Virginia McKevitt: Interview

• Interview with Author Virginia McKevitt

  
  

  * What is *Your Book* about? As the author, what do you say it is about?

   
     FRACTURE is a fantasy that is set in two worlds. One, similar in ways to medieval times, the other in present day small town America. Fracture not only represents the separation of two worlds, but a deeper look into the lives of Tegrin, an assassin for his king, and Kristina, a young woman who realizes her life has a different path. A path that entangles them both in a destiny neither will be able to walk away from.

  
     Tegrin is sent to our world to kill and return the Couton, an ancient clan of women who feed off the memories of others. The Couton think they have escaped a world that keeps their feeding in check, to a world where they can hunt freely, but Tegrin will never rest until they are dead. His mission is to get in and out before he or the Couton are discovered in our world.

  
   Enter Kristina. The murder of her parents by the Couton, and her discovery of Tegrin, will set off a chain of events that will reveal secrets in her life that have been hidden in her soul since she was a small child. Secrets that only a few will ever know in this world and some are willing to kill for at all cost, in the other. 

    

  *Where is your well of inspiration for this novel? How did the idea come to you?

    Hmm, that’s not an easy answer. My imagination knows no boundaries and I love fantasy, so writing it seemed the thing to do. I really don’t have an answer as to how the idea came to me, it just did. It usually starts with a character or characters and then the theme of the story seems to fall into place. THEY LIVE! Lol, that’s kind of, what happens.

  
  

  *Do you base any of your characters on real people? If so, do they know, and how do they feel about their portrayal?

     I try not to, but I’m sure there are some truths woven into the characters I have created. I’m sure that some of the characters are a bit like Frankenstein. The bits and pieces make a whole.

  
  

  *Writing music? What is coming through your speakers when you're writing?

     I’m a rock-n-roller. I like the older groups, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and the Eagles, but I also like Nickleback, Metallica, and even Adele.

  
  

  *If your book had a theme song, what would it be and why?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D06CXNWU5s 
     “When I Am Through With You,” by VLA. I love the show Damages, and when they played this song at the end it hit me as the one.

  *For you, what is the most problematic portion of writing a novel? Plot lines? Character depth? 

     I know the characters like I know myself (haha, multiple personalities come to mind) but making the magic believable and the keeping the plot interesting to my readers is the challenge.

  *When writing, are you ever stumped? How do you get over it? 

     Yes, I get stumped, sometimes for days. The way I get over it is to get away from writing it for a little while. I don’t want to come across as forced so the best thing to me is to wait until my characters are ready to play again.

  *Do you have a character that is most like you? If so, why and how? 

     Sissy, maybe. She is Kristina’s older friend and a cop’s daughter. She‘s having the hardest time of all of the characters in dealing with the reality of killing someone, no matter the reason. All of the characters carry around some extra baggage that haunts them, but Sissy struggles the most with it. I‘m not a cut and dry person, and neither is she.

  *Are there any characters that were difficult to write? If so, why?

     No, not really. They all seem to have a life of their own and come together quickly. As they grow in the story so does their personalities and traits. Once I see them in my head, the rest follows.

  *What are you favorite authors and books? What do you like about them?
     Dean Koontz and Stephen King. I know, huh. I bet you didn’t see that coming. Lightning, for Koontz, and It, for Stephen King. They keep you on the edge of your seat or the light on. I also love Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. 
  I’m starting to read some of the newer authors out there when I get a chance, like Heaven Leigh Eldeen and Rue Volley, when I’m taking a break from writing. I don’t multitask very well so the reading thing kind of waits on me.

  *What are you working on now? What can we expect to see from you in the near future?
     Plenty! Book two of Fracture The Secret Enemy Saga, The Hunted is out at Smashwords, and I’m waiting for the proof for Createspace. Book three is in the works now, with book four. I also have a Vampire (not another one) story to finish that I started when Fracture was born. 

     Then, there is Lafitte’s Treasure, a fiction story about Lafitte the pirate, and Aiden’s War. That one’s a secret. 

  *If any actress was to play you in your biopic, who would it be? 

     OMG! I haven’t a clue. I couldn’t even guess at that one.

  *Speaking of family and friends, do you have a support system when it comes to writing? What was the reaction from those close to you about your novels?
     My husband is my biggest fan. He is a lover of sci-fi and fantasy, and read like most people eat. He has been with me every step of the way, and tries to pick my brain for where it comes from, but it’s scary up there so he keeps his distance. 
  The rest of my friends and family didn’t get to see the storyline until it was finished. Most of them truly only read it because they were related to me or were a friend, but after reading Fracture they are waiting in line for the next one.

  *If you could change anything about the book(s) that are already out there, is there something you wish you'd changed?
     Book one could be changed somewhat, I think. I’ve grown a lot since then and I can see where improvement is needed. There are a couple of things that didn’t help or improve the storyline that I could have scraped, but those things are what make the book what it is. Book two is still my knew baby so, not yet.

  *You're about to write. Do you have a ritual?
     I have an office but I sit at the dining room table. I like the early mornings while it is quiet. Two cups of coffee and the day begins.

  *What are you currently reading?
     The Human Side, by Heaven Leigh Eldeen. 

  *Do you have any great moments in writing to share? A character hits too close to home? A plot line makes you cringe?

     I had to kill a good guy off and it didn’t feel good. I have to talk to God a little about all this killing going on, and a few other things, but he gave me this brain so I’m using it. 

  *You meet one of your characters in a dark alley. You...?

     If it’s Tegrin and he’s hunting me. Say my prayers.

  *What do you want fans to know about *Your Book*? About you? What do you want them to know about your day, your passions, your mind-frame when you're writing?

     Wow! That’s heavy. I want fans to enjoy the ride I’m taking them on. If they have questions, I want to answer them. I want them to know I am approachable. I love talking to people about what like or don’t like about my book. 
  As far as my day goes, that would probably bore the heck out of someone, lol. My passion. My husband and my family first, and then my writing. Writing takes up a lot of time in an author’s life. It doesn’t end at the last page. That is were the real work begins, so I try to make sure that each day I spend time with my family, call a friend, and tell someone I care about that I love them.

     When I’m writing I’m not here anymore. The story is pulling me from scene to scene, like a movie playing in my head. Getting it at the moment of conception is so important, because that is where the fire burns the hottest. 

    When we are reading a good story, that’s where we all want to be. The closer to the flame, the better.

  

  
  

  The Vla - When I Am Through 

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  Lyrics: Little lamb... Smile! When I am through with you, There won't be anything left. When I am through with you, There won't be anything left. When I am t...

  
  

 You can find Fracture online from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads.