On October 6, 2008, I wrote an article about the Origins of Urban Fantasy, where I highlighted two urban fantasy novels by Terry Brooks and Raymond E. Feist—novels I doubted anyone else had considered as urban fantasy.
I did not spend much time on the current movers in urban fantasy, until Five Questions with Vicki Pettersson… and this next woman.
Kim Harrison is one of the leading voices in the current urban fantasy explosion that has taken control of the fantasy publishing arena. The Hollows, beginning with the novel Dead Witch Walking, is the story of Rachel Morgan, detective, who spends her time solving mysteries of the supernatural in Cincinnati. The Hollows is an example of well done urban fantasy—women kicking butt, taking names and getting a bit of romantic attention for it!
Here is Five Questions with Kim Harrison! Enjoy!
Suvudu: When did you start writing? Why do you write?
Kim Harrison: I can almost give you the exact day I started writing. It was the fall of 94, and put simply, I got bored. A story that had been haunting my thoughts since high school was dying to come out, and I sat down in the sun and wrote for about an hour. The next day, I wrote for about two hours. It got progressively worse from there until now I can’t imagine doing anything else. In those first pages, the syntax was awful, the grammar was atrocious, and the plotting was very seat of-the-pants, but even now when I look back at the first primitive scratchings, I can see the character underneath and fall in love all over again. There might have been some vague idea of becoming published someday. I truly don’t remember. But I knew that I found what I loved to do, and I kept at it until my skills started to meet my drive.
As for why I write? ;-) I’ve answered this before, so you may have heard it. My reasons haven’t changed. I write because I want to know what comes next. I write because I want to see how characters change from experience, and how they can remain exactly the same. I write because if I don’t, I won’t remember it. I write because it makes me feel good. I write because it’s a challenge to find a way to get my idea across to the military guy, the mom juggling two jobs, and the person out on their own for the first time, all using the same words.
S: Describe your writing day? How many words/pages do you write a day on average? Breaks? How much time do you spend editing and how do you go about it?
KH: My writing day depends a lot on what I'm doing, and I usually will tell you that whatever stage of a book I'm in is my favorite. Right now, I'm writing rough draft, which means I spend one day writing a chapter's worth of dialog, and the next day turning that dialog into real prose. In a week, I can chunk out 40-60 pages of really rough copy. That usually breaks down into a day something like . . . Up at 7:30, and at my desk with a cup of caffeine. I update the post page on my website, answer reader questions there, shoot off a few business emails and whatnot until about 9 or 10. I take a short break to actually get dressed, and maybe eat something, and I'm back at it until noon when I stop for lunch. Lunch is about an hour because I mess around on the Internet some more, but eventually I get back to work and don't stop until seven or so. Two nights out of the week, I'll go to the gym, but otherwise, there's another hour on the Internet doing PR work right before bed. Weekends, though, are mine, and I guard them jealously.
Editing takes as much time as rough draft for me, and since I usually edit two or three passes worth, it seems to take forever. I've made it a practice to never edit anything until after that first draft is done, and that works for me. Plotting a book out can take two weeks of 9-5 at my desk, but then I know where I'm going and I can stave off writer's block.
S: How many books did you write before you signed your first book contract? How did you get that contract? Via agent? Industry friend? Writer's retreat? Slushpile? Other?
KH: I'm going to guess I wrote the same two manuscripts over about six times before I signed my first contract. I really, really liked it, and playing with the same characters for so many years helped me realize what was effective and what wasn't when it comes to character development and plotting. I did take a year off and write about half a dozen short stories, one of which I then developed into my break-out book.
That first contract was, like most first contracts are, a gift from the literary gods that everyone works their tail off for. I won it through my agent, Richard Curtis, who is still my agent today. Meeting him was the end result of a three-year-long quest involving a dedicated writer's group, the industry friends I made there, and a carefully schemed out writer's conference to meet the man. Add in a huge dose of luck and hard work, and a contract was won!
S: What advice would you give beginning writers? What is the best way to break into the industry?
KH: I can only tell you what worked for me. There are as many ways to find publication as there are people looking for it. My usual advice is to write every day, even if you don't feel like it, because if you want to write for a living, you have to treat it like a job. Finding a working writer's critique group is essential, at least it was for me. There, you not only find the emotional support it takes to see you through, but you also begin to make the contacts you need to get your foot in the door. Even if no one in your group writes in your genre, they will help you polish your style and find your unique voice. If you wanted to put on a button, my advice would be "Write like you have the contract," which means with purpose and intent, every day, whether you feel like it or not. I've always felt that to have the chance to touch so many lives is a gift, and it needs to be earned.
S: What are you currently working on? When can we expect it?
KH: I'm currently working on the last pages of book nine in the Rachel Morgan series, and it won't be out for years! My next release will be February 24th, White Witch, Black Curse. I also have a new YA series beginning May 26th of this year, titled Once Dead, Twice Shy. I'm really excited about this as YA is one of my favorite audience to write for. This is where I fell in love with reading, and if I can pass that love on, then I will feel like I've truly accomplished something worthwhile.
To learn more about Kim, read her book excerpts and discover more information, visit www.KimHarrison.net! Kim will be out touring this spring for White Witch, Black Curse. If she comes near you, go visit her!
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