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Here is Part 2 of our exclusive interview with Morgan Kearns/Heartbroken1, the FF writer turned published author, as she discusses her soon to be released novel “Fade to Black”. A short synopsis of the book is included at the end of this article.
Read Part 1 here.
CBA: Were there hurdles in bringing “Fade to Black” to publishing?
Morgan Kearns: Because I went the self-publishing route, there were financial hurdles to overcome. And I’ll be responsible for the marketing and selling of it. Although it will be available on Amazon, I’m hoping to sell them straight from my website within the US.
CBA: In retrospect, did you make any mistakes along the way?
MK:Â Probably! There are certainly things I second-guess myself about. Maybe I should have left the story up longer. Maybe I should have written faster instead of taking a hiatus. Maybe I should have… You get the idea. There are a thousand things I’d do differently. The biggest thing I’d change is that I would have just written the story as an original work from the beginning. It never would have been a fanfiction. And then…we wouldn’t be here, would we?
CBA: Were there parts of the process you hated?
MK: Editing sucks!! I’ve read through the FADE TO BLACK manuscript at least a dozen times with red pen in hand. And I know my editor has done it at least four times. The night we were going through it for the last time, I was literally in tears. You know when you open your reviews and you just want it to say, ‘you rock’ or ‘great story’ or ‘update soon’, yeah, that’s what I was ready for. But those will never make you a better writer. It’s the ‘you can do better’ or ‘this sentence is weird’ or ‘add more spice to this scene’ that make me better. I love my editor and appreciate her dedication so much!
CBA: Loved?
MK: I love writing. I love the honor of telling someone else’s story. That’s what it truly is after all, someone else’s story. The heartache that Rich and Kate and Jesse experience was, at times, my own. There were scenes when I was crying with their heartbreak or laughing so hard I was crying.
CBA: Any heroes along the way?
MK: Heroes? My editor, Terri. My family. Marva, a fresh pair of eyes that didn’t know me or the story, who told it like it was. My friends, who urged me along. And my fans, who continually send emails or pms (to which I try to always respond) just giving me the atta-girl!
CBA: What surprised you the most about getting to the point you are at now?
MK What surprised me most? Hmm… I guess, probably the order of the steps. First they want what your cover will say, before they want to know what kind of font you want on the inside. But they do this every day and I’ve learned to trust them.
CBA: Exactly what point are you at now?
MK:I have given everything over to them. The cover is in the design phase and I am waiting to get the initial proofs for it.
CBA: What still needs to be done?
MK: Wow! There is so much to be done. I’ve updated my website and I am in the process of getting my ’store’ ready for the book to be purchased on www.MorganKearns.com.
CBA: What adjustments did you have to bring to the storyline?
MK: Of course, I had to change names and places and hair and eye color, but for the most part the characters were mine already. They are now in Salt Lake City, Utah. Kate and Jesse are high school sweethearts from Flagstaff, Arizona and Rich was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada.
CBA: Did you expand the scope?
MK:Yes, it was fun to create new parameters and not be confined to those set up by someone else.
CBA: Would a reader of the original fan fiction like me still recognize it?
MK: I actually had a friend read it who said that she started out reading it and seeing Edward and Bella and Jake, but by the end, she only could see Rich and Kate and Jesse. I’m hoping that people won’t just read it as a published version of a fanfic. That’s not what it is. That’s not who they are.
CBA: Does it end, or will there be a sequel?
MK: It definitely ends. Although, I’ve been told that the reader isn’t sure whether it’s a HEA until the very last page. Lots of Angst.
CBA: Anything else in the works?
MK: My next project is a vampire trilogy. The first book (at least at this point) is called A LOVE LOST. I’m also working on a mystery and a children’s book as well.
CBA: Is there anything you would like to say to other FF writers about getting published? Knowing what you now know, would you do it all again or is it still too early to determine that!
MK: To readers/reviewers of fanfiction I would say, constructive criticism is awesome! Honestly a review that says ‘update soon’ or ’awesome chapter’ doesn’t really offer anything. Tell the writer what you liked (or didn’t like) specifically. If you wouldn’t want your review in your inbox, then it’s best not to say it because ‘you suck!’ doesn’t offer any help either. If you have something constructive to say and it might come across as harsh, put it in a pm. Writers, criticism is a good thing. Marva (my completely unbiased reader) was brutal at times! Take the criticism for what it is. If you can better yourself, then do so. If it’s just crap, then put on your duck suit and let it roll off your back – *climbs off soapbox* I would absolutely do it again. Next time I hope to go the traditional route. I’ve set a goal to be finished with the rough draft of A LOVE LOST by January and have it ready to send off to publishers by June.
CBA: Who is your publisher?
MK: I went with BookSurge. They are a POD (print-on-demand) company, a subsidiary of Amazon. By going with them, FADE TO BLACK will be available internationally as well as to wholesalers. Wholesale is how it gets on the self at B&N or Borders. They don’t buy retail.
CBA: When and where will it be available for sale?
MK: The book will be available on Amazon.com and www.MorganKearns.com. (psst…if you buy it on my website, they cost less and you have an option to purchase an autographed copy).
CBA: Happy ending or not telling?
MK:*grins* You’ll have to read it!
CBA: Anything else you’d like to add?
MK:If you liked News to Me, please take a chance on FADE TO BLACK. And if you like it, please tell a friend. Thanks!
CBA: Oh, the question I ask all of my ff author interviewees – your top 10 favorite ff stories?
MK: Oh, gosh! There are so many out there! A few that come to mind quickly are: The Past Comes Back to Bite You, by sillybella (I wish she’d finish it already!!). Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers by sillybella. Dear Diary by Alice Laughed. Fair Game by Eowyn77.
CBA: Thank you so muchHeartbroken1. I can’t wait to read it! And I can’t wait to see how many more FF author’s are inspired by your experiences. Please keep us posted on how things progress!
Thank you for the interview, Morgan, and thank you to all who came to read it. I hope you enjoyed hearing Heartbroken1’s experiences and I hope you will support her endeavor and purchase her book. If it is as engaging as the fan fiction story that preceded it, it is going to be a best seller.
Keep up on this story by going to http://www.morgankearns.com/Home_Page.html for more information
Back Cover Text from Fade to Black:
Kate Callahan had seen Rich Spencer hundreds of times over the last two years. But never before had she seen him as anything more than the man with a camera on his shoulder. The competition.
But today, she finally saw him. Really saw him.
Light brown hair that looked as though he’d just stepped out of a windstorm. He had a toned physique, under his cream sweater and loose-fitting jeans. And his eyes!
Kate swallowed hard.
What begins innocently sinks into the depths of pain and anguish before it fades to black. Curiously funny and unpredictably dramatic, this stormy love story masked as a thriller follows the twists and turns of one woman as she deals with passion and betrayal that bring danger into her shattered solace. Happily ever after is a long road along a dark horizon where heartbreak is something to survive and ultimately live for.
Award-winning short fiction writer Morgan Kearns was a journalist for ten years before retiring to become a stay at home mother of four. She lives with her family in Northern Arizona. Fade to Black is her first novel.
Copyright©MorganKearns2009
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