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| Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ |
I get questions from a lot of different people. Readers email from time-to-time, and certain questions
are staples during online appearances. It seems like the time is right to answer some of those
questions, for the record. It makes sense to refer people to one location to make it a little easier than
to attempt to answer all the individual questions when I’m participating in an online event. So, here
goes. I'll still answer personal emails, though.– KC
are staples during online appearances. It seems like the time is right to answer some of those
questions, for the record. It makes sense to refer people to one location to make it a little easier than
to attempt to answer all the individual questions when I’m participating in an online event. So, here
goes. I'll still answer personal emails, though.– KC
When did you start writing?
I actually started writing back in 1995 when I got my first desktop computer. It was just for fun, and
unfortunately, I didn’t keep a backup of those files. When that first hard drive crashed, all 512 MB
of it, a lot of little stories vanished. That’s okay, though, because they were pretty immature
pieces of writing.
When were you first published?
I signed my first contract in 2003, under a different pen name. It was for a traditional heterosexual
romance. I hope to one day revisit that story and bring it up to my current level of writing ability. I
was first published as KC Kendricks in 2008.
I actually started writing back in 1995 when I got my first desktop computer. It was just for fun, and
unfortunately, I didn’t keep a backup of those files. When that first hard drive crashed, all 512 MB
of it, a lot of little stories vanished. That’s okay, though, because they were pretty immature
pieces of writing.
When were you first published?
I signed my first contract in 2003, under a different pen name. It was for a traditional heterosexual
romance. I hope to one day revisit that story and bring it up to my current level of writing ability. I
was first published as KC Kendricks in 2008.
Why do you write gay romance?
I love reading it, for one thing, and one of the old writing adages is to write what you love.
Another is to write the story you’d love to read. In 1975, a dear friend gave me his copy of “The
Front Runner,” by Patricia Nell Warren, and told me to read it. That was his way of officially coming
out to me. That story is one of the most haunting and powerful stories I've ever read. Even after
thirty years, that story stays with me.
Why do you write HEA (happily ever after) endings? Life isn’t always like that.
I hope I never stop believing love can last. And you need to read the endings a little closer. I do
like to end my stories on an upbeat note, but there are plenty of doubts and questions expressed
on the way to THE END. The story has to end somewhere, after all, and some end on a "happy for
now" note. But there is always hope for a bright future.
If someone told me twenty years ago I’d still be happy with ‘Whaz-hiz-name’ out there in the living
room with his butt growing into his recliner, I’d have laughed. Yet, here I am. And I don’t think we’
re still together because we’re a heterosexual couple who got a license, paid a fee, and repeated
some religious rhetoric at each other in a church to satisfy the demands of family and earn the
right to go broke in the divorce proceedings. I think we’re still together because we’re two
people who learned to have patience, tolerance, and forgiveness with each other, and those
qualities have nothing to do with gender.
I love reading it, for one thing, and one of the old writing adages is to write what you love.
Another is to write the story you’d love to read. In 1975, a dear friend gave me his copy of “The
Front Runner,” by Patricia Nell Warren, and told me to read it. That was his way of officially coming
out to me. That story is one of the most haunting and powerful stories I've ever read. Even after
thirty years, that story stays with me.
Why do you write HEA (happily ever after) endings? Life isn’t always like that.
I hope I never stop believing love can last. And you need to read the endings a little closer. I do
like to end my stories on an upbeat note, but there are plenty of doubts and questions expressed
on the way to THE END. The story has to end somewhere, after all, and some end on a "happy for
now" note. But there is always hope for a bright future.
If someone told me twenty years ago I’d still be happy with ‘Whaz-hiz-name’ out there in the living
room with his butt growing into his recliner, I’d have laughed. Yet, here I am. And I don’t think we’
re still together because we’re a heterosexual couple who got a license, paid a fee, and repeated
some religious rhetoric at each other in a church to satisfy the demands of family and earn the
right to go broke in the divorce proceedings. I think we’re still together because we’re two
people who learned to have patience, tolerance, and forgiveness with each other, and those
qualities have nothing to do with gender.
Where to you get ideas for stories?
Ideas come from everywhere! Movies, television shows, songs, other people, and even the
Weather Channel. Sometimes I have just the kernel of an idea and I need to really build on it, and
other times I can see the whole story, beginning to end. Those are fun to write – they just flow
onto the page.
Ideas come from everywhere! Movies, television shows, songs, other people, and even the
Weather Channel. Sometimes I have just the kernel of an idea and I need to really build on it, and
other times I can see the whole story, beginning to end. Those are fun to write – they just flow
onto the page.
How do you balance your personal and writing time?
I’m supposed to balance it? Really? It’s a challenge to live a normal life and write. Writing is such
a solitary pursuit. I work full time Monday through Friday and write in the evenings and on
weekends. It’s tough especially when I’m deep into a story and I have to cook dinner.
A few years back, I wrote a few short essays on time management. Maybe it's time to repost them.
I’m supposed to balance it? Really? It’s a challenge to live a normal life and write. Writing is such
a solitary pursuit. I work full time Monday through Friday and write in the evenings and on
weekends. It’s tough especially when I’m deep into a story and I have to cook dinner.
A few years back, I wrote a few short essays on time management. Maybe it's time to repost them.
Why does this FAQ page keep loading incorrectly?
Beats me. I just know it's very frustrating to have to repeatedly reproduce this page. But I refuse
to let the Internet gremlins get the best of me. I'll keep fixing it as long as people keep stopping
by to read it.
Beats me. I just know it's very frustrating to have to repeatedly reproduce this page. But I refuse
to let the Internet gremlins get the best of me. I'll keep fixing it as long as people keep stopping
by to read it.
What would you want readers to take away from your books?
I’d like to tell everyone out there who is lonely that love is possible and to never, ever give up
hope that they will find it one day. In the interim, learn to be your own best friend and be good to
yourself in all things. Practice tolerance, patience and forgiveness with yourself.
I’d like to tell everyone out there who is lonely that love is possible and to never, ever give up
hope that they will find it one day. In the interim, learn to be your own best friend and be good to
yourself in all things. Practice tolerance, patience and forgiveness with yourself.
Do you have any bad writing habits?
Yes. All of them are bad. I have no good habits so you don’t want to be influenced by my behavior.
Developing your own bad habits is one of life's guilty pleasures.
Yes. All of them are bad. I have no good habits so you don’t want to be influenced by my behavior.
Developing your own bad habits is one of life's guilty pleasures.
Has being published changed your life?
Of course. We stretch and we grow or we stagnate. My horizons have been expanded in many
ways. I’ve met wonderful people. I’m more at peace spiritually because I’m finally doing something
I love. I'm still a work-in-progress, and I hope I never stop looking for ways to grow and improve
myself, which in turn improves my writing.
Of course. We stretch and we grow or we stagnate. My horizons have been expanded in many
ways. I’ve met wonderful people. I’m more at peace spiritually because I’m finally doing something
I love. I'm still a work-in-progress, and I hope I never stop looking for ways to grow and improve
myself, which in turn improves my writing.
Do parts of yourself sneak into your characters?
The best answer is that try as I may to avoid it, yes, there are bits and pieces of the real me
scattered throughout my stories. I think it would be hard to create a character who doesn't view
the world similar to myself. How would I get the emotions correct if they didn't? On what
experiences would I base their beliefs? I can envision and build a community such as Marionville,
but when it comes to the shared human longing to be loved and to have someone to love, I have
to tap into myself to make it real.
The best answer is that try as I may to avoid it, yes, there are bits and pieces of the real me
scattered throughout my stories. I think it would be hard to create a character who doesn't view
the world similar to myself. How would I get the emotions correct if they didn't? On what
experiences would I base their beliefs? I can envision and build a community such as Marionville,
but when it comes to the shared human longing to be loved and to have someone to love, I have
to tap into myself to make it real.
As a reader, what makes a good book for KC Kendricks?
That's easy. Any book I remember a month after I read it. As I mentioned earlier, I remember The
Front Runner with vivid clarity all these years after I first read it. I can't say that about every book
I've read, and I'm sure some people can say that about what I've written. A "good book" is a very
personal preference. The same book speaks to every individual differently. That's why we all love
to read.
That's easy. Any book I remember a month after I read it. As I mentioned earlier, I remember The
Front Runner with vivid clarity all these years after I first read it. I can't say that about every book
I've read, and I'm sure some people can say that about what I've written. A "good book" is a very
personal preference. The same book speaks to every individual differently. That's why we all love
to read.
As a reader, who are your favorite authors?
That's a tough question, and I cringe every time someone asks it. As I stated above, a "good
book" is a very personal preference. I've read some absolutely wonderful stories that blog site
reviewers (think back seat drivers) have ripped to shreds. I've read some real stinkers, too. So
this is one of those questions where I can't separate the reader from the writer and give a
comprehensive answer.
That's a tough question, and I cringe every time someone asks it. As I stated above, a "good
book" is a very personal preference. I've read some absolutely wonderful stories that blog site
reviewers (think back seat drivers) have ripped to shreds. I've read some real stinkers, too. So
this is one of those questions where I can't separate the reader from the writer and give a
comprehensive answer.
What are you working on?
The Sundown and The Men of Marionville series are ongoing so I always have a story in each in
some phase of development. I recently began a collaboration with Christiane France - The
Amethyst Cove Novels. Together we developed the community of Amethyst Cove and plopped
our characters in the center of it. Our characters are partners in a private investigations firm.
Christiane writes stories about Greg, and I write stories about Ian. Do Greg and Ian ever meet
face-to-face? You'll have to read and find out.
The Sundown and The Men of Marionville series are ongoing so I always have a story in each in
some phase of development. I recently began a collaboration with Christiane France - The
Amethyst Cove Novels. Together we developed the community of Amethyst Cove and plopped
our characters in the center of it. Our characters are partners in a private investigations firm.
Christiane writes stories about Greg, and I write stories about Ian. Do Greg and Ian ever meet
face-to-face? You'll have to read and find out.
Do you ever write anyone you know into your stories?
Oh, hell no! They'd shoot me!
Oh, hell no! They'd shoot me!
As a published author, what's the most difficult thing for you to do?
Organized promotion. Maintaining an online presence is time-consuming. We all lead full lives
with family, friends and jobs. When writing is the second career - and your passion - you have to
plan, plan, plan time for everything. I look for what I call passive opportunities to do promotion.
Free sites like RomanceWiki are a wonderful way to list my work in a permanent way and not have
to spend hours every week repeating that information.
Time is the one thing none of us can get back. Use it wisely.
Organized promotion. Maintaining an online presence is time-consuming. We all lead full lives
with family, friends and jobs. When writing is the second career - and your passion - you have to
plan, plan, plan time for everything. I look for what I call passive opportunities to do promotion.
Free sites like RomanceWiki are a wonderful way to list my work in a permanent way and not have
to spend hours every week repeating that information.
Time is the one thing none of us can get back. Use it wisely.
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KC Kendricks
Erotic contemporary gay romance from best selling author
