Author Interview: Stacey Kade (The Ghost and the Goth)

Today I am so honored to post my author interview with Stacey Kade, who wrote the really fun book The Ghost and the Goth.  Read my review here.  I usually don't like books with ghosts in them, but I loved this one!  It's got mystery, love, family issues, jealousy and more!  My questions for Stacey are in purple.

Before writing The Ghost and the Goth, you were an award-winning copywriter. Can you tell us about your journey from copywriter to writing fiction?
Actually, I've been writing fiction pretty much since I graduated from college, so I was doing both for a long time. It takes a while--at least it did for me--to get the skills and practice you need to write a book that's, well, readable! :) I wrote my first book back in 1999-2000 and only a few friends saw it. It was so not publishable! But I learned a lot from that experience, and I have worked to improving my writing and editing skills with every book.

Alona personifies high school's typical "mean girl." Did you base her, or any of your other characters, on real people?
I don't base characters off of real people, no. But you see characteristics in people that you want your fictional people to have. Does that make sense? So, Alona is not based on any mean girl in particular, but I had a great deal of experience with mean girls in high school (and beyond--hey, they don't go away just because you graduate!) and I paid attention to how they operated, how they thought. Mainly because I was trying to avoid them!

Do you have a specific time or place when you do your best writing?

I work most days out of my home office, and morning is usually best. But if I really need to focus and get pages done, I love working in the cafe area of my Barnes and Noble. It forces me to concentrate on writing, and when I want to take a break, I can people-watch to my heart's content.

You have a great list of recommended reads on your website. What are you reading now? What's your all-time favorite book?

Right now, I'm reading A Field of Darkness by Cornelia Read, and it's excellent. But if I'm not finished with it by Tuesday, I'll probably end up putting it aside for Mockingjay!!! :) All-time favorite book...going strictly by number of times I've read and re-read it, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

What's next for you?

The sequel to The Ghost and the Goth is called Queen of the Dead and it will be out in June 2011. I'm working on the third book now as well as a couple of new ideas.

Thank you, Kelli, for having me here today!

 

Visit Stacey Kade's webiste here.