Interview Kathy Elbinger

by

Tammy Riviere

1) Tell us a little about yourself.

I live in the Denver area with my husband of 20+ years and two cats. I’ve been a radio operator at the Pentagon when I was in the air force, a news director for some small radio stations in the Southwest, and I used to have horses. I’ve been a beekeeper, insurance agent, and a supervisor for Section 8 housing. I guess I was training for my present gig as a writer!

2) How long have you been writing? And what was the first story you ever wrote?

I’ve been writing since I first learned to read, so my first story was probably something about the family dog or a murder mystery that never got solved, and my younger brother was the victim! Seriously, I decided to pursue writing for publication about twelve years ago. And the first novel I wrote will get shredded as soon as I get the time.

3) Do you have a favorite genre?

I love romance because I think the characters are well developed and the happy endings leave me with a feeling of hope for the world.

4) Is this your first published novel? Or are there more?

This is my first published novel, but it was the sixth I’ve completed. And I’m about halfway through my next novel.

5) Do you have an outside job or just the writing life?

Not any more, just the writing. I’m lucky that we can afford to do this.

6) What are some of your interests and hobbies?

When I need to refresh my imagination for writing, I play with my way-too-big bead collection or putter in the garden. Every so often my husband and I travel, sometimes to places like Zimbabwe and Turkey to see a total solar eclipse. I belong to Romance Writers of America, the Heart of Denver Romance Writers, and the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.

7) What are some of the difficulties you encounter while writing? Or does everything come easily for you?

Oh, heavens, no! Frequency was the book that flowed the easiest, but there were still parts that I felt bogged down. I try to turn off the internal editor and just write, to get everything down for that first draft. I know that I’ll be able to fix things in the editing process. It took me a while to trust myself on that point. Now, when I’m feeling a little insecure about fixing a scene or plot point, I use sticky notes to put my mind at ease.

8) Are you a “Make it up as you go” kind of writer or do you plot and outline? What is your technique?

I’ve tried seat of the pants writing, but I never get past the second chapter before everything grinds to a dead stop. A lot of times I’ll just get those first pages out of the way so the story will quit nagging me and leave me in peace while I outline the rest of the book. And what nearly always happens is that I end up deleting those pages I wrote without an outline.

With the book I’m working on now I’m writing over a very detailed outline. It helps me see what the scene I’m working on is leading up to. When I start to slow down, I go through the rest of the outline and add some things, take out others, fix whatever is slowing me down.

9) Do you belong to a critique group?

I haven’t had much luck with critique groups. I might be the type of writer who functions better going it alone and getting feedback through contests.

10) Do you spend a lot of time researching?

Not really. I write contemporary romance, so I usually pick an area I’ve lived in or visited, change a few of the things about the place and give it a new name so the people in that town don’t appear one night on my doorstep brandishing torches and farm implements. I do check on things like how a radio transmitter works and weather patterns, but since it’s a world I’ve mostly made up, I don’t have to look up street locations and annual festivals, things like that.

11) Any favorite authors? And why?

Nora Roberts because she’s, well, Nora. She’s a prime example of being able to write through whatever else life throws at her. I love her male characters; she really knows how men tick. Jennifer Crusie for her hilariously cynical voice. How can you not love a writer who describes a male character as he first appears in a book as “leaning blondly against the door jamb”? Debbie Macomber for her characters, fully drawn and her ability to make her readers relate to all of them, whether it’s a teenaged goth girl or a prissy society matron.

Right now I’m reading Jane and the Stillroom Maid by Stephanie Barron. She recreates Jane Austen into an amateur detective and captures the tone and voice of Miss Austen’s own books.

12) What kind of movies do you like? And do you have a favorite?

I don’t get out to see movies much, just can’t seem to get around to it. The latest movie I’ve seen is Enchanted. I loved it! Who else but Disney would have the chutzpah to show a crowd of people singing and dancing happily away on a sunny day in Central Park? It had all the elements of a good romance and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to study the genre.

13) Would you consider yourself at a good point in your life? In other words, have you fulfilled certain goals in your writing life so far?

At the time I’m writing this, it’s two days before my book is launched. I had a checkup this morning and my blood pressure was surprisingly within normal parameters. So, yes, life is good. I’ve achieved my goal of getting published. It’s given me a lot of encouragement and energy to keep writing, and I will!

14) Your book sounds very interesting. How did you arrive at the title?

A radio station plays a major part in the setting and plot of the book. Frequency is where you can find a particular station on the dial and it also points to where my main character, Lorie, finds where she left her heart.

14) Do you have any obstacles in your life at this time that makes writing difficult for you?

I have rheumatoid arthritis, and when it flares up, I don’t have the energy to write. My cats like to walk across the keyboard when they think I’m not paying enough attention to them. I keep a couple of toys in my desk drawer to throw down the stairs to get rid of them if I’m in the middle of something and can’t take a break at that moment.

15) Does your family support you in your writing.

When I got the email from Wings about my contract, I called my husband, who was in Costco. He jumped up and down and yelled and got a lot of strange looks! He’s been very supportive, and pushed me to get business cards made even before I had the cover. There’s a bottle of champagne chilling in the refrigerator for Friday.

16) Why did you choose Wings as a possible publisher for your book?

I met Lorraine when Wings first opened, in September, 2001. I was at a writer’s conference where every editor and agent canceled because all their flights had been cancelled because of 9/11, which happened three days before the conference started. Lorraine drove all the way to Denver and heard anyone who wanted to pitch. She also hung out with us for the other activities at the conference, something most editors and agents don’t do. I was very impressed with how easy it was to talk with her, and with how Wings has grown and turned into a very supportive community for writers.

17) Any words of wisdom for first time writers?

Like everyone else says; just write. I also noticed that when I stopped worrying about how much money I would make, my writing got better.

18) Give me a couple of key words to describe your book?

Lightning DOES strike twice!

19) A website or myspace address?

I have a Myspace page, but rarely go there. My website is www.kathyelbinger.com. I put that page up myself and I’m not much of a techie, but I promise when the dust settles I’ll add more to it like reviews and articles on writing.