AUTHOR INTERVIEW - KENTON KILGORE

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

My name is Kenton Kilgore.  I was born in Germany but lived in the United States almost all my life.  I spent most of my childhood in Phoenix, Arizona but now live in Maryland, near Washington, D.C.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?

I work for the U.S. Federal government to pay the bills.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?

My two-part young adult novel is Dragontamer’s Daughters, and it’s a fantasy western story of a family on an alternate Earth where the native people use dragons to defend their lands.

  

Who is your publisher? or do you self publish? 

Self-published.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

Dragontamer’s Daughters took 9 years to write, mostly because my concept for it changed a great deal and required a lot of rewrites to come out the way I wanted it to.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

After 9 years, I’m pretty much done with what I created for Dragontamer’s Daughters.  I’m working on a new young adult novel, something totally different.

  

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?

The new book is a stand-alone, modern-day sci-fi/apocalypse story told from the point of view of two dogs.  My working title is Lost Dogs.

What genre would you place your books into?

Young adult fantasy or science-fiction

What made you decide to write that genre of book?

I wanted to write stories for my daughters.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?

I like Isabella and Alijandra from the Dragontamer’s Daughters books because they remind me of my girls when they were those characters’ ages.  It was fun to write dialogue for Ahiga, a minor character in Dragontamer’s Daughters.  He’s a chauvinist pig, a womanizer, a mooch, and has a bad temper, but he’s also brave and loyal to his friends. 

If you had to choose to be one of your characters in your book/books which would you be? and why?

I’d want to be Buddy, the German Shepard protagonist of Lost Dogs.  He’s just an all-around good guy.

How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?

I’ve been writing stories ever since I was 8 years old.  My father used to write—I must have gotten it from him.

Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?

Yes, usually in electronic form.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

Yes.

What was the toughest/best review you have ever had?

Naomi Blackburn from the blog A Book and a Review loved the Dragontamer’s Daughters books—that really meant a lot to me to have someone who doesn’t know me from Adam appreciate them.

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books? 

No!  I can take criticism—it’s praise I’m uncomfortable with.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books? Who designed the Cover of your books?

I have a friend—James Arnold—who is a professional artist.  I asked him to do the covers, and I think he did a magnificent job.

What do you do to unwind and relax?Do you have a hobby?

I’m a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers (American) football team and the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team.  I also enjoy playing Warhammer 40,000, which is a sci-fi/fantasy tabletop wargame.  I love motorcycles, but I probably have to give them up because they’re so dangerous.

 

Have you ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have happened to you?

Sometimes I’ll base a character on a few aspects of a person I know, but never the whole person.  For example, Isabella in Dragontamer’s Daughters likes to read, has problems seeing long distances, and tends to get upset easily, which was true of my older daughter at that age, but those are the only characteristics they share.  Likewise, Isabella’s sister Alijandra is like my younger daughter in that she likes animals and talks a lot, but there, the similarities end.

  

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")

In Dragontamer’s Daughters, I wanted to look at what effects money—or the lack thereof—have on a family.  What will you do—and what WON’T you do—for money?  In Lost Dogs, the theme is abandonment, and how one survives, accepts, and responds to that.

Is there a certain Author that influenced you in writing?

No, but there was teacher: J.R. Salamanca, at the University of Maryland.  He disabused me of my inflated opinion of my writing and made me be much more careful and more precise in characterization, diction, tone—everything.

Which format of book do you prefer, ebook,hardback, or paperback?

I love trade paperbacks.

What is your favourite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?

I can’t pick just one.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback)

I’m currently reading Survivors #1: The Empty City by Erin Turner at the request of my younger daughter because there are some similarities between that book and Lost Dogs.  I am not enjoying it AT ALL.  Can’t stand the characters, the tone, the clichés, etc….  

Did you read a lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer something newer in your life?

In school, I read and wrote a lot.  I wrote my first full-length novel at 11 (admittedly, it was a Star-Wars knockoff, but hey, I was a kid).  In high school, I wrote horror stories (including a novel) and an “emo/apocalypse” novel that at the time I was very, very proud of, and now that I’m older, I see it was very, very bad….

  

Did you have a favourite author as a child? 

J.R.R. Tolkien.  Loved Stephen King when I was in high school (shocker).

Do you have a favourite genre of book?

Fantasy, but also science fiction.

Where can readers follow you?

Your Blog Details?  

http://kentonkilgore.com/blog/
Your Web Site ?  

www.kentonkilgore.com

Your Facebook Page?

Kenton Kilgore (Author)
Your Goodreads Author Page?

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6443365.Kenton_Kilgore
Your Twitter Details?
And any other information you wish to supply? Amazon page:  http://www.amazon.com/Kenton-Kilgore/e/B008F95POO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1