An Interview With Kristy

Tell us about yourself.
I’m an Arizona native, and live with my husband in the desert north of Phoenix with our two dogs and youngest child. My three older kids are grown and gone. My education is in engineering, but I’ve been a passionate writer since I was seven years old.

Where do you get your ideas from?
Book ideas come from everywhere: the news, magazines, the internet, TV, films, and my own curiosity.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?
Sometimes I use real people as inspiration, but ultimately I develop the character that I need for my story. Character and plot go hand-in-hand for me.

How do you pick your characters’ names?
I often use a baby book to get started, but sometimes I’ll change a name well into writing the story if the current one doesn’t seem to fit. I also love to watch the end credits of movies. Lots of great names to choose from.

What's your writing process?
I mostly write in the afternoons. I tend to plot a little, then write, then get stuck so I’ll plot a little more again. Rinse and repeat.

Is there a drink or food that keeps you company while you write?
I drink water and tea. If I'm particularly stressed over my writing, I tend to turn to candy. Sweetarts, red licorice, and gummies are my favorite. I also chew a lot of gum.

Who are your top 5 favorite authors?
Jane Austen, Katherine Neville, Anne McCaffrey (no relation), Ann Charles, and Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?
Katherine Neville, author of THE EIGHT, an ambitious and complicated novel that I love so much. I’d simply want to talk craft with her.

Were you a big reader as a child?
Yes. Nancy Drew books and Charlotte’s Web were favorites.

When did you start to write?
I’ve been writing compulsively and for fun since I was a child, but I didn’t write my first novel until I was 32 years old and had four children under the age of five underfoot.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?
If you mean one of my own books, I wouldn’t. I’m pretty happy with how each of them ended. As for other books, I’m going to extend the criteria a bit to include the season finale of ‘Game of Thrones.’ I hope I’m not spoiling it for anyone since plot points have been plastered all over the internet, but I would change Dany’s character arc. She wouldn’t die, and she’d be on the throne.

Is there a book you wish you had written?
Yes, THE EIGHT by Katherine Neville.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be? 
The Art of Sleeping-In

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?
This was harder than I thought it would be. I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to choose film characters. I’m a sucker for a strong female lead in a movie. Here’s a few of my favorites: Bess Armstrong from Jaws 3-D; Kate Bosworth from Blue Crush; Sandra Bullock from Practical Magic; Reese Witherspoon from Legally Blonde; Brie Larson from Captain Marvel. Where would we go? A girl’s weekend at a nice resort—hit the spa, eat out, and have a great time chatting about life.

Do you take a notebook with you to write down ideas?
No, but I do take notes on my phone.

Have you considered writing in a different genre in the future?
No. I currently write in two genres (contemporary adventure and historical western romance) and it keeps me very busy.

Which genre do you not like at all?
I'm pretty open to reading anything that catches my eye, so I try not to limit myself.

What are you working on right now?
I’m working on Book 3 in my Pathway Series, ANCIENT WINDS. This will feature Brynn Galloway and Dr. Tristan Magee as they search for an ancient artifact. It will be a mix of ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘The X-Files.’

Any release news?
I'm about to release my first western romance, THE WREN, in German. I'm very excited to expand into a new market.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?
My husband takes me to lunch.

How can readers keep in touch with you?
Website: https://kmccaffrey.com/
Newsletter: https://kmccaffrey.com/subscribe/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristyMcCaffrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristymccaffreybooks/

Seven Things About My Writing Life by Kristy McCaffrey @McCaffreyKristy

By Kristy McCaffrey

I recently came across an old post on Facebook from a few years back in which my author friends were challenging one another to reveal seven things about their writing life. And since I’ve been a bit brain dead lately from promoting my latest release, I thought I’d regurgitate my response into a blog post. Reuse and recycle, as my husband likes to say.

1.  An early spark of interest in writing occurred when I was young and read Mary Stewart’s King Arthur Trilogy. I remember wondering how in the world she came up with her dialogue.

2.  My first real writing happened in high school. I penned fan fiction in Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern universe (I’m not related to her, unfortunately). I had one of my Pern stories published in a fanzine. I was so very excited. I have to give a shout-out to my mom because she helped me to write it.

3.  My first published novel was also the first full-length book I ever wrote (The Wren). I had no rejection letters. (I have some now.) I was with a small press run by a wonderful woman who gave me a break, but the editor she assigned did very little editing and I was too green to do anything about it. I’ve since cleaned up that early version, although it’s still not my most polished book. But it’s one of my favorites, teaching me much about plot, character, and writing from the heart.

4.  Why I started out writing westerns is a mystery to me because it’s so dang hard. I know nothing about guns or horses, and history was never my favorite subject in school. However, I’m anal about research and always do quite a bit for each project.

5.  My writing routine has changed over the years, but one constant remains—writing a story is like riding a rollercoaster with my eyes closed. I hang on and hope I’m good enough to get to the end.

6.  I figure out most of my story problems when I first wake up. My husband thinks I’m a late sleeper, but I’ve usually been awake for a while before heading to the kitchen. (Hubby and I both work from home.)

7.  I tend to see stories in symbols. (I view everyday life this way, too.) I’m always looking for archetypal moments in a tale, times when there’s a double-meaning in a scene, or a larger picture than what the details convey. This isn’t a fast process, and I’ve frequently come up short when trying to finish a work quickly. I’ve always felt that writers are, in essence, healers. A good story can patch up a weary soul.

Time to get back on the rollercoaster…

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