Thursday 7 February 2013

Author Interview: Emily Kimelman





About the Author:

Emily Kimelman lives on a boat in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Sean and their dog Kinsey (named after Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone). Kimelman has a passion for traveling and spends as much time as possible in the pursuit of adventure.

Her Sydney Rye series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

Every time I write a book I polish my process. The first book in my Sydney Rye series, UNLEASHED, I made a huge and detailed outline. A third of the way through I had to throw the whole thing out because my characters took over. INSATIABLE is the third novel in the series but I actually wrote it second. With that one I just sat down at the computer and told Sydney to do as she would. That took a lot of editing because she is kind of an out of control story teller. So when I sat down to write DEATH IN THE DARK (the second book in the series) I let Sydney do all the talking but put it into more of a structure. Yay for notecards!

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

Yes, and I always let them.

What is your favorite food?

Bolognese. I love it when my mom makes it, when I make it, when I order in a cafe half way around the world. Bolognese is my ultimate comfort food.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Neither really. I’m kind of a monster in the morning until I’ve had some caffeine (coffee or tea will do). Really, I’m not functioning until after breakfast. Once I’ve got some food in me I usually work until around dinner time and then I have a glass of wine and relax. Usually I’m in bed pretty early. Of course, I’ll stay up until the wee hours of the morning reading :)

Where do you dream of traveling to and why?

I travel all the time. Right now I’m in India, last week I was in Paris. In the summers I live on a boat roaming up and down the Hudson River. I used to dream of traveling all the time so my husband and I decided that’s what we would do. Live the dream.

Do distant places feature in your books?

Yes! Sydney Rye sees the world. In INSATIABLE she spends time in Mexico and the Caribbean (where my Father grew up). I’m working on Sydney Rye #4 right now and I’m sure you’ll be shocked to hear parts of it take place in India :)

Do you listen to music while writing?

Often but not all the time. I listened to Jack White’s latest album Blunderbuss about a thousand times while finishing up INSATIABLE.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

INSATIABLE is the third book in my Sydney Rye series. This series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

INSATIABLE begins with private detective Sydney Rye living a simple, disciplined life in London, but when a dangerous man from her past calls, Rye finds she cannot turn him away. Robert Maxim explains that the daughter of a powerful friend has gone missing and he wants Rye to find her. In exchange he offers her something she had given up hope of ever having; freedom from her past.

With her dog, Blue, at her side, Rye meets up with her new partner, a handsome man she's not sure she can trust. Heading for Mexico City, they go undercover, posing as husband and wife. After meeting with the bereaved parents, Rye starts to sense that there is more going on than just a missing girl. But it isn't until they arrive in the Yucatan Peninsula, hot on the girl's trail in Paradise, that all hell breaks loose. Sydney has to reach out for help from old friends and deal with the consequences of her past, if she's going to find the girl and keep them all alive.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

Oh God, so much! I’ve been writing for years but only publishing for about one and half. Publishing is so much fun but figuring out how to let people know about your book is totally different then writing it. I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to market a novel including visiting wonderful blogs such as this one, paying for advertising, soliciting reviews, and social media tricks. I still have a lot to learn but am proud of how much I’ve accomplished since taking this on.

Is there anything you would do differently?

There are a lot of mistakes I made with UNLEASHED but I learned from all of them so I wouldn’t want to change that. I wish I was better about keeping spreadsheets with data on sales and ranking and promotions but I find it so boring!

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

Everything influences my writing. The oyster farm in DEATH IN THE DARK is a real place, I drove there in an RV. I used to walk dogs on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Joy’s business in UNLEASHED. The bounty hunter’s house in INSATIABLE is based off my wedding photographer’s house in St. Thomas.

I’m in Goa, India, right now and our hosts threw a dinner party last night with a couple of friends. We sat in their yard surrounded by candles and palm trees. A scorpion was discovered, contained in a jar, and then admired through the glass. Amazing stories were told about ridiculous and funny things. Anyone of those stories, or the way the lamps flickered in the tropical breeze could end up in one of my books.

All the details from my life reside in my sub-conscious and that is what I use to write.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

That this is an occupation not a job. You have to be obsessed with your work to make it happen. Don’t be afraid to let it consume you.

What are three words that describe you?

Kind, irrational, and fun.

What's your favorite book or who is your favorite writer?

Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book. It’s what I always turn to when I need an escape from the real world. Jane Austen creates such amazing tension in that book, and such incredible characters. Elizabeth Bennet is one of my favorite people whoever lived, that’s how I think of her!


List of previous books if any

UNLEASHED (A Sydney Rye Novel, #1)

DEATH IN THE DARK (A Sydney Rye Novella, #2)

INSATIABLE (A Sydney Rye Novel, #3)

Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.

Website/blog: https://emilykimelman.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ejkimelman

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EmilyKimelman

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4832911.Emily_Kimelman


Thank you, Emily and good luck with your books!

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