Promotional Interview with Pamela Kinney

You have been invited to share you experience with our readers.

Name: Pamela K. Kinney

Tell us about yourself – where you are from, how you got started writing, what you do when you are not writing (or anything you want our readers to know) I am from Chesterfield, Virginia, which is a suburb of Richmond. I was always writing, starting making up and writing down on paper when I was eight. I got published when I was seventeen, with three poems in a poetry magazine, Hyacinths and Biscuits that was from Los Angeles. Got paid for them too—so cool to a teenager. When I am not writing? I have done acting for a living too, not in past couple years though. I also do costuming, make or sew costumes, mainly SF, Fantasy, Horror and historical, and wear them at conventions or other kinds of events. I also do crafts, read, send time with my husband, garden (in spring, summer and fall), spend time with friends, exercise at Curves, go to conventions, check out local events, movies and rent and watch DVDs.

What inspired you to write your first book? I do have four novels started, the urban fantasy working on now and another one almost finished. For first story though, well, I have these stories always in my head, begging to be written down and that’s what I do. The chapbook was my first book idea and since I had four fictional ghost stories written, I submitted the idea to Naked Snake Press and was accepted.

How many books have you written? A nonfiction book, Haunted Richmond, Virginia, published by Schiffer Books. I also have a collection of four fictional ghost stories in a chapbook, Beyond the Four walls published by Naked Snake Press. Then I have short stories (mainly horror) in four anthologies. All other stories were published in magazines or online webzines.

How do you decide on their topic? If an anthology had a basic theme then I had to write a story around that. Magazine and webzines, I looked at their submission guidelines, what they wanted, etc… and submitted. The chapbook was based on four ghost stories, none set within a haunted house. The nonfiction was all true paranormal occurrences set in Richmond, Virginia and its surrounding counties.

What works best to keep you focused and on track? I tell myself. It’s as simple as that. In the long run, it’s up to the author to police themselves, especially with a manuscript due.

Do you write to make money or for the love of writing? I do it for love. Bur I want to make money at what I love to do. Most of us, including me have had to do jobs we don’t like but do so in order to survive these days. I have alwys loved to make up stories and poems, so this is my job. My husband let me quit my job to do writing. Not everyone has a husband who supports you like that and I am thankful for him.

What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used to gain visibility for you and your book(s)? Reviews, interviews, especially locally. Book signings set up in book stores; apply to be a guest at a convention to do with my kind of writing. I even gave a copy of Haunted Richmond, Virginia to producer of local morning TV show—I saw other authors on there.

What are some unique methods? Set up signings in different type of locale, like in a coffee shop and at a psychic fair in a store that has to do with that sort of stuff. Online chats. Paranormal radio interviews.

Do you sell through a website? No. I do give links to where the books and others can be bought though. My site is the best way to keep up with me: http://FantasticDreams.50megs.com Also check out my MySpace at www.myspace.com/PamelaKKinney and blog at http://PamelaKKinney.blogspot.com as I do let readers know there too.

Do you plan on writing additional books? Oh yes. I’m working on an urban fantasy novel right now as I’ll be pitching it to an agent at a writer’s conference the end of September locally. Plus I have a story to write for a writer’s group I am with who is doing an anthology.

Interview Presented By
Nikki Leigh - Author of Book Promo 101
www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm