Last week I had the great good fortune to participate in some wonderful writer/reader fun. An author I admire came to my area on her book tour. She did a luncheon speech in the afternoon, and a library presentation in the evening. At first I planned to attend only the luncheon, but then I decided, what the heck, I’m going to do both. So I did.
I first heard of Kate Quinn when I read her dual-timeline bestselling book, The Alice Network, and even mentioned it on my blog back in the summer of 2017. Kate did a great job of writing each chapter with a tiny little cliffhanger that made it hard to put the book down. I kept telling myself I’d only read a few more pages, while hours ticked away. Needless to say, sleepless nights lingered until I finished it.
Well, Kate has a new book out titled The Huntress. This story features an all-female night bomber regiment that operated during World War II. They impacted the Germans enough to earn a nickname – Night Witches. How cool is that? Written from three different points of view, reviewers have described the story as compulsively readable.
I haven’t started the book yet, but I’m looking forward to diving in. By the way, last I heard this one had already made it to #2 on the NYT Bestseller list. Not a bad start for a book only a few weeks old!
Kate gave a wonderful presentation, and although I didn’t take notes, these were a few of the points she made:
- Kate loves to write fascinating women from the past who may have been overlooked by history. To hone in on a subject, she researches a time period of interest to her, looking for a woman or women who pique her curiosity.
- Her research process is thorough and immersive, but she knows when it’s time to stop reading, and start writing.
- She keeps to a schedule. In the morning, she takes care of non-writing tasks. In the afternoon, it’s time to sit at the computer and work.
The comments made sense not only for a bestselling author, but for any writer. For example, writing a book does require a fascinating subject. You and your character will be spending an awful lot of time together. So will your character and a reader.
Research. It’s easy to get so bogged down with research, you never move on with the story. This is a problem that plagues me frequently, because I love reading history! But at some point ideas must be put on paper, or research will go on forever (and ever and ever).
A schedule is critical for real progress. Writing must be a part of each day’s routine, so other things don’t crowd out working on the story. Find a viable time of day to write, and then stick to it.
I guess it’s obvious I find author events to be entertaining and eye-opening. If you have the chance to hear one of your favorite authors speak, I highly recommend it as an opportunity to learn about the writing process, get backstory on a book you’ve enjoyed, and ask lots of questions.
Did I enjoy my afternoon and evening with Kate? I’m pretty sure you can guess the answer. 🙂
What author events have you attended?
14 Responses
Thanks for introducing me to Kate Quinn, Pat. My TBR list just got longer. This book sounds fascinating!
Lisa, I think you’ll enjoying reading her books. The Alice Network really hooked me, and I’m thinking The Huntress will be every bit as good!
Pat, I loved hearing about your experience with Kate Quinn! I actually just read a book about Russian female bombers in WW2 by another author. Fascinating! I had no idea women fought against Germany. I’ll definitely check into Kate’s new book.
Karen, I think you’ll enjoy it. World War II has been a popular time period for historical fiction in the last few years, and I’m sure there are many fascinating stories yet to be told.
I loved The Alice Network and am looking forward to reading The Huntress. I wish I could have seen her the evening she was here but I had a prior commitment.
Oh, it would have been even more fun if you were there, Sally! I think The Huntress will be a spectacular read.
Pat–I’ve seen Anne Lamott. Mary Karr. Janet Evanovich. Sherman Alexie. Rick Bragg. Orson Scott Card. (I’ve probably forgotten a few.)
Oh. I’ve been to a Pat Wahler author event, too. 😉
How I’d love to see Anne Lamott. You’ve attended some awesome events.
Now that you mention it, I always enjoy attending an author event with you!
Nice photo and I like her comments, and I love that you did both events. I love going to see authors. I always learn so much. One of my favorites lately was when I got to see Andrew McCarthy from St. Elmo’s Fire and Pretty in Pink fame at the St. Louis County Headquarters with his YA book. He was a fascinating writer!
Oh, Margo, I bet the one with Andrew McCarthy was awesome!
I love hearing about the journey of bestselling authors. It’s always inspiring.
Sounds like a wonderful event, Pat! I love a dual-timeline story, so The Alice Network is exactly my kind of read. And The Huntress — what a great title! Looking forward to adding both books to my TBR pile. Thanks so much for introducing us to Kate.
I think you’ll enjoy reading her books, Teri. I’d recommend reading The Alice Network first. It really hooked me!
Pat, this book sounds like something I’d enjoy. I love history, so I’ll have to check it out!
Mary, it is a good one for sure. If you haven’t read Kate’s work before, I’d suggest The Alice Network first. It was amazing!