Author Interview with K.J. Dahlen

Please join me in welcoming mystery and thriller author K.J. Dahlen. Here’s Kim’s bio: Kim lives in a small town (population495) in Wisconsin. From her deck she can see the Mississippi River on one side and the bluffs, where eagles live and nest on the other side. She lives with her husband Dave and dog Sammy. Her two children are grown and one has children of her own and for that fact she feels blessed. She loves to watch people and that has helped her with her writing. She loves to create characters and put them in a troubling situation and just sit back and let them do all the work. They surprise even her at times. They take on a life of their own and the twists and turns become a story. She found she liked mystery/thrillers the best. She likes to keep my readers guessing until the very end of the book. Kim writes under the pen name: K.J. Dahlen

[Anne] When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

[Kim] I grew up a reader. I read everything and anything to discover what I enjoyed the most. The only problem was I enjoyed everything. When the plots all started to become the same, I thought I could write a more intriguing story and that’s what I did.

[Anne] Tell us about your latest book.

[Kim] The Prophet, I got the idea for the Prophet from a simple question… “Has he asked you to convert yet?” I filled in the rest of the book from that question. I filled in the outline in one weekend and the book came together quickly.

[Anne] What inspired you to write this story?

[Kim] I had the first part of this story done but I realized it needed something more, I wasn’t quite finished. Then I realized I needed to continue the story so I wrote the second part and everything came together nicely.

[Anne] How did you go about researching your book?

[Kim] I do the outline first then if I need any questions answered I look it up. Questions like, what is the area like where the stories take place, or how to forge a sword, or police procedure.

[Anne] Do you have anything new in the works?

[Kim] Yes I actually have more than one something in the works- Whenever I get an idea for a new book I have to write it down. I have several more books in the works that I hope to get the chance to work on.

[Anne] What is your writing process like? Are you a plotter or a pantster?

[Kim] I am a plotter, but the plot can and often does change as the story unfolds. At some point the characters take over and I never know what they will come up with. Sometimes they take the story in an all together different track.

[Anne] If you could be anyone of your characters, which one would you chose to be and why?

[Kim] I can’t choose just one, but if I had to I would choose to be Zoey, a forensic anthropologist. She can take a skull and create a face of the victim. She speaks for the dead in a way no one else can. She is in a couple of my books yet to be placed with a publisher.

[Anne] Say your publisher has offered to fly you anywhere in the world to do research on an upcoming book, where would you most likely want to go? (Okay so maybe this isn’t very likely to happen but since I’m asking the questions…)

[Kim] I would go to St. Augustine, Florida. I’ve set a book up down there and I would like to see the place for background research. The internet has the facts but I’d like to get the feel of the place. That’s just as important if not more important.

[Anne] You’ve just been informed that your latest release was a NY Times bestseller and Hollywood wants to turn it into a movie. What actors would you choose to play your main characters?

[Kim] The Prophet- Michael Weatherly- he has charm like the character.

Michael Roanne- I’d like to see David Boreanaz- he’s a strong character.

Rheta – Angie Harmon- she can be a bitch when she wants to be yet soft when she needs to be.

[Anne] What type of books do you like to read when you’re not writing?

[Kim] I like anything with a good plot.

[Anne] Name three things you can’t live without (excluding spouses and family because that’s a given).

[Kim] I would have a hard time giving up my coffee, Dove Chocolates; and a good idea for a story

[Anne] What advice would you give to any aspiring writers out there?

[Kim] Never give up and take a critique as another way to help you grow as a writer. Sometimes what the critic is telling you will work, sometimes it doesn’t but at least try.

[Anne] Where can we find you on the web?

[Kim] www.kjdahlen.com My books can be found at www.roguephoenixpress.com and www.buckscountypublishing.com and at www.avalon.com You can also find them on Amazon

[Anne] Where can we purchase your books?

[Kim] at www.roguephoenixpress.com; www.buckscountypublishing.com; www.amazon.com; and in December @ www.avalonbooks.com

[Anne] Is there anything else you’d like to add?

[Kim] I love being a writer and the feeling I got when I became a published author was something I’ll never forget. When I held my first book in my hand the feeling only intensified. By the end of this year I’ll have ten books out there and I hope next year I’ll have even more.