What inspired you to become an author?
I love the concept of telling a story, and I love
sharing something that was born and raised in my brain with others. I’ve
performed as a musician and speaker all over the country, and I’ve had the
chance to hear people really enjoy some of what I’ve created. I admit to loving
that feeling.
Do you have a specific writing style?
If you ask my editor(s), I have the
“do-it-all-wrong-the-first-time” style. That works for me, though it adds a lot
of cycles for continuity and grammar fixes during the editing process. I write
everything with the idea that it will eventually be a comic book or a movie. I
got my start in comics back in 2001.
Do you write in different genres?
Yes. I love to travel, but sci-fi is definitely home
for me. I’m fascinated with the changes technology has influenced in our
personal and social lifestyles. My blushing bride, Stacia D. Kelly, and I will
release our first jointly written novel in October. It’s titled “Ichi”, and
it’s the first in a series featuring Urban Samurai sisters as the protagonists.
It’s very supernatural, and not very techy.
How did you come up with the title for your latest
book?
I actually wrote book two in the Catwalk series
before I wrote book one, so I had the nomenclature pretty much already settled.
The title for “Catwalk: Messiah” came as soon as I had the villain concept pop
into my brain.
Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s
complete?
The titles come to me as I’m working out plot and
planning. I am big on storyboards for plotting out the events and pacing in a
book. At some point in that process, the title will work itself out. I think
choosing a title first runs the risk of limiting where you can go with the
characters (though they’ll often lead you places you didn’t expect while you’re
writing.)
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers
to grasp?
One of the interesting things in reading reviews has
been the commentary about how the story fits a certain theme or style, or that
it delivers a certain message. That wasn’t the intent. I sought out to write an
action movie in an e-book, with a world that should scare people, and
characters they can root for/hate where appropriate. If the writing resonates
with readers in a certain way, they should take that and run with it.
Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a
true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?
I’d be lying if I didn’t say that there’s a lot of
me in Catwalk (the leading man). We definitely share our love of motorcycles
and sarcasm, though not necessarily in that order. Most of the bit players are
named after or based on someone I know or have met in real life. For instance,
there’s an arms dealer named after one of the vocalists from the band, Therion,
who I met in 2011. One of my good friends is the basis for someone who gets
whacked in Chapter One. If you’ve treated my family or me like trash at some
point, chances are good that a character facsimile of you will meet a violent,
graphic death in one of my books.
What books/authors have influenced your life?
My writing was definitely influenced by Phillip K.
Dick, Stephen King, David Eddings, Anne Rice, and a huge number of songwriters,
like Trent Reznor (“Nine Inch Nails”), Klayton (“Celldweller”), and Freddie
Mercury (“Queen”). I love to read personal development and business books,
also. I would recommend “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek to anyone in business,
and “The Music Lesson” by Victor Wooten to those who appreciate music in their
lives.
If you had to choose, which writer would you
consider a mentor?
That’s easy. J.A. Konrath, author of the Jacqueline
“Jack” Daniels crime novels, is an amazing mentor. His blog is titled “The
Newbies Guide to Publishing” and it is an absolute bible to anyone looking into
self-publishing, promoting, and marketing their writing.
What book are you reading now?
I just finished Brian Pinkerton’s “Rough Cut” and I
really enjoyed it. I’m reading a wide variety of books right now from local
authors, including “Hope Amid Hardship” by Linda Johnston, about 19th
century life in the Kansas territory, and “Did I Say That Out Loud?” by Kelly
McDermott Harmon. That book should be its own sitcom already.
What books are in your to read pile?
I’m eager for the next book in the “Ministry of
Peculiar Occurrences” series by Tee Morris and Phillipa Ballentine. Also,
Claudia Lefeve is launching a new series called “Darkly Beings.” I’m excited to
check that out. I really liked her “Travelers” series.
Who designed the cover of your latest book?
Heidi Sutherlin of My Creative Pursuits is
fantastic. Cat’s helmet is such a key icon to his character, and she really
nailed it in just a few drafts. She’s done all of Stacia’s works, both fiction
and nonfiction, and I am so thankful for the work she’s done for us both.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
I would say that “Work in progress” is technically a
misnomer. Every work is “in progress”, some are just published already…LOL.
Everything you read will impact your voice and your opinion, and it will, in
turn, influence your writing (to varying degrees). A writer can easily get stuck
in the endless edit process. Eventually, you have to pull the trigger and get
your work out there.
Also, take criticism, but only constructive
criticism. Reviews are not gospel. It’s the Internet. You can’t please everyone
on the Internet. No one can.
Do you have a song or playlist (book soundtrack) that
you think represents this book?
I can’t write without a playlist, as I mentioned
earlier. With this book, I had a lot of highs and lows. The fight scenes were
written to bands like Celldweller, Blue Stahli, Pyramaze, and Garbage. Other
scenes that were more intimate got a soundtrack of VNV Nation, Midnight
Syndicate, and Cirque du Soleil soundtracks I’ve gathered over the years.
September 2 Interview
Deb Sanders
September 3 Guest blog
Rose & Beps Blog –
September 5 interview
Pembroke Sinclair.
September 6 Guest blog
The Snarkology
September 9 Spotlight
Let’s Start Saving Now –
Book Worm & More,
September 10 Spotlight
Dalene’s Book Reviews
September 15 Interview
Bewitching Book Tours Magazine
September 17 Spotlight
September 18 Guest blog
Cloey's Book Reviews and Other Stuff
September 20 Interview
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
September 23 Interview
Roxanne’s Realm
September 24 Guest blog
Mythical Books
September 25 Spotlight
Books and Tales:
September 26 Interview
Fang-tastic Books
September 27 Guest blog
Reading In Twilight
September 30 Spotlight
Mila Ramos
September 30 Spotlight
Mommasez...blog
Catwalk: Messiah
Leon “Catwalk” Caliber Series
Leon “Catwalk” Caliber Series
Book One
Nick Kelly
Genre: Sci-Fi
ISBN: 978-0-9852837-5-9
Number of pages: 249
Word Count: 70,266
Cover Artist: Heidi Sutherlin
Book Description:
Nitro City, 2033.
Leon "Catwalk" Caliber left his cop job in DC behind, heading to the City of Angels to earn a living off the grid. He took a few odd jobs that called for his particular skill set – extortion, espionage, and the occasional hit – and managed to carve out a niche for himself among the Downtown dwellers.
All the changed when a new breed of MetaHuman cyborg appeared on the streets with explosive violence. Cat’s quiet existence is sent into turmoil when he finds himself right in the crosshairs. He must evade the assassin squads sent by a vengeful pimp, uncover the origin of these mysterious new mechs, and keep the cops off of his tail. Simple enough, except that the cybernetic technology that powers his body threatens to sever his humanity at any moment. Can the killer with a conscience find a cure, solve the case, get the girl, and live to see another day?
About the Author:
Nick grew up on sci-fi, horror flicks, Dungeons and Dragons, good music, and recycled comic books. He has been published internationally as a comic book author and musician. He’s spent over half his life on stage from New York to Las Vegas. He is outspoken, supportive, and willing to take a good kick to the ribs for the right cause. When not touring the world, Nick lives at home with his blushing bride (and co-author), Dr. Stacia Kelly, their son, and a rotating roster of cats and dogs.
twitter @Nick_Kelly
1 comments:
Thanks for the interview. I had a blast with it. Hope we can do this again soon! -nK
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