Thursday, February 20, 2014

Writer's Window Thursday - K.N. Lee

Welcome to Writer's Window Thursday! Today we have the pleasure of K.N. Lee's company! Amateur artist, traveling enthusiast, and wannabe rock star, K.N. Lee is an American author who resides in North Carolina. She enjoys writing fantasy, poetry, horror, and twisted short stories. When she is not cooking traditional Asian meals for her friends, she travels the world and practices foreign languages.

Her works include, The Chronicles of Koa: Netherworld, the dark poetry collection, Wicked Webs, Empty Your Heart, and the paranormal collection of short stories, Thicker Than Blood. She lives with her two dog, Raven.


Let's Take a peek into this writer's imagination!
 
 
 
Tiffany: What is the title of your book and what message does it convey to readers?

K.N. Lee: The Chronicles of Koa: Netherworld is a fantasy novel set in modern times yet utilizes high-fantasy weapons, alchemy, science, and magic. The message that I like to convey is that even the smallest, least intimidating, person in the room can indeed be the most dangerous. My heroine is Koa Ryeo-won. She’s small, cute, and silly…but if you cross her or threaten her loved ones, she’ll activate her enchanted sword and make you pay!

 

Tiffany: Give a short synopsis of your book.

K.N. Lee: What would you do if a demon threatened your mother's life? If you're like Koa, you'd sharpen your enchanted sword and go after him...

Our world is threatened by the creatures of an alternate land called the Netherworld. Good thing Koa and the Netherworld division are there to keep the vampire population in check. Koa is a powerful half-blood with a mysterious past. Her best friend is her boss, she has a cursed mother, an enchanted sword, and an attractive human pet.

Koa also has a problem. A Netherworld serial killer, with a taste for little girls, threatens everything Koa has worked hard to protect. Not even Koa's boss, Halston can stop him. But he knows one prisoner that can. Too bad that prison is in the Netherworld.

Is Koa ready to journey to the Netherworld to release the one creature that can break her mother's curse and protect all that she holds dear?

 

Tiffany:Why did you write this particular story?

K.N. Lee: This story actually began as a dream. It then became a weekly experiment on my blog and before I knew it, I had a pretty cool story and a few characters that I’d fallen in love with. I wanted a strong female protagonist with incredible power and the ability to fight evil.

 

Tiffany: Are there any characters in your books that are modeled from people in your daily life?

K.N. Lee: You know what, I never really realized it, but I think Koa may be modeled after my best friend. They’re both small, Asian, and feisty! You wouldn’t want to test either of them!

 

How do you come up with your storylines?

K.N. Lee: The first chapter came completely from a dream that I had. Then, I sat down and let Koa take control. She surprised me at every turn! I had a clear vision of what I wanted the end result to be and who the characters were. I did use an outline towards the end, just to keep the plot from straying.

 

Tiffany:  What was the point you realized that being an author was no longer a dream but a reality?

K.N. Lee: I’ve always know. From the first story I wrote when I was a child, I knew that being an author was what I wanted more than anything. Nothing gives me more joy than retreating to the deepest depths of my imagination and creating magical worlds and heroic characters. I think validation that I’d chosen the correct path came when I finally let someone other than family read my work. Their overwhelmingly positive feedback ignited something within me. I decided to stop hiding pursue publication.

 

Tiffany:    What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

K.N. Lee: Never give up. Rejection is part of being a writer. Write every day. Read. Never let your writing become a chore.

 

Tiffany: What warning(s) would you give them?

K.N. Lee: Don’t let that inevitable self-doubt hinder your progress. Push forward despite that little voice that tells you that your work is not good. Prove to yourself that your words are worthy.

 

Tiffany: What do you enjoy the most about the writing process?

K.N. Lee: I enjoy sitting at my desk and shutting out the world. Talk about therapy for the soul! It’s like dreaming while awake, except you have all of the control. I like the excitement of a new idea. Those first lines are magical, and your heart soars with the joy that comes from starting something new. The possibilities are endless!

 

Tiffany:  How did you go about getting your book published?

K.N. Lee: I actually have a fantasy trilogy called Rise of the Flame that took me years to write, and I always wanted to go the traditional route with that one. But I quickly learned that the road to finding an agent or a publisher is a long one. So, being somewhat impatient, I decided to self-publish The Chronicles of Koa: Netherworld on Amazon. I figured that I’d at least get my writer platform established, gain a fan base, and have something on my resume. It’s been incredibly rewarding!

 

Tiffany:   If you were given one day to live, what would you do that day?

K.N. Lee: I’d spend it with my family in a Swiss Family Robinson style tree house. We’d have yummy food, relax, and enjoy our last time together.

Tiffany:   If you could meet one of your favorite authors, who would it be and why?

K.N. Lee: Stephen King!!!! I’ve been reading his work since I was a child! He’s an incredible, prolific, author that I consider a mentor.

 

Tiffany:    Who inspires you?

K.N. Lee: My mother! She’s an incredible woman. I’d love to write her story someday.

 

Tiffany:   Most embarrassing childhood or adult moment?

K.N. Lee: Getting lost in South Korea was pretty mortifying. I was new to the country and my Korean was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I walked around begging for help, stopping strangers, and pointing to the phrase “I am lost” in my Korean-English phrasebook. Oh boy, that was embarrassing, but the Korean people were amongst the friendliest I’ve ever met. A girl actually called her friend that spoke English and got her to translate, and she bought me a cab home! Incredible!

 

Tiffany:    If you could go back in time, what would you say to your younger self?

 

K.N. Lee: Do not dwell on your failures. There is a bright future ahead of you. Do everything within your power to reach your goals.

 

 

Tiffany:   What’s next for you?

K.N. Lee: The sequel to The Chronicles of Koa: Netherworld is called Lyrinian Blade, and will be released early February! I’ll also have a story, Last of the Jinn, in the fantasy anthology A World of Worlds coming soon!
Thank you for stopping by today and letting us learn more about your book and you as an author! If you wish to learn more about K.N. Lee and her books you can find her here:

 


 

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