Sunday, November 4, 2012

Someone Else Who Isn't Me: Interview With Lilian Kendrick!



With just two days to the U.S. Presidential election, I have to assume most people are ready to read anything that isn't political trash talk (There once was a hooker named Mitt...).  As usual, I am here to serve.  This week's interview is with Lilian Kendrick a/k/a Verse Artiste.  



In the spirit of full disclosure, I have never exchanged words with Lilian and, in fact, only first heard of her after reading this interview.  But I'm sure you'll agree, she is worth knowing.







 I think that I shall never see, a poem as lovely as Lili



So, let's get to it.

First off, have you read  "I've Been Deader" and how much did you love it?
 
Yes, I read “I’ve Been Deader”. I loved it this much. (Indicates ‘a lot’ by stretching arms out to their fullest extent.)

                            "I'm Deader as hell, and I'm not going 
                            to read it anymore!"




How did you start your writing career?

After writing all my life and never telling anyone, I finally let someone read one of my poems. Thanks to her, I got a few commissions to write “bespoke” verses, a couple of years later, I self-published my first novel, “Sister, Daughter, Mother Wife”.

Tell us about a favorite character from a book.

I almost always fall in love with at least one character in every book I read, but I suppose my all-time favourite is Roland, the gunslinger in Stephen King’s ‘Dark Tower’ series.

Before I forget, I just want to remind you that "I've Been Deader" is also available for download on Amazon.co.uk.

Ah.  Still here?  Okay.  Where do you dream of traveling to and why?

Somewhere that probably doesn’t exist in the real world. 


"My America!"










To quote from the Dark Tower “There are other worlds than these.” For that reason, Cyberspace suits me well. I often sit at a ‘virtual desk’ with another writer and we work together. That is my ‘happy place’.

  
“Flash in the Pan” – a collection of flash fiction is due to be published by That Right in the near future. I love writing flash. It’s a great challenge and an excellent warm-up exercise.

                                                          My stories are all 10 words long, baby!

Has someone been instrumental in inspiring you as a writer?
Shakespeare, the greatest scribe of them all.

Other than Jesus, has someone helped or mentored you in your writing career?

A few writers that I’ve met online have helped me a great deal. One in particular has been my virtual Muse for quite a while now. It really helps to have someone to discuss things with who ‘gets’ your writing, or more importantly who ‘gets’ why you bother writing at all.
I should also mention Adam Sifre (have you ever heard of him?) who started me writing flash fiction in the first place.

                                              Adam Sifre:  The great motivator!


Besides me, who is your favorite author?
Stephen King and Ian Rankin amongst the ‘published’ classes.


What was your first sale as an author?

A poem commissioned by a friend for her cousin’s wedding. I was paid £10 for it.  The happy couple read it out at their reception and it led to five further commissions at £25 each.


When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?
I write whenever I can, but I have to work it around everything else. These days I do most of my writing when my husband is asleep. It’s easier that way.

Other than your husband's snoring, what is the hardest part of writing your books?

The fact that real life interrupts me at the worst possible moments with such trivia as the need to eat, sleep, earn a living etc.

Does your significant other read your stuff?

Not a chance!

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

Yes. Most of my beta readers are NOT writers. They are people I know in RL whom I can trust to give me honest feedback from a reader’s POV. (A couple of them are former pupils of mine who are now in the right age bracket for my current WIP. They pull no punches! I love ‘em.)

Plotter or Pantser? Why?

Pantser, for sure. I like it best when I don’t know what’s going to happen next in the story. Plotting spoils that.

Tell us about your family.  Or any one else's family.

One husband – everything else comes in twos – Kids, Grandkids and Cats.

What was the scariest moment of your life?

I had a major heart attack in 2009 – thought I might die, but I didn’t. J
What books have most influenced your life?


Personally, I have no regrets in life.  But if you could apologize to someone in your past, who would it be?

Myself. I’ve been unspeakably cruel to myself at times.


Really?  Send pics! Is there a writer you idolize? If so who?
Stephen King.

Beatles or Monkees? Why? Monkees. I was in their fan club.

That's it!  Thanks for stopping by!   If you've already purchased all of my books and you're looking for someone else to bother, you can do a lot worse than Lilian Kendrick.   Here's her links.  You can look,but don't touch.


             www.liliankendrick.weebly.com

P.S.
You forgot to mention Sister, Daughter, Mother, Wife.  Or the fact that you provide editing services!  

11 comments:

  1. Now that I've finally stopped laughing -- bugger I've forgotten what I was going to say -- Oh yes, I dont know who you are,IveBeen, (funny name that) but I do know Lilian and she is such a gorgeous lady,that you should feel honoured that she agreed to be interviewed, her, a published writer and all and gracious, never forgetting us little people!

    Thank you for your time
    Chris Marlowe II

    ReplyDelete
  2. Adam, I'd just like to say thanks for giving me this wonderful opportunity to bare my soul on the World Wide Web. Such generosity of spirit is rare in this day and age.

    Just one question, how many more copies of "I've Been Deader" do I have to buy the to continue benefitting from the 'free' publicity? I'm running out of friends to give it to.

    Lilian xx

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  3. I will let you know when you are in the neighborhood.

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  4. Hello peeps, I enjoyed this, I also am indebted to FFF for a lot of my writing and here in one place are the two invigilators and pictures of naked men in raincoats, my cup truly does runneth over (sorry about the runneth - I have to do it that way) Cheers guys and yes I've read I've been deader and own a copy with all the typos - how lucky am I

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    Replies
    1. I think it only fair to point out that the typos in "I've Been Deader" were deliberately added as a talking point. ;)

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  5. Lilian, what's going on with your editing business, and what was your favorite chapter in "I've Been Deader"?

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    Replies
    1. It ticks over. I have recently finished editing a science fiction novel for an up and coming author and I'm working on editing a series of Children's books for a former theatre director who's been a friend of mine for more years than I care to remember. I also do some online consultancy with a couple of writers.

      My favourite chapter of IBD was undoubtedly the "Divas" one. Shades of Stephen King there!

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    2. People love that chapter. I kind of threw it in there as a lark. I think it started as a joke on an authonomy thread.

      Do you have a website for your editing services?

      Delete
  6. Top interview with a lovely lady. I found it inspiring that you didn't mention your own work throughout the interview, prefering to give Lilian the limelight.
    Why not plug your work now dude, you deserve it...

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  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  8. Thank you R.R. Jones. But it isn't always about "I've Been Deader," a near perfect blend of horror and comedy. Sometimes the interviewer needs to just step back and let the audience focus on the interviewee.

    As learned this while reading one of the thirty-one excellent stories in "Inside My Shorts: 30 Quickies."

    ReplyDelete

You have an opinion about everything else. Might as well have one here. Remember, spelling counts.