Tell us a little about yourself, Kirstin.
Let’s see…
I was born and raised in Southern California, and later graduated from Oregon
State University (Go Beavs!) with a degree in Forest Management. I am happily
married with two small children, 4 and 6.
I believe life is an adventure, and try to make every day memorable.
Life is an adventure - so true! Even when you don't have young kids running around. How long have you been writing, or when did you
start writing?
I have been writing my whole life. It has always been my creative outlet… some
people sing, some paint, some cook… I
write. I didn’t start pursuing it as a
career until a couple of years ago.
Do you write primarily in one genre?
So far, my
writing has focused on the fantasy genre.
It is one of my favorites, and one that my mind natural is drawn
to. I love the idea of good triumphing
over evil, Princes Charming waiting around the corner, damsels in distress, and
that magic is as real as science.
I love fantasy. :D As a writer is there a particular obstacle you
face? If so, how do you get around it?
My biggest obstacle is
balance. I struggle to find the right
ways to juggle writing, social networking, and marketing with my family
life. I am constantly shuffling things,
and trying to find a balance that works… I am still a work in progress on
that. Ha!
Believe me, I know how that goes! I have an almost five year old, an almost three year old, and a seventeen month year old.
Tell us of your experience getting your first
work published.
A couple of years ago, I started thinking about
what I wanted to do when my kids were older and in school full time. With a blank slate in front of me, I started
to think about what I truly wanted to do.
There was only one thing that popped into mind. I wanted to write.
With that revelation in
mind, I began to do what I needed to do… I edited my book, edited it some more,
queried agents, edited more, queried publishers, edited more… after a year of
this cycle I received a contract from Malachite Quills Publishing.
That's wonderful! How many books have you written?
I have
written 2 books. The Escape for Princess
Madeline and its sequel, The Battle for Princess Madeline. The third and final of this series should be
ready Winter 2013.
Do you have any tips or tricks to help keep
your ideas in order or at least from being forgotten?
Write
them down!!! I have a notebook that I
keep in my purse, so whenever an idea, a bit of dialogue, or a new arc of a
storyline hits I can write it down. I
also use the microphone option on my cell phone, if I can’t write. When inspiration calls, I have to answer.
Do you have a writing schedule?
I
am trying to get better at this and more disciplined for a consistent
schedule. I try and wake up an hour
before the kids and get up to have some quiet time, as well as after bedtime. During the day, I am 100% focused mommy.
Sounds like you definitely know how to juggle being a mommy and a writer.
How do your stories unfold? Are they
plotted first and then filled out or do they simply unravel as you go?
I
am a plotter. Before I sit down to write
my first draft, I have a clear outline of what is going to happen. The major story arcs, conflicts and twists
are all designed. From there, I weave my
words to follow the structure, but allow for sudden changes that may
develop. For me, this keeps my thoughts
more streamlined and plot holes a bit tighter.
How do you go from a degree in Forest
Management to being an author of Young Adult Fantasy?
Haha,
well, I say every day is an adventure that you never know where it will take
you. This is an example where I can say
I have been a writer my whole life. I
remember being in the woods on my lunch breaks, writing. I would be out on fires, and in the evening,
I would be writing a story. I am an
outdoorsy girl, feeling completely at home and at ease in nature. What I found, for me, was that working in the
forest, took the enjoyment out of it.
Having the joy removed from one of my favorite past times was too high a
price… and so life took a detour, and a new career path.
Where can readers find you and your work?
So
many places!!!! I love to connect with
new readers and fans.
Twitter: @KirstinPulioff
Who are the people you would like to
thank? A big thank you to my husband,
who supports me and stands behind me 100%, and to my kids. They teach me every day to be grateful for
the little things, to believe in magic, and to live life to its fullest.
Thanks for a wonderful interview! And here's a great giveaway for you all to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I really enjoyed the interview Nicole and Kirstin. It is interesting how you went from the forest to writing, but as writing was always there, sounds like a natural transition. Plus, I imagine you could put together a vivid scene in the woods given your history and intimate knowledge of the sights, sounds, scents and the feel.
ReplyDeleteWishing you the very best :-)
Great interview and awesome book covers. I need to get on a writing schedule again. Writing when it's convenient is a recipe for a long and rough ride to accomplishing anything. Thank you for sharing the great interview Nicole and nice to meet you Kristin. =)
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