Kat Satava interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

When did your love of books begin?

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love books. I grew up in a family that valued reading and storytelling. So since I could hold things in my chubby little hands my mom put books in them. I learned very early that stories/books could help you escape the awful grind of childhood, fuel my imagination when playing with my sister, and help me learn new ways to solve the problems in my growing life. 

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

Throughout grade school, I wanted to be a marine biologist, after I had read Shark Lady: True Adventures of Eugene Clark, by Ann McGovern. From third grade to fifth I checked it out every week from our school library. Then in junior year biology, I had to dissect a small shark and the smell made me rethink my life’s goals. At the same time, I was on my third English teacher that failed to inspire anyone to read ahead or connect us to what we were reading. I switched gears and decided I wanted to be a high school English teacher. No respectable English teacher didn’t have a novel they worked on during Summer and Winter break, so I felt it came with the job that I would be an author too. I already wrote poetry and the best term papers around. But then life happened as the saying goes, and I switched gears again switching to a psychology major. After three babies and a few breakups along the way, I graduated and upped my work hours by adding a second job. Even though I had little time to get the stories from head to paper they continued to grow. Then when I was 25 years old and all settled in Arizona, those stories had grown tired of waiting for me to pursue what I was passionate about. That is when I knew I was meant to be an author when the stories took the reins.   

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

I found it to be way more inspiring than any of my high school English classes. I first started ambitious thinking, I read a lot, how hard can it be to write what I like to read? Then I found out the true craftsmanship of writing a good story that connects to other people’s imaginations is truly a magical blend between gift and honed skill. I read or listened to every book on craft I could find. Then I turned to the novels I couldn’t put down or fell asleep in my car listening to in my driveway. What did those authors do to pull me into their worlds? What were the words and notes of their siren song? More importantly, how could I do what they do? Once I felt like I was almost there on my drafts, I began to apply the same principles of learning from authors who were doing what I wanted to do. I have been inspired and beaten down by the process to emerge the kind of author I can’t wait to read their next new release and I have loved every second.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

It is not a get-rich-quick career. You have to be passionate about what you're doing to get you through the hard times and to push you to do the things that don’t come naturally. You have to be willing to invest and promote yourself like you would any other small business. Your products are your stories; and their quality will be a reflection of the effort you put into learning your craft and fostering gifts like motivation, imagination, and determination. Write what you want to read, you are your first ideal reader. Be gracious to those who support you even if it is just that they cheered you on when you doubted yourself or shared a post on social media. When was the last time you read a post supporting a fast-food worker who made it through their shift? But you just got 71 likes on writing a thousand words. Don’t isolate yourself; become part of many communities with the writing one. Not only is it good for your sanity, but it is also a wealth of resources and networking of other artists who are open and willing to share their knowledge and promote each other. 

Tell us about your book/books:

Nightmares & Stars is my debut novel and introduces you to the world of The Witch War Series. In this first book, we meet Alora Luminae, Princess and heir to the throne of Noctourne, a realm ruled by powerful Witches who call on the Goddesses of the night to fuel their magic. She is coming to the age of maturity with a few setbacks. Her lands are embroiled in a bitter war with the ruling Sun Witches of Soldaynia, which began a decade earlier with the Convergence Massacre that took her father from her. Her mother, the Queen, has kept her so protected that she has failed to bond or even cross paths with her Familiar. Without which her mind will dissolve in the magic that will flood it upon her Inheritance Commitment, scheduled to take place the following full moon upon her 25th birthday. To make matters worse, her best friend, sworn protector, and Tinker, Bist Tinshale has been looking at her in ways forbidden between Witches and Tinkers. But a terrifying event leads to an unexpected opportunity for Alora to venture out of her family lands and protection. Will she become the hero to her people and earn the crown? You will have to read to find out!

In addition to working on Book Two, currently scheduled for release in 2023, I am working on a quick-release serial, Canton Ghost Town. Canton is a small secluded town in the middle of nowhere Arizona in the late 1970s. Like many other places at the time, Canton has a serial killer problem. Good thing Detective Jo Callahan isn’t letting a little thing like getting murdered slow her down on solving the case and restoring safety to her hometown. Canton is coming out late Summer 2022 in five quick-release episodes on ebook and the complete season will be available in print with bonus extras the month after the final episode goes live! 

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I love how connected and supportive they are to new indie authors. Instead of feeling like I am not cool enough to sit at the table because I don’t have an agent or a treasured book deal, I feel like everyone gets a chance to bring what they got to the clubhouse and can’t wait to share it. Without the reading community, I would not have found the authors that inspired me and showed me by example word magic that I could craft and form into my own voice, my own style. I hope the universe guides my stories into their imaginations knowing they were the spark of my author's life. 

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

I hope I made you proud. I worked hard to deliver on the promises of my story and I hope I did. And most importantly, I hope that they connected with the characters and their stories through my words. It wasn’t enough for my characters to just share their story with me, they wanted to live and breathe, to evolve in the imaginations of others. They wanted to be immortal. Now because of each of you they are. Thank you.

Where can people connect with you?

Website: www.KatSatavaAuthor.com

Email: KatSatavaAuthor@gmail.com

Address: 3317 S HIGLEY RD STE 114-151, Gilbert, AZ 85297

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