I thought about titling this post "Meet N.K. Smith, the Author Who Made My Mother Cry." My mother, a voracious reader who doesn't cry easily over novels, read Ghosts of our Past and called me up immediately after she finished to rave about it. I knew it had to be something special to stand out like that.
Based in the American Midwest, N.K. Smith is a Technical Writer for a Fortune 100 company. The author of the Old Wounds Series, she is a mother of two who finds the time to write very early in the morning when the rest of the world is still fast asleep.An avid lover of history, art, music, books, and people, she is interested in telling stories that speak to the human condition.
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1. Who's your favorite author, and why?
I hate to be a party pooper, but I can’t answer this. There are too many fine novelists out there to pick just one. I wish I could narrow down to even just one genre I like over the other, but I cannot. In high school, I couldn’t get enough of Steinbeck and Shakespeare, but I’m not sure I’d call them my favorites right now. The world of literature is incredibly diverse and populated by people who have such beautiful stories to tell that it would be a disservice to name just one as my favorite.
2. If you could have a conversation with one of the characters in your most-recently released novel, which one would it be and why?
I would talk to Henry from Ghosts of Our Pasts because he’s my favorite. We’d have tea and probably some veggies and hummus after doing a bit of yoga. We’d talk about various topics, but mostly about philosophy, deep breathing, and the power of thought.
3. Where do you get the ideas and inspiration for your characters personalities?
The characters usually just appear in my mind. Sometimes it’s just a glimpse of them, other times it’s the full character, complete with nervous tics and backstories. I think it’s my subconscious taking tiny bits and pieces of those around me, mushing them together, and pushing out a brand new person who has a story to tell.
4. What is the best thing (in your opinion) about being a writer?
The best thing about being a writer is being able to get the characters’ stories out. They pester me until I sit down and let them have a voice. It’s freeing and entertaining to get to know them Equally as awesome is connecting with people all over the world who love reading and meeting new characters.
5. How did you find your agent/publisher?
I was lucky. They found me.
6. What's the best piece of writing advice you've been given?
Just keep swimming. It wasn’t exactly writing-specific, but I think it applies. No matter how much I might want to give up on a scene or a character, I just keep writing. Eventually I break through the block, remove the barrier, or finish the manuscript.
Ten Questions
1. Who's your favorite author, and why?
I hate to be a party pooper, but I can’t answer this. There are too many fine novelists out there to pick just one. I wish I could narrow down to even just one genre I like over the other, but I cannot. In high school, I couldn’t get enough of Steinbeck and Shakespeare, but I’m not sure I’d call them my favorites right now. The world of literature is incredibly diverse and populated by people who have such beautiful stories to tell that it would be a disservice to name just one as my favorite.
I would talk to Henry from Ghosts of Our Pasts because he’s my favorite. We’d have tea and probably some veggies and hummus after doing a bit of yoga. We’d talk about various topics, but mostly about philosophy, deep breathing, and the power of thought.
3. Where do you get the ideas and inspiration for your characters personalities?
The characters usually just appear in my mind. Sometimes it’s just a glimpse of them, other times it’s the full character, complete with nervous tics and backstories. I think it’s my subconscious taking tiny bits and pieces of those around me, mushing them together, and pushing out a brand new person who has a story to tell.
4. What is the best thing (in your opinion) about being a writer?
The best thing about being a writer is being able to get the characters’ stories out. They pester me until I sit down and let them have a voice. It’s freeing and entertaining to get to know them Equally as awesome is connecting with people all over the world who love reading and meeting new characters.
5. How did you find your agent/publisher?
I was lucky. They found me.
6. What's the best piece of writing advice you've been given?
Just keep swimming. It wasn’t exactly writing-specific, but I think it applies. No matter how much I might want to give up on a scene or a character, I just keep writing. Eventually I break through the block, remove the barrier, or finish the manuscript.
7. Biggest mistake you've made as an author?
There are a lot of things I’d do differently, but I wouldn’t call them mistakes. I’d call them learning opportunities.
8. What would the lead character of your latest novel want for Christmas?
The lead male character I’m writing at the moment would want two tickets to Anfield to watch Liverpool Football Club play.
There are a lot of things I’d do differently, but I wouldn’t call them mistakes. I’d call them learning opportunities.
8. What would the lead character of your latest novel want for Christmas?
The lead male character I’m writing at the moment would want two tickets to Anfield to watch Liverpool Football Club play.
2. Favorite Christmas music?
The kind I don’t hear. Okay, fine, my favorite is O, Holy Night!, but I like Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer as well because my kids love it, and I like to change the words so they’re the hero of the story.
3. What was the best gift you ever received?
The best gift I’ve ever received didn’t happen at the holidays. I won’t say it’s my children, because it’s cliché and goes without saying. The best gift I’ve ever received was when I worked for a beachside bed and breakfast and my husband and I were broke. The normally abrasive chef asked me what was wrong. I told him. He reached into his pocket, pulled out all the money he had on him, and handed it to me. He said that he’d been where I was, and he and his wife made a promise to each other that when they could, they’d help someone else out when they needed it. Now, it wasn’t a huge sum of money. It was $15, but the meaning behind it affected me deeply. It was the gift that kept on giving long after the money was spent. It’s still giving something special to me each time I remember there are good people out there who want nothing in return for their assistance. It’s helped shape my worldview and helped me see to the core of people.
Thank you, N. K. Smith!
You can find her books on the TWCS bookshop.
Author to Author Giveaway!
Prize pack of ebooks:
Legacy of a Dreamer by Allie Jean (16+)
Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan (16+)
Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan (16+)
Behind Closed Doors by Sherri Hayes (16+)
Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever by L.V. Lewis (18+)
Riverbend by Andrea Goodson
Serial Summer by Angel Lawson (18+)
MORE by T.M. Franklin
Valerie, Daughter of the Dragon by Robert S. Fuller, Jr.
Ghosts of our Pasts by N.K. Smith
My Only by N.K. Smith
The Six by K.B. Hoyle
Damaged Goods by Alexandra Allred
Please note, the 18+ titles will only be awarded to a winner eighteen years or older.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The kind I don’t hear. Okay, fine, my favorite is O, Holy Night!, but I like Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer as well because my kids love it, and I like to change the words so they’re the hero of the story.
3. What was the best gift you ever received?
The best gift I’ve ever received didn’t happen at the holidays. I won’t say it’s my children, because it’s cliché and goes without saying. The best gift I’ve ever received was when I worked for a beachside bed and breakfast and my husband and I were broke. The normally abrasive chef asked me what was wrong. I told him. He reached into his pocket, pulled out all the money he had on him, and handed it to me. He said that he’d been where I was, and he and his wife made a promise to each other that when they could, they’d help someone else out when they needed it. Now, it wasn’t a huge sum of money. It was $15, but the meaning behind it affected me deeply. It was the gift that kept on giving long after the money was spent. It’s still giving something special to me each time I remember there are good people out there who want nothing in return for their assistance. It’s helped shape my worldview and helped me see to the core of people.
Thank you, N. K. Smith!
You can find her books on the TWCS bookshop.
-<<O>>--<<O>>--<<O>>--<<O>>--<<O>>--<<O>>--<<O>>-
Prize pack of ebooks:
Legacy of a Dreamer by Allie Jean (16+)
Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan (16+)
Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan (16+)
Behind Closed Doors by Sherri Hayes (16+)
Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever by L.V. Lewis (18+)
Riverbend by Andrea Goodson
Serial Summer by Angel Lawson (18+)
MORE by T.M. Franklin
Valerie, Daughter of the Dragon by Robert S. Fuller, Jr.
Ghosts of our Pasts by N.K. Smith
My Only by N.K. Smith
The Six by K.B. Hoyle
Damaged Goods by Alexandra Allred
Please note, the 18+ titles will only be awarded to a winner eighteen years or older.
Looking forward to picking up these books!
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