About K. Lynn:
K. Lynn has been an avid reader and writer since childhood. In her youth, she could most likely be found in the local library, devouring books that covered everything from WWII History to Dr. McCoy’s latest adventures aboard the Enterprise, with some X-Men thrown in for good measure. Once she had read everything that was on the shelves, she turned around and read them again. K. Lynn was also known to create elaborate adventures that more than once made it to the page. Ink-filled papers gave way to overflowing computer memory as the years went on, but the stories never ceased.
While in college, K. Lynn increased her involvement in LGBT issues and writing within the LGBT fiction genre. She has become a long-time fan of the authors that seek to explore the commonality that exists within all sexualities and genders. Most of K. Lynn’s work features LGBT characters, many of whom are in established relationships and show how love perseveres through every trial and tribulation that life holds. She also has a particular interest in seeing transgender characters gain a larger foothold within the LGBT fiction genre, hoping that the market for these works expand in the future.
K. Lynn has degrees and certificates from UNC-Chapel Hill in the areas of American History, Religion, Creative Writing, Public Health, and Journalism. She is a member of Mensa and has an extensive writing and editing background. To her, life is an ongoing adventure where she seeks to learn something new every day. When K. Lynn is not writing short stories, she is working on her novels. Her interests range from erotica to education, with stops along the way in paranormal fiction, historical novels, and established relationship romance. Give her a good story and she’s willing to read.
What inspires you to write?
I’ve written a number of manuscripts over the past few years, full-length novels that are in different levels of editing. And I’ve written quite a few short stories and novellas, all of which have been published (or soon to be published). However, I’ve only done NaNoWriMo once. The push to write at such a fast pace, in such a short time, is both freeing and terrifying. But, I figured I’d give it a try once. And as a result, I completed the first draft of His Womanly Ways a couple of years ago.
This novel is unlike my usual fare of works, and perhaps that’s why it came so fast to me. I let myself go and just saw where the plot would take me. And it turns out that it took me to quite an interesting place. The only thing I knew going in was that I wanted to do a genderswap book, but one that was unlike those I had read prior. I have always been interested in the genre, but I find most of it jumps straight to objectification rather than exploration. You’re turned into another gender, so the first thing you do is feel yourself up and try to have sex with the nearest willing person? I don’t buy that.
Essentially your body doesn’t match your inner self anymore. That should cause some kind of journey to either accept or reject the situation. That’s what I tried to do with His Womanly Ways. Alex didn’t ask for this to happen to him, and the process is gradual, as is his acceptance of the changes. His mind doesn’t match the image he sees in the mirror, and that’s important to realize.
Tell us about your writing process.
I schedule out all my time. I have to, else I wouldn’t get anything done. I set aside a certain time every weeknight to focus on writing, and then might schedule extra writing sessions throughout the weekend. When I’m on deadline, that writing time might be spent writing something new, cleaning up a proof copy about to go to print, or tweaking a few plot elements based on my writer’s group feedback. But I commit to the process consistently.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I find that a new novel idea consistently comes when I’m about 70% done with the prior one. It pushes me to finish the prior project, which is good, and then I get to listen to a whole new set of characters. For all my works, I never close the door completely, so characters may return in a short story or a novella, giving me more insight into their lives.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write every day. That’s the number one piece of advice I give all prospective writers. Many times I hear the excuse “I want to be a writer, but I just don’t have the time.” You have to make the time. Schedule out a piece of your day where you’re committed to just writing. Or if that doesn’t work, use whatever spare time you have (10 mins here, 30 mins there) and write. Think about how much time you might be spending waiting around between appointments. That’s writing time.
And write what you love. Don’t write something just because the market seems to like it, or it’s a hot genre, because by the time you finish the market will have moved on. Plus, if you’re not passionate about what you write, it will show. Write the story you want to read, then worry about the logistics of publishing later. Get that first draft written because you want to write it and you want to read it.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I’ve always wanted to see my works published, and have devoted my writing journey to that goal. I knew early-on that I didn’t want to self-publish, but instead be traditionally published. This was for a number of reasons, among them the validation that someone else valued my work enough to put the time and energy into helping to see it succeed. For those just starting the process, I would say to look at what you want to get out of your writing journey and set the goals to achieve that. It is going to be a long, hard journey, so don’t let that deter you. There will be setbacks, but it’s worth it in the end.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Book publishing is changing dramatically, so I can’t say where it will be five or ten years from now. I think ebooks will continue to be a strong presence, but I don’t see print books as being obsolete. All avenues must be explored, and new ones are opening up everyday. Who knows what kind of interactive experience we might have down the road!
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: LGBT Fiction
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print, Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
K. Lynn Home Page Link
Link To K. Lynn Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Twitter
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit, to allow you, the reader, to hear the author in their own voice.
