I met Kathleen way back when UVU (Utah Valley University) was UVSC (Utah Valley State College). She spoke about writing middle grade/chapter books…but I could be wrong–I was something like, 14. Anyway, Mom and I loved her. She was nice, funny, and smart.
Fast forward 6 years (or so) to the future. This time it was Mom, Laura and me that ran into Kathleen at NTCE in Philadelphia. She was waiting to talk to someone who my mom was talking to. I wasn’t sure if it was Kathleen or not…but I thought so. So we started talking, Laura, Kathleen and me about hair dye and cabs. Then I realized this woman was the SAME Kathleen as the one who wrote Skin Hunger. I was stoked! Although I was too shy to mention her book, I was still excited to meet her again. At the end of the night she helped me and Laura call a cab. Kathleen was awesome! And this interview is awesome! So check it out!!
When did you decide to be a writer? How long have you been writing?
I began writing in fourth grade. My teacher noticed me telling exaggerated stories to friends at school. She gently suggested that I tell my friends the truth, then write the story that my imagination had devised—and turn it in on Friday. She made writing a story each week my permanent assignment. It was a little community and a tiny school. Mrs. Fredericksen taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. So I was assigned weekly stories for three years. I owe her my career.
What inspired you to write A Resurrection of Magic series?
Nearly 20 years ago, after reading hundreds of SF, fantasy, and nonfiction books, I was just beginning to get serious about writing. In the SF books I loved best, the technology made sense, and the characters lived in a logical/realistic culture. But in the fantasy books, even the ones I liked, the magic too often felt illogical, silly, too easy, too free of consequences.
The people who wielded the magic in the books were often “born with a gift” or they were the orphans/grandchildren/misplaced brothers or sisters, etc, of someone who had left a legacy of some kind: a stone or a chalice or a sword that contained magic…and the quest was ON.
Because of my interest in science, history, and sociology, I began to think: Magic violates every physical law, every natural law. There would be hazards, repercussions. Whoever could/world learn magic would be changed forever….somehow. And so a Resurrection of Magic was my first novel idea.
I wrote about 300 pages, then stopped. I just didn’t have the skill to make it work. The dual storylines were part of the original idea, the characters have all remained the same, but the story expanded, deepened, and darkened over time. I am working on the third book now.
What’s the toughest part about being a writer? What’s the easiest/most enjoyable?
1. Being alone most of the time can get weird.
2. I love being alone.
If you were to do something else for a living, what would it be?
I just wrote an answer that included all my fantasy jobs, including running a rare-breed horse farm, then I deleted it. I really don’t want to do anything else.
When you aren’t working, what do you like to do in your free time?
At home: I love to food-garden and I fiddle with unusual plants. I grow fruits trees, too, and some are subtropicals.
Elsewhere: Writing has taken me places I never expected to go. (Psst! International schools and writer’s conferences…Call me!) But no matter what the destination is, I always meet astounding people, or stumble into some amazing thing I wouldn’t have at home. I *love* traveling.
When Skin Hunger was named as a finalist for the National Book Award, what were your first thoughts?
In order of occurrence:
1. This has to be a mistake. It’s my first YA, my first hardcover book, the first of a trilogy and the ending is NOT the ending…
2. Maybe, please, please, maybe… it isn’t a mistake?
3. Then it all just dissolved into Whoohooooo…..!
What are your three favorite YA books you’ve read this past year?
In a four way tie:
The White Cat by Holly Black
Liar by Justine Larbalstier.
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (Although it’s MG/YA, I think)
The White Cat is just coming out. The others are over a year old. I am NEVER current.
What’s the best advice you could give someone who is trying to write a fantasy novel?
My first answer to this took half an hour to write, was far too long and descended into mishmush. I am condensing it to this: If you love fantasy, and have read a lot of it, write something distinct, different. If you don’t love fantasy, write what you do love. You are not likely to sell a book that doesn’t contain your beating heart, especially not now. Publishing is shrinking, adjusting, reinventing itself, and fantasy has been a trend for years. Trend-chasing can be done, but long term, it isn’t the way to build a resilient, happy career.
What is your favorite book that you’ve written, so far?
The most honest answer is always the one I am working on, or the one I am dreaming about starting when I am finished with current work. So I love every book I have ever written. But for now, my favorites are: the untitled 3rd book of A Resurrection of Magic and one of several weird things incubating in my backburnerbrain.
What are you working on right now?
Right now? Today?
As soon as I finish this interview, I will tie up the first pass pages/final edit for the second Faerie’s Promise book for young readers: http://kathleenduey.com/KidsBooks/ There are four titles–all written, now grinding their way through the copyedits, pass pages, process.
By noon:
The last volume of A Resurrection of Magic http://kathleenduey.com/ya.html
Will be dragging me through the woods. I love these books and it will be strange to leave Limori. I think I probably won’t leave entirely. There are short stories lurking.
By around 8pm
I am writing a MG book called My Real Name Is B.–the story of a girl whose immigrant parents are wonderful and impossible. There is editorial interest in it already, so I add pages when I can.
Late tonight:
There will be more YA darkness to follow the trilogy:
I have five or six YA things in development— kind of an ongoing internal shoving match to see who goes first. I flip through the files and add whatever comes to me before I turn off the computer at night. There is a YA novel title, A Virgin’s Blood, that really appeals to me, it grows on its own. Also another twenty year old idea high on the list: Free Rat. It’s evolving fast.
I get paid to daydream. How perfect is *that*!
Thank you so much, Kathleen! This has been one of my favorite interviews so far 🙂 .
Throwing Up Words 
Okay–so this series is pretty darn terrific. I’ve read the first one, SKIN HUNGER, and was amazed at how Kathleen pulled the timing of the story off. She is quite talented, I think.
Good interview, Kyra and Kathleen.
wow. Mrs. Frederickson sounds like the best elementary school teacher in the world.
Dang, Kathleen was told to write. I was told to get back in detention.
Mrs. Fredericksen:
Curtis Elementary was a tiny school. There were three classrooms, each with two grades in it– total student count about 50. Mrs. Fredericksen taught 3rd-4th the year I moved there, then taught 5th, 6th–so I had her for three years. She was in her mid seventies then, a lifelong teacher. She had taught one boy’s grandparents and several students’ parents.
She was brilliant. Many students had specific (and different) assignments. She put the noisiest boy in charge of ringing a little brass bell when he had trouble hearing, so that people would know it was time to quiet down. It transformed him. She asked one very shy girl to be the one to write down what book each of us wanted (and why) for the next for “read loud hour” book. The girl’s assignment was to ask one person a day, then read the results aloud right before lunch recess to prepare us all to vote on the choice. She was so nervous at first, but day by day–she bloomed–and suddenly, she had friends.
I have gotten really lucky a few times in my life. Being Mrs. Fredericksen’s student was a gift.
So very lovely, Kathleen.
Excellent interview! Thanks!
Kathleen,
I love how you said, “I get paid to daydream.” It was a beautiful way to sum up a writing career. Thank you!
That is so awesome!
Amazing interview!! Thanks so much to both of you for taking the time to put it together 🙂 🙂