K. A. Denver Q & A

What is your name?

My pen name is K. A. Denver

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I have always loved to write. As I child, in my teens, and even when I got married in my mid-twenties I would dabble.

What genre books do you write?

I write in various genres. To date I have written contemporary fantasy, magical realism, supernatural horror, and urban fantasy.

What is the name of your book/books?

My first book, Forest of Ancestors (The Guardians series) is a contemporary fantasy immersed in magical realism.

Then I published a short supernatural horror, Dog Soldiers aimed at an adult audience.

In December just passed I published the first book in a novella series aimed at the YA audience. The Grimoire Prophecies is an urban fantasy and again it delves into magical realism.

Where there alternate endings you considered?

I had planed out the whole storyline of Forest of Ancestors but as I was writing it, the ending organically changed. The deaths at the end were not planned. Rather, they were, but just not those characters. But I am very happy that it went that way as it has enabled me to help the guys characters develop and deepen.

As for The Grimoire Prophecies, I could not make up my mind what ending I was going to go with as it is a novella series I knew I had to end on a cliffhanger but I wasn’t sure to what extent so I had about four different endings for that.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Keep your stories, don’t throw them out and self-label them as ‘just playing with ideas’. I threw out so many short stories that I had written from my teens that I know could have been developed into something amazing today.

Does your family support your career as a writer?

Yes, very much so. My kids and husband are very considerate of my writing time. Though, at the moment, I don’t get a great amount of time to write. Currently I edit for other indie authors and I have a full schedule. But my new years resolution was to put aside writing time for myself and I just have to force myself to stick with that.

What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?

Nothing, hahaha. It is true, I find writing the male perspective so much easier than the female. I blame being raised with four older brothers on this. I find getting into the male mindset quite easy. If anything, I find writing females difficult. My female characters are not the typical damsels, they are strong minded, they don’t take c**p from anyone. They are not your typical PNR female.

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

It depends on the scene I am writing. If it is an action scene, then I liken it to having watched Bruce Lee as a kid. Afterwards you feel like you can take on the world. If it is an emotional scene then it can tip my mood.

What items do you surround yourself with when you write?

Lucozade, Lucozade, oh and did I mention Lucozade? I am not, and never have been, a coffee or tea drinker so my nectar of choice is Lucozade. I tend to not eat (I mostly forget I am supposed to) and I sit in what my husband calls my Sherpa outfit (my fleecy toweling robe).

What is your favourite genre of books to read?

I like everything really (well, everything except zombies). I love PNR, paranormal, supernatural, Syfy, political suspense/thrillers, and horror. I like a book that is character driven and that does not drown me in needless details.

What is your favorite childhood book?

I loved Nancy Drew books, but as a child my favorite books were Arthur C Clarkes Mysterious World and Chariot of the Gods. Not a kids typical read but I was an inquisitive child. Regular books bored me mostly. I liked to read about things and then research them.

Do you have a favorite author or one who inspires you to write?

If I had to name someone it would be J. R. Ward and her Fallen Angels series as well as her BDB series. I love how she builds not just complex characters with multiple layers to their emotions and actions, but the world building is second to none.

What words of wisdom would you give to someone who wants to be an author?

Take advice. Many writers think that the hardest part of publishing a book is writing it. It is not, that is the easy part. The hard part is giving your work to an editor to dissect, revising it, having an editor dissect it again, and then revising once more. Your done right? Wrong, you now need to have it read by your target audience to see if it hits the mark you are aiming for. If it does, great, and if it doesn’t it is not the end of the world, but it does mean you have to revise it again. While all this is going on, and if you are wise, you will have a professional cover designer working on your cover. Many authors underestimate the importance of a striking cover. A reader will pick up your book if the cover ‘grabs’ them. If your cover is self-made and screams ‘I did this to cut corners’ then you have already lost potential readers.

Covers do not have to cost the earth, but they will cost. Your best bet is to by a premade and work on your blurb. Those are the hooks you need to attract potential readers. If your cover sucks, and your blurb sucks, then it will not matter how amazing your book it, nor will it matter how much money you throw at advertising it, no one will be interested.

Writing a book and self-publishing it is hard, I will not lie, but it is worth it to see your words on paper and your name on your book sitting proudly on your bookshelf.

My mum always said, “...anything worth doing is worth doing right, and if it is hard to do it makes the victory all that sweeter when you accomplish it.”

K. A Denver's website visit here.

A military man, taken by brute force, wakes up in a strange place where there is no honor amongst men. It’s survival of the fittest and to be the leader of the pack, he must claw his way to the top. Literally!

A gory little short story.

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Eli is not your average witch, he is a member of a group of elite male warriors fighting evil entities that torment the non-magical world.

However, when one of their leaders is murdered, questions are raised and an ancient foe of Dark Witches, who was previously thought to be long gone, reappears.

It will take all their abilities to defeat this enemy with the possible help of an unlikely ally. Knowing the past will lead them to unexpected revelation which erupts into a battle unlike any other. Eli is about to discover all is not as it seems and life has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

In Forest of Ancestors, the first book of The Guardians series, K.A. Denver weaves magic, romance, and betrayal into a thrilling fantasy with a contemporary flare.

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Sophie Seymour has been shielded her whole life from a world of magic and wonder.

A traumatic event in sixteen-year-old Sophie’s life leaves her devastated, her nightmares and grief only increasing her turmoil. All that is about to change when twins, Joshua and Ethan Walker, come into her life along with a mysterious and mischievous cat. Struggling to understand why she feels drawn to them, Sophie embarks on a journey within and finds more than she expected.

Sophie feels drawn to uncover a truth about her world, but is she strong enough to face the shocking choices and sacrifices which lie ahead?

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Books 2 Buy Buy Here.