Author Interview – Katy Krump

1) Have you always wanted to be an author, or did some time or event in your life set you on the path?

I always wanted to teach and write so I trained as a teacher and did that for a while and wrote in my spare time, but after writing a few musicals for school that were a huge success and then published, I realised that was what I really wanted to do, so I left teaching and went into full-time writing in children’s television amongst other things.

2) Do you always write in the same genre, or do you sometimes like a change of theme? If you haven’t already, is there another genre you would like to write?

My first book, When Killers Cry, is a political thriller set during the days of Apartheid in SA, where I grew up. I then write my first full length fantasy, also due to be published by Ghostly publishing, and discovered that writing like that made my soul sing, and gives my imagination a chance to soar, there are no limits or boundaries, what more could a girl want? I’ve stuck to fantasy/sci fi for a while but still write adult fiction. I’m working on a historical novel set in both 1820 and 2000 at present as well as TV and film scripts for children and of course the Blue Dust: Forbidden sequel, Destiny, due out later this year.

4 ) As a writer, what is the best thing that has happened to you, and what is that most exciting thing that could happen to you?
Getting published by a traditional publisher is the best thing so far. But signing my first TV contract was great as was being selected out of 1000’s to write a soap for SA TV. Getting the Blue Dust series optioned for film or TV would be the most exciting thing ever!

3) How do you view the promotion, book signings etc. Is it something you enjoy, or do you prefer the writing stage?

I love the promotion side, though I do find the constant ‘self-marketing’ a challenge. I love being a writer hidden away in her country cottage, but the promotions are essential and it’s also taken me back into a classroom, which is interesting. I’ve discovered that working with small groups of children gives great satisfaction and there’s nothing that can quite describe the feeling of sitting in Waterstones with people queuing up with a copy of my book for me to sign. Being told that my book is wonderful is so fulfilling and I get a real buzz when I receive a good review.

4) Could you tell us something about your published books, and let us know what they are about?
Blue Dust : Forbidden is sci fi for older children and teenagers, the first in the Blue Dust series. It’s about alienation and self-discovery and follows the escapades of Qea, a Forbidden child from a distant galaxy sent to Earth to hide from the warlord she has betrayed. It deals with teenage issues with a bit of romance and some hints about what to do if you’re ever abducted by aliens. It’s action packed and crosses genres, a bit like real life, so there are sci fi, thriller, romance and paranormal aspects to the book. Essentially it tells the story of how on meeting Adam, an Earth boy, Qea begins questioning everything she’s ever been taught and believed about herself.
When Killers Cry, (by Katherine Edwards) was self-published and is doing quite well with some very good reviews and reaction from readers. It’s about the death squads run by the Nationalist government during the Apartheid era in South Africa and the attempts of journalist Hannah Smith to uncover the truth behind the deaths and disappearances of dissidents and activists. It’s very close to my heart as I grew up during those years and a lot of it is based on my own experiences. I am hoping to have it traditionally published at some stage…who knows what can happen in the future.
http://amzn.to/Q5MiVk

Thanks very much for your well thought out replies, Katy. What an interesting and varied life you have led. Wishing you all the best with your books in the future!