K.L. Anderson interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

I use the author name K.L. Anderson not to be fancy or mysterious but because my given name, Kim Anderson, already belongs to other published authors. I have a master’s degree in biology, but I would always much rather be writing fiction. I live in Seattle with one of each: husband, kid, dog, cat.

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

I think it was a secret wish, for as long as I can remember. I have written stories ever since I was able to write, but I never thought of it as something I could “be.” Even when I was spending most of my free time writing my first book, I told very few people about it. It was almost like if I let people know, it would never happen. 

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

For me, it has been extremely slow. I always wish I had more time to write and that I could use the time I spend at my “real” job writing instead. After my son was born, I made the decision to keep at it. I wrote regularly, during nap times and in the evening after he was in bed. It took me five years to write my first book-length manuscript, but when I was done it still did not feel good enough to publish, so I started a new one. Many years later, when that manuscript was finally done and I had revised it too many times to count, I entered it in the Leapfrog Press Global Fiction contest and ended up winning. This was my path to publication and finally calling myself an author.

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

I think the journey is different for everyone and that if you want it badly enough, you can probably find a way to make it happen. In my case it took a great deal of perseverance and hard work.

Tell us about your book/books:

But First You Need a Plan, my debut novel, was just released by Leapfrog Press at the end of 2022. It is the story of a couple in an uncommunicative marriage whose lives are upended by an unexplained incident on a rooftop that leaves the husband hospitalized and a woman dead. Obsessed with learning the truth about what happened, the wife sets out on a journey of discovery, re-examining her own choices while she untangles years of secrets and races to avert their deadly consequences. I like character-driven fiction with a bit of a mystery to keep the plot moving.

I am working on two other books, both of which are in varying stages of revision/completion. One is a multi-POV story about the importance of human connections in the modern era. The other spans three decades in the life of a woman who tries to overcome ordinariness by solving a mystery from her deceased grandmother’s past.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

We all share a love of language and storytelling. When I meet people at writers’ conferences or other events in this community, it is so easy to start an engaging conversation because of that connection. I’ve also learned that writers are incredibly supportive of one another.

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

Thank you for giving a book by a new author a chance!

Where can people connect with you?

I am @klandersonland on Twitter and Instagram. I just got on both in the last few months and I am always looking for new people to connect with. My website is https://klandersonauthor.com/.