Books We Love Welcomes Kathy Fischer-Brown to the blog today!
KFB: I have been telling stories for as long as I can remember, and wrote and illustrated my first story in the first grade. My life-long love of early American history can be traced back to the many family vacations up and down the east coast, where my Civil War buff father photographed me and my sisters perched on cannons at every major fort and battlefield from Canada to Virginia. I have since written seven novels, was a finalist in RWA's Golden Heart contest (with Winter Fire) and placed and won a number of chapter contests with a variety of historical and time travel novels.
I indulged my need to be creative in college by majoring in dramatic arts, pursued a short-lived acting career in the Big Apple, went on to earn an MFA in acting, got married, taught drama at a small all-girls liberal arts college in Indiana, moved around a bit, and then finally settled down and had two kids (now grown). Over the years, I dabbled in careers in advertising, children's media publishing, and higher education reform in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. A Bronx native, I spent my "Wonder Years" on Long Island and now live in central Connecticut with my teacher/director/playwright husband and three dogs. When not writing, I enjoy cooking, photography and computer graphics, tennis, gardening, classical and fold music, the New York Yankees, and the UConn women's basketball team.
BWL: How long have you been writing and in what genres?
KF-B: Even before I learned to spell, I was writing. In fourth grade, I "borrowed" my dad's manual Underwood and wrote my first novel. Since then, I've been writing what I like to read--historical romances, time travel and now I'm trying my hand at fantasy.
BWL: Where you do get your inspiration?
KF-B: I can honestly say that most of my story ideas come to me in dreams. Sometimes the gist isn't immediately apparent and only after years (in some cases), everything begins to fall into place. I tend to have cinematic dreams, so they make for great entertainment...until I wake up and try to make sense of them. Other ideas grow out of history and the magic "what if" scenario. For example, the idea for Winter Fire came while I was reading a biography about Mary Jemison, a woman who was captured by Seneca Indians as a teenager in the 1760s and became an integral part of the tribe over the course of her long, long life.
BWL: Tell us about your book.
KF-B: As I mentioned, I was inspired to write Winter Fire after immersing myself in the so-called "captive narratives" of the 17th and 18th century, which were extremely popular reading back in those days. I was fascinated by people like Mary Jemison and others who adapted so thoroughly to their new lives that they sometimes forgot their native languages and either refused to return home when given the chance or had difficulty readjusting. Zara, the heroine in my book, is based on that premise.
BWL: What about your next book? Will it be part of a series or a stand alone? Can you give us a taste to whet our appetites?
KF-B: I'm currently working on an epic fantasy I've tentatively titled "Sword of Names." It's an intricate story with a little of everything--cross-dressing, mistaken identity, lies and betrayal, magic, potions and sword play, good guys against bad guys, and of course romance. It will be either one large book several of smaller ones.
BWL: Why did you choose to publish electronically?
KF-B: E-publishing is a concept that has been a long time coming. Now with the Nook and Kindle up there with the must-have gadgets and the idea of saving resources, it makes sense in so many ways as an alternative to traditional publishing.
BWL: What are your hobbies and interests?
KF-B: I love to cook, for one. Photography is another of my passions from back in the Dark Ages when my father helped me construct a darkroom in our basement when I was a kid. As an outgrowth of that, I’ve been playing around with 3D graphics programs. I'm also a big fan of the UConn women's basketball program and the NY Yankees.
BWL: What does the future hold for you?
KF-B: As a breast cancer survivor, I try not to think too much about the future. Instead, I hope to make the most of the here and now, enjoying my family and making a stab at accomplishing what I can while I can. Of course, I hope to keep writing, because there are lots of stories in my head, all vying for their chance to come alive.
BWL: Where can readers find you?
KF-B: Second star on the right and straight on til morning...or they can email me at kathyfb@cox.net. I also have a web page: www.kfischer-brown.com and I'm on facebook.
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