and
write. I was beginning to think it would never see the light of day, but then I
received three publishing offers in one week! The first offer arrived just an
hour after I was notified that my short story, DEADLINES,
had won the grand prize in the 2014 Short Story Contest for Southern Writers
Magazine.
o
With three offers, I researched each publisher as much as
possible. In the end, all you can do is make the best decision you can with the
information you have at the time.
·
Did having other published authors in your family help or hinder
your own journey? How, and why do you
think this was the case?
o
I learned a lot from each of them. Trial and error. Successes
and failures. But when it comes right down to it, every writer is an individual
on their own journey. There are no magic doors and no one holds the golden key.
·
What
do you think was the most difficult part of getting published, and why?
o
In today's writing world, you're competing on a daily basis with
SO MANY excellent writers. If we're honest with ourselves, we can see the
talent everywhere—and so can the publishers. It is hard to stand out and be
noticed when so many wonderful writers are crowding through the same door.
·
If
you could go back and do anything different, what would it be, and why?
o
I always thought I'd have time. Time to write when the kids were
older. Time to write when I only worked one job. Time to write when I didn't
have so many obligations. Time to write when I retired. Many wasted years
thinking I'd have more time down the road to focus on my writing.
o
Looking back, I now know that when the talent arrives (and it
does arrive, just like a freight train on its own unannounced schedule) you
need to stop what you're doing and grab hold! That moment is YOUR "here
and now." Another train is not always on the way.
·
Has
any of your experiences changed how you think about publishing or changed your
approach towards getting a manuscript published?
o
Yes. When talking about traditional publishing, the "old"
writing rules still apply. For example, a writer should always put their
finished manuscript away for a while and start work on something new. Pull it
out again in a few weeks, or maybe months, and re-read it. That's when the need
to revise becomes clear.
o
Today's ability to self-publish or publish quickly is addictive to
many authors. I know many writers who type THE END and by midnight their book
is on a For Sale shelf somewhere. In my opinion, quality usually loses out to
the "instant gratification" monster. I think the market is saturated
with "this is good enough" writers, which makes it harder for quality
writers to get their foot in the door of the traditional houses. And worse, I
think readers are discouraged about all the inferior books saturating the
market.
·
In
contrast, what do you think is the best part of publishing, and why?
o
Readers are definitely the best part! Hands down. First, seeing
the sales numbers increase makes my heart flutter, but not for the money.
Knowing that a reader is meeting "your people/characters" is akin to
showing off your newborn baby. And afterwards, their notes, messages, or
reviews are wonderful to read.
·
What was the best advice given to you?
o
To be able
to write a novel, you have to be willing to fall out of life for one year and
not let anyone sway you.
·
What advice would you give to a novice writer looking to become
a published author?
o
Write! Write right now! Put down the cell phone. Turn off the
television. Turn down the invitation to the weekend party. Everyone will
forgive your absence when your book hits the bestseller list.
4.
With so many avenues available
in the publishing world, what do you foresee as the future of literature?
o
I wish I knew. I am baffled by the industry. I am a true
believer in traditional publishing, so I will do all I can to keep it alive.
5.
For this group of questions, I
would like to talk to you about your style, specifically. Each writer has their own regiment, or
complete lack thereof LOL. I am
interested to learn more about your process.
·
Do
you write every day, or do you keep a journal?
Why, or why not?
o
I do not keep a journal, although I know many writers who do and
they find it invaluable. But I do try to write every day. On those days when I
am not writing, I research. I find it difficult to write creatively on a day
that my brain is wholly focused on research. I think it’s a "right
brain/left brain" thing.
·
When
my partners or I have an idea, we often sound board off one another to help
push vague ideas into concrete tales. Do
you find this is helpful for you, and if so, who is your sounding board?
o
I think it would be HUGELY helpful! Lol! I don't have such a
person, except my husband occasionally. When he has time to listen to my
ramblings, he can be a major help to me. Actually, I read a lot to my dogs, but
it's only when they fall asleep listening to me that I feel like I am getting
any real feedback from them. J A few times a
year I can snag another author and get a truly valuable critique.
·
Do
you use an outline, or do you just let the story and characters take you where
they want to go? How do you go from
concept to creation?
o
Oh my goodness, Julie! I try and I try to write outlines, but it
only seems to impede my progress. And it's not that I don't know where my story
is going, because I do. I mean, basically, I know the beginning, the middle,
and the ending, but it's no use getting specific about it because it simply
won't happen that way.
·
Where do you find inspiration?
o
I think my inspiration comes from my own imagination, but to
bring it forth I need quiet and a bit of time.
o
Once, just the length of a hot shower was all I needed to find
the name of the main character in Shadow
of the Hawk. I had been searching for the right
name for this character for years, literally!
o
Exasperated, I stepped into the shower one morning with her on
my mind and roared, "What is your name?!"
o
Clear as a bell, in my head I heard, "My name is
Sooze."
o
Taken aback and a little confused, I said, "Sue's? As in
S-U-E apostrophe S?"
o
She said, "No, Mama says nothin' ever really belongs to us
except our beliefs and she didn't want to mislead me, so instead of S-U-E, Mama
taught me to spell it S-O-O-Z-E so that I'd never have a possessive to my name."
o
Hearing a character speak is one of the most inspiring things to
me. They're asking to be heard and they're telling me that I'm the one they
trust to tell their story.
·
Writing can be exhausting.
What do you do to recharge and refresh?
o
When I'm not writing, I am doing things with my dogs, working in
my vegetable and herb garden, or cooking. I love to cook!
·
Music
or no music? What is your workspace like
when you write?
o
Normally, I write in silence, but instrumental music can be incredibly
helpful. During breaks, I often listen to music from, or about, the era in
which I'm writing.
o
I have a home office, which is actually just a bedroom with lots
of bookcases and a desk. It's where I have keep of my books and reference
materials. It has several windows, so sometimes it’s a bit distracting.
o
Today, for example, a lovely roadrunner came and pecked at my
office window trying to figure out how to get inside. Now if that doesn't take
your focus away, nothing will! I spent at least ten minutes talking to that
beautiful roadrunner.
·
Favorite beverage to have on hand?
o
I have three that bring me great comfort and joy: Coffee with
French vanilla creamer, hot tea (all varieties, but lemongrass with mint is my
favorite), and white wine, Pinot Grigio preferred.
·
Pen & paper, laptop, or what ‘canvas’ do you prefer to use?
o I work on a desktop
computer, although I love my laptop, especially when the urge to write outside
hits me.
·
I
know that I, personally, live many lives inside my own head. Sometimes, finding balance between the seen
and unseen worlds I traverse can be challenging. How do you keep the balance in your life?
o I'm sorry, I
don't understand the question. HA! Balance? Does any writer have balance?
o In my former life
(before retiring), the scale was weighted down with a paying job requiring way
too many hours. All my creativity was virtually lost. Now that I'm retired, the
scale tips in the other direction.
o If my life ever
had balance, it must have been for a very short time, because I never saw it.
6.
What can we expect to see from
you over the coming year?
o I hope to have my
Women's Historical Fiction novel finished and out on submission to publishers soon.
I also have two more novels planned that are itching to be written!
·
Do
you have a current WIP? If so, can you
tell us a little about it?
o My WIP
is a novel set during the days of California's Gold Rush. The
main character is a strong-willed young widow who is determined to become
an independent businesswoman in a rough, male-dominated world.
·
What’s
the best way for readers to connect with you and your books?
o
Facebook is probably the best way to connect with me, but I also
use Twitter, Instagram, and my KSJones.com website. My links are:
Again,
I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I know my readers will love you and be as
fascinated by you as I am. Peace and
blessings to you, my friend!
I am honored by your interest and grateful for your time. Thank
you SO much for seeing value in my writing and for asking such wonderful
questions today. One cannot ask for more. You are amazing!
Fabulous interview. It caught me when she mentioned one of my favorite authors. I too was influenced by Conrad Richter. Write on.
ReplyDeleteRight? Karen is a wonderful, intelligent, and charming woman... We are truly kindred spirits! :)
DeleteHello Mari! It's so nice to meet another Conrad Richter fan. I have THE TREES sitting on my desk right now. Thanks for stopping by with a comment!
DeleteJulie, thanks so much for spending time me! I love your interviews and I come back here often to find inspiration from others you've interviewed.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen - that means a lot to me <3
DeleteI appreciate you taking the time to visit with me and for adding to the collection of great minds that help to make my page fun and interesting. Hugs!