Action-Adventure, Thriller, and Speculative Fiction Author
K.A. DOWLING
May 14, 2018
Kelly Dowling is an indie author from Boston. She’s been writing since she was a little girl, and has wanted to be an author since the first time she put pen to paper. She’s the author of the Victorian fantasy trilogy, Rogue Elegance, and is releasing the deadly final installment on May 18th. She’s also excited to announce that she just recently signed with the Booker Albert Agency, and is so thrilled to see where this next phase of her writing journey takes her.
You are the author of The Rogue Elegance trilogy. With the first two out and the third installment due out soon, could you tell us a little about your work and your upcoming new release?
The Rogue Elegance trilogy started as an elaborate game of make-believe that a friend and I played when we were little girls. I didn’t want it to end, so eventually I started putting it on paper. The story is about a young woman who spent her whole life wanting to board a ship and sail away from home, and when she finally does she finds more than she bargained for out there in the world. The trilogy follows her and several other key players as they try to figure out where they fit into a changing world.
Tell us about your protagonist(s)? Was there a real-life inspiration behind him or her?
Emerala the Rogue is a woman who says what she’s thinking, even when she probably shouldn’t. She’s reckless and impulsive, and, as one character puts it, has a mouth full of razorblades. It’s been interesting to take that character and watch her “grow up” over the years, with the story changing all around her as I honed my writing craft. (It’s been 18 slow years in the making, and the story has changed twice that amount).
How did you get in touch with your inner villain(s) to write this book. Was there a real-life inspiration for him/her?
I always tell people that Rogue Elegance doesn’t have a villain, just a lot of grey area. Every single character, at one point or another, does something unforgiveable. They also redeem themselves. As a social worker, I love to see the dark and light in everyone, and I really wanted my characters to be as human as possible, and have human drives. They make mistakes. They’re selfish and they lie and they look out for themselves. But, if I’ve done my job correctly, you feel for them all at one point or another, no matter what they’ve done.
What was the hardest part of writing this trilogy?
The hardest part of writing this book was turning the world from a little girl’s imagination into something that could function as a story. When I started writing it I didn’t understand the components of a story. I just wrote. And wrote and wrote and wrote. I haven’t discarded anything. I’ve compiled over 3,000 pages of raw material over the years, which is both cringe worthy and interesting to flip through. But it was difficult to sort of take all of that as an adult and turn it into something polished and complete.
RAPID FIRE
Part One
DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM WRITING THIS BOOK AND WHAT WAS IT?
I learned how to tell a story so that it works. All those years of writing and rewriting taught me how NOT to write, as well as tactics that work for me as a professional
IS THERE A MESSAGE IN YOUR NOVEL THAT YOU HOPE READERS WILL GRASP?
The overarching themes of Rogue Elegance have to do with the “otherization” and persecution of those who don’t fit into a certain mold, whether religiously, sexually, or culturally. The story takes place as power is being passed on to a younger, more tolerant generation.
WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PROJECT(S)?
I am working on getting an urban fantasy Peter Pan retelling published, which I’m hoping will find a home. I’m really excited about it because it features a deaf protagonist, which is an OWN voice for me, as I’m also deaf. My current WIP is a dystopian dark fantasy about a female mechanic, and I’m having so much fun with it!
WHAT IS THE FIRST BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY?
Oh, man. I wept like a baby during the end of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and every subsequent Harry Potter book after that one.
DO YOU THINK SOMEONE COULD BE A WRITER IF THEY DON’T FEEL EMOTIONS STRONGLY?
I hesitate to say no, because I have writer friends who don’t feel the same attachment that I do, but they’re excellent at the craft. I’m incredible emotive and I laugh, cry, grieve, and love along with my characters, so it’s certainly necessary for me.
What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I’ve been very fortunate to be surrounded by excellent and talented people. Some of the authors I’ve connected with in the past year that have been so impactful are fellow indie authors Astrid Arditi, KT Daxon, and Laura Weber. But I really could go on for a lot longer. Working closely with a network of other authors is so integral to building your craft and holding one another accountable.
What’s the best way to market your books?
Competing to be heard/seen/read in today’s insta-world and on fast-paced social media platforms is so difficult, so the best way to market books is to stop competing. Lift one another up, connect with readers on a personal level, build connections and relationships and foster meaningful interaction.
RAPID FIRE
Part Two
DO YOU VIEW WRITING AS A KIND OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICE?
I view writing as narrative therapy. I’ve always viewed reading and writing as a form of escapism, and I love the idea of breaking down something difficult and working through it through writing.
WHAT’S THE MOST DIFFICULT THING ABOUT WRITING CHARACTERS FROM THE OPPOSITE SEX?
I’ve always preferred writing from a male perspective than a female perspective, and half of my characters in Rogue Elegance are male points of view. I think the most difficult part is perfecting the thought process and nailing down the motives for that particular character.
HOW MANY HOURS A DAY DO YOU WRITE?
As a Stay-at-Home mom, that varies from day to day. Sometimes I write for 15 minutes a day. Sometimes I write for 8 hours (those are generally the nights I don’t go to bed)
HOW DO YOU SELECT THE NAMES OF YOUR CHARACTERS?
I love baby books, but I also really love name history and meanings. I’ll spend hours reading up on the origin of a name to see if it fits the character I’m trying to build.
DO YOU HIDE ANY SECRETS IN YOUR BOOKS THAT ONLY A FEW PEOPLE WILL FIND?
Easter eggs! Those are so much fun. My dog’s name made it into book three of Rogue Elegance. My brother’s name is also in there. Both of them portray already dead characters, which amuses me more than it amuses my brother.
WHAT WAS YOUR HARDEST SCENE TO WRITE?
When you write the same three books over and over again for the better part of your formative years, you become very attached to the characters. There’s a chapter in the end of book three that’s called Shepherd, and through all the rewrites, I’ve never been able to get through it without a box of Kleenex and a glass of wine on hand.
Is there anything else you’d like the readers/authors out there to know about you, your novels, and/or the publishing process?
Keep working at it. That’s what I tell myself and what I try and tell everyone I come across. Writing isn’t a natural born talent; it’s a skill like any other. It’s so important to keep learning and keep practicing in order to sharpen those skills and grow the craft.
CONNECT WITH KELLY
Kelly wants to stay connected with you. Here are a few of the ways to do that:
Website: www.kadowling.com
Twitter: @KayAyDowling
Instagram: @authorkadowling
Be sure to check out the final installment of the Rogue Elegance series releasing Friday May, 18th!
