Meet the Neighbors - Kathryn Bain's - Knight and Day

On Meet the Neighbors, today, we’re meeting mystery writer, Kathryn Bain.  Mystery with a touch of romance, if I read her blurb right. But here I am chatting your ear off again, when you really came to hear from Kathryn.  So here we go… 

Oh, and Kathryn’s giving away an e-copy of Knight and Day to one lucky duck who leaves a comment.  So make sure you stop to say hey! 

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What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve received?

The best piece of advice I’ve ever received is to write what you read. I love mystery and suspense so that’s what I write. I like to throw in a little romance sometimes, but I’m not particularly fond of romantic books in general. Probably because I don’t have any in my life at the moment.

We might just have to change your mind on romance.  I’ve found I love writing romance, mostly because of the idea of happy ever afters for everyone. Back to the interview, what’s your writing schedule?  Are you a full time writer? 

I get up at 5:30 every morning and exercise, shower, then sit down to write for an hour. I leave for work about 7:30. I’m a paralegal but only work 24 hours a week. Once I get home about 3:30, I get back into writing/marketing mode until about eight. I do take breaks for dinner and snacks. After all, what good are you if you don’t have a brownie now and again.

Love brownies.  Seriously.  So what’s your writing must have snack?  Or drink?

Actually, I don’t eat when I write. (Not that I would turn down a chocolate bar.) I only have a bottle of water next to me. However, when I’m at home all day working, I do get up every 50 minutes and make sure I walk around. I’ve got sciatica. If I don’t move every hour, my legs freeze up on me.

Lynn looks around her own desk and moves the coke cans and candy wrappers farther away… So, Kathryn, how long does it take you to write a book?

I actually can write the first draft of a book in a month to a month and a half. My latest release Knight & Day was written November of 2012 during NaNoWriMo. I had it done in one month. Of course, you wouldn’t want to read that draft because it is totally unpolished and bad. My first draft has no scene settings, only dialogue and action.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

A lot of my ideas for books come from songs. My first book Breathless came from the Toby Keith song, “God Love Her”. I just loved the idea of the Bible on the motorcycle. I’m working on a Christmas book called Joshua’s Gift that was inspired by a Matthew West song, “One Last Christmas.”

I love my Toby! How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I’ve got four books available, and two more should be out this year, if I get the Christmas book done. My favorite is probably my upcoming release Beautiful Imperfection. My heroine in that book is dealing with the aftermath of breast cancer. I think it’s my favorite because I learned so much. Being a female, I thought I’d know how to react to breast cancer, I was wrong. I learned I didn’t know anything. It’s about so much more than boobs.

Being a breast cancer survivor, I could tell you stories…but we’ll save those for another day.   What do you enjoy most about life?

My biggest enjoyment right now revolves around my oldest daughter. She’s having my first grandchild in May. It’s a girl, so we’re busy buying clothes, getting ready for showers and everything like that. And I’m having a blast. Can’t wait to hold her.

List two authors we would find you reading when taking a break from your own writing.

Janet Evanovich and Leighton Gage. I know I go from one extreme to the other.

I tend to read anything I can get my hands on, so no judgment here! Thanks so much for taking time to talk with us at A Fairy Tale Life.  You can find more about Kathryn at her website. 

Knight and Day – by Kathryn Bain

A name can mean a lot. You expect a Jasper to be the CEO of a company. Name your son Phineas, well, he might get beat up a lot. However if you chose to call your daughter Trubleh (True blay), you get what you ask for.

Trubleh Lawrence makes a habit out of discovering dead bodies. When the police look to her as a suspect, she has no choice but to search for the killer. If that’s not bad enough she has to deal with a grandmother who has visions, a co-worker who makes the Wicked Witch of the West look like Shirley Temple, and a guy who constantly reminds her that celibacy is hard when a hot male’s around.