Interview with Kim Watters

Hi everyone, Kim Watters here. It’s a pleasure having my own interview up at Much Cheaper Than Therapy. Now if you’ll excuse me a second, I’m going to grab a mint truffle I received from Cerretas at the recent Chocolate Affaire here in Arizona. Finally, I get to sit in the lounge chair and have a much needed therapy session even if I ask myself the questions! Not really a stretch for me since I talk to myself and my characters a lot. LOL.

I understand you have a new release out called On Wings of Love. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

Certainly. I think the blurb sums it up the best:

Ruth Fontaine's job is to deliver lifesaving organs to those urgently in need. But the gruff pilot of her charter plane has no kind words for her work. And then she discovers the heartbreaking reason why. Noah Barton lost his wife and young son. Grieving, he gave in to pressure to donate his child's organs--a decision he regrets. He's bitter against those who "take advantage" of people's anguish. Yet he still flies her on her missions, with his beloved dog, Houston, as his copilot. Now Ruth will have to show Noah he has two other copilots: the Lord and her love.

On Wings of Love is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

My editor picked it out. The original title was “The Gift of Life” but I don’t do titles very well. I'm really pleased with the new title and think it really reflects the tone and the genre of my story.

What made you decide to write in this genre?

I've been trying to become a Harlequin author for years. They've always been my dream publisher so I kept writing stories and submitted, each time getting closer. One night after my last rejection, I asked God for some direction. The next day I heard that the Love Inspired Line had gone from 4 to 6 books per month. It couldn't get any clearer than that. I brought my faith into the next story and finally sold to my dream publisher.

Are you a plotter or a pantser and how did it affect the writing of this book?

I’m a little bit of both. I have the basic idea and characters outlined, but things change as I write the story. Sure this is more work on the revisions, but I found if I tried to stick with the synopsis as written before the book is done, I’ve stifled my creativity. Being a borderline panster though I had to do four revisions on the book before I sent it to the editor, but with each pass through, the story got better.

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book? What are your favorite research books or sites?

Yes. Lots. I spent several hours on the organ donation website and wept at some of the stories of both the donor families and the recipients themselves. I also contacted two donation coordinators and grilled them on their jobs. I didn’t volunteer to go along even though I was invited because I don’t do well in medical settings if you get my drift.

I also contacted a pilot who helped me through the airplane and crash scene and studied several aviation websites.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

Several years ago my neighbor lost her eight-year-old nephew in a car accident and the family donated his organs. I couldn't even begin to imagine the grief for those parents yet they took comfort in knowing that though his death their son helped others live. This was the first time I'd ever really heard of organ donation and couldn't quite wrap my mind around it until my sister-in-law needed a new kidney and liver. I toyed with the idea for years, but I didn't quite have the characters until they just appeared in my mind when I started asking the right kind of what ifs? As a parent, the hardest thing to do would be to bury a child. What if the hero wasn't certain about his decision to donate his son's organs? What if the woman he falls for works for the same organization that he feels took advantage of him?

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

Noah. His struggle with his faith, how to deal with his son’s death and the decision he made to donate his organs really made me weep. My hope is that people reading this book will also come away with a new appreciation for organ donation, as Noah discovered at the end, the many people involved to make sure everything takes place, and the wonderful gift that each and everyone of us has a chance to give to someone else.

Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing?

I do all of the above. Character sheets help me keep track of such things as height, weight, eye color, siblings etc. Interviews help me discover what’s really happening inside them, what’s on their mind, and yes, sometimes what they ate for breakfast yesterday.

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

Wow. In today’s market there’s too many to list, and quite frankly, every author who sits down and finishes a book inspires me. But when I was a child, I cut my teeth on Victoria Holt, Phyllis Whitney, Dorothy Eden and the likes from that era and still read some of their books today when I have the time.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?

That’s a good question. When I figure it out, you'll be the first to know. I do have a pretty extensive on-line presence and I’m sure that is helping.

What do we have to look forward next?

Right now I'm working on another partial for Steeple Hill. This one revolves around a Victorian Mansion in need of series of renovations and a hero and heroine who are both up to the task. Of course if you can't wait for that one, there's always my back list at www.kimwatters.com

Thanks, Kim!

You’re welcome Kim!

To celebrate my book release, I’m offering a free book of On Wings of Love to one lucky commenter on today's blog. (please check the blog Monday night to see who won. Chances of winning determined by the number of entries.)

I’ll be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for me, so please ask away...

Bio. At twelve years old, I fell in love with romance after I borrowed a romance novel from the book shelf of my older sister. An avid reader, I was soon hooked on the happily ever after endings. For years, I dreamt of writing my own romance novel, but I never seemed to have the time. After I graduated from college with a degree in Business Administration/Management, I moved into the city of Chicago to pursue another dream. I worked as an actress and a model. Tired after six years of the hustle and bustle of the city, I relocated to a small town in Arizona just north of Phoenix where there are no sidewalks or public transportation and the cowboys still ride their horses to the bars. There I was able to pursue my other dream. Four published novels and many short stories later, I still live in that not-so-small anymore town, with my own hero--my husband, Bill, my son, Shane, daughter, Emily, two Frisbee dogs and two hamsters. I’m a member of RWA, NINC, PASIC, ACFW, Desert Rose RW, and Valley of the Sun RW.

Check out my website at www.kimwatters.com

Buy. Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Wings-Love-Inspired/dp/0373875827/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263907670&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble http://search.barnesandnoble.com/On-Wings-of-Love/Kim-Watters/e/9780373875825/?itm=3&USRI=kim+watters

Borders http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=0373875827