Today the Grove welcomes Katorah
Kenway to have a seat by the fire pit and share with us about herself, her
writing process, and her new release, Book 1 of the Ackerman
Security series, Hers to Have.
Storyteller’s Grove: Thank you for coming Katorah.
Katorah Kenway: It’s my pleasure.
SG: Tell us about yourself and what brought you to writing?
KK: Writing under the
pseudonym of Katorah Kenway, or Katorah K, I grew up with a love of books
beginning around the age of ten when a teacher introduced me to the works of
Beverly Cleary. From that point forward I read everything I could get my hands
on for both enjoyment and knowledge. I'm notorious for staying up
all night to finish a book because I want to know how it ends.
Inspired by the books, I
turned my passion towards writing. It’s a hobby, mostly, but something I enjoy
immensely. About five years ago, thanks to the encouragement of some amazing
friends, I decided to devote my spare time to creating something for others to
enjoy; hence the birth of Hers to Have.
It was an idea that had been bouncing around in my head for years. The
characters were constantly battling to be heard, so I finally sat down and put
their words on paper, so to speak. I used to think authors were a bit off
kilter when they'd talk about the characters in their books talking in their
minds, telling them what way the book needed to go. Now, I understand the
concept completely because it happened to me and is still happening as I write
the second book in the series. Each character wants to be heard and have their
story told.
Writing is an outlet to help relax my mind from the
day to day stresses in life. If I'm having a bad day, I can sit down, write a
few paragraphs, get lost in the words and forget about any other worries I
might have.
SG: Share with our readers a little about your book.
KK: I’m proud to introduce the Ackerman Security series
with the first book, Hers to Have. The book has a mix of mystery,
playfulness, and of course, passion.
Here’s a brief description:
Life
sometimes doesn't happen the way you envision it. One tragic event can change
your life, how you decide to handle it is your choice. Hannah's life was turned
upside down at a young age but she made the bold decision to take control of
her destiny not expecting she would uncover a family secret and find the loves
of her life.
Brothers of the heart, Spade and Nick have been best friends since childhood. Having hidden talents between them, they became the most sought after two-man team for special ops until they grew tired of the dark side of their jobs. "Retiring" from their positions, they jumped at the opportunity to help the development of a new private security firm. In their personal lives they’d resigned themselves to the fact that never would they find a woman that was right for them; having known all their lives that they could only love one woman between them; then in walked Hannah Ackerman and Fate intervened.
Brothers of the heart, Spade and Nick have been best friends since childhood. Having hidden talents between them, they became the most sought after two-man team for special ops until they grew tired of the dark side of their jobs. "Retiring" from their positions, they jumped at the opportunity to help the development of a new private security firm. In their personal lives they’d resigned themselves to the fact that never would they find a woman that was right for them; having known all their lives that they could only love one woman between them; then in walked Hannah Ackerman and Fate intervened.
As
an author, I love the chemistry between the trio, but the supporting characters
are just as important in my eyes. Book two is nearly complete and the third
book is slowly unraveling in my mind.
SG: What made you choose to self-publish your book?
KK: Being someone that has O.C.D. tendencies, it drove me crazy the way each
publisher wanted your book submitted in a different format. What's the deal
with that? Can't we all get on the same page? I have one book saved in about
fifteen different ways because each place you submit it wants something
different. Tired of dealing with that and the politics of things, I decided to
give self-publishing a try. While you still have different formats, so far I
have one for print, one for Amazon Kindle, and then another for Smashwords,
it's still a much smoother process than dealing with publishing companies. I
will say however, that having a publisher behind you helps with marketing
aspects, though.
SG: What’s your sign? How do you
think it affects your writing?
KK: I’m a Libra, but should have been born under the sign of Virgo and
it’s often obvious that I fall between the two. I’m all about the balance of
things but love to have my creative side shine. When I saw this question, I
went back and read the descriptions of Virgo and Libra according to
psychicguild.com and sat there with my jaw dropped at the comparison to my real
life. It was astonishing.
I suppose the way it affects my
writing is that I want a balance between the characters; how they work together
as a unit and get along as a family. At least in the current series I’m working
on. While some of the characters have resigned themselves to the fact that in
their minds they don’t deserve love or will never receive it, I like to prove
them wrong and remind them of their desire to love and be loved.
SG: What do you love to drink while you write?
KK: Water. Pure and simple. My indulgent drink though is a turtle
latte, hot, no whip, yes both
SG: If you were on an island
and could only bring 3 things, what would you bring?
KK: Shemar Moore, Chris Hemsworth, and Randy
Orton. (Lost in thought, fanning myself then shaking my brain back into focus.)
Oh! Did you mean necessities? Then I’d have to say water, my laptop, and a
solar powered generator so I could continue to write even if it might be from a
delusional state because the sun and I are not a good combination. I definitely
have an inner Vamp running around in my bloodstream.
SG: If you were 80 years old,
what would you tell your children?
KK: Live life to the fullest and don’t let the
world knock you down. No matter how many times others, or life in general
pushes you backward, take two steps forward to counteract the effects. You can
overcome anything if you set your mind to it. But most of all, don’t lose the
ability to love.
SG: What is the funniest thing
that has happened to you recently?
KK: I went on a scouting trip to seek out a
vehicle for a Repo Man which turned into a tour of the town. I decided right
then and there that at some point and time I’d have to get some stories from
this guy to use in future books. The fictional ideas that were sprouting out in
my mind as the day went on had my laughing internally. While I get that only I
understand the humor of this, I had to share it. Then again, it’s possible the
friend that was with me that day probably knows more about my thoughts than I’d
care to admit.
SG: If you were to have a romantic dinner with a fictional character, who
would it be and describe the ENTIRE evening.
KK: Call me crazy, but I’d have to choose LeRoy Jethro Gibbs from
NCIS. Yep, that’s what I said. While I admit, I’ve always had a thing for Mark
Harmon in my real life, it’s Gibbs that I’d want to spend the evening with.
We’d go to his place, of course,
because hey, what girl can resist working with her hands on a boat, alongside a
distinguished man, while drinking whiskey from a mason jar that used to hold
nuts and bolts.
I’d spend the evening picking his
brain about his life as a Marine Sniper and an NCIS agent so I could use that
knowledge in my writing. Now if the conversation and multiple drinks were to
lead to a sensual kiss and possible other things, who am I to complain? The man
might be older, but he is still a hottie in my mind.
~~~~~~~~~
Writing
under the pseudonym of Katorah Kenway, or Katorah K, she grew up with a love of
books from the time she was ten years old when a teacher introduced her to the
works of Beverly Cleary. From that point forward she read everything she could
get her hands on for both enjoyment and knowledge.
Currently pursuing her second chance at life with the help of friends from around the world, she chose to turn her love of books into a new hobby. With her laptop practically glued to her legs, she's spent the past couple of years pounding on the keys to create numerous story lines. Finally picking one whose characters spoke to her on a personal level, the Ackerman Security Series was born. The characters in the book are constantly in her mind telling her what they want to do and what direction the series should go.
While she likes to keep her family life private, hence the pseudonym, she wants to acknowledge that her child has given her the strength and courage to pursue her writing career along with the close knit group of friends she has from around the world.
Why did she choose a smiling latte for her profile pic? Because she is addicted to soul-warming drinks and her philosophy in life is no matter what bumps you run into, no matter what hurdles you have to cross, keep smiling. It'll make you feel better and maybe bring a smile to someone else's face in the world which is just one step closer to happiness all around.
Links to follow Katorah:
Where
to buy the books:
Amazon
(eBook and Tradeback)
Smashwords (eBook formats)
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