TK White is a writer, editor, wanderer, and lover of all things fantastical. Most days you can find her scaling castle walls on daring rescue missions, brewing gruesome potions to destroy her arch nemesis, fighting mythical gods hellbent on taking over the world and, of course, slaying fire-breathing dragons through it all. Whew. Her days are busy. Okay…so she might also spend her days living vicariously through her characters.  

In reality, she lives in Kansas City with her husband and fearsome ten-pound dog, Beasty. She spends her days teaching and her nights dreaming up fantastical worlds. 

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Oh gosh, I feel like this question is similar to the question, Which came first? The chicken or the egg? I’m not sure when I first knew I wanted to be a writer. I’ve written as long as I can remember, and it was always something that was just in me, something I couldn’t deny or ignore.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Typically, I average about 2,000 words a day. So my novellas only take a few weeks to write, and a full-length novel (90,000 words), takes a few months.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I keep myself on a pretty strict schedule. I’m a professional book editor, so I edit from 8:00-12:00 everyday, then I work on emails, invoices, marketing from 12:30-2:00. After 2:00 is normally my writing time. I try to be done writing by 4:00 or 5:00 everyday so I can have some time to relax at night. Of course, there are days when the schedule gets thrown out the window.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

I don’t know that there’s just one source. Sometimes, ideas just come to me while I’m grocery shopping (which is why I keep a writing journal in my purse). Other times, I’ll be watching a TV show and an idea will come to me, or I’ll be talking to someone and they say something that sparks an idea. Ideas are everywhere for me!

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

When I’m not writing, I am a travel junkie. I’ve lived in four countries and traveled to over 18. I have a passion for seeing the world and learning as much about other cultures as I can. Traveling is also great for new ideas! In addition to traveling, I love reading. If I’m not reading, you’ll usually find me curled up with a new book.

What does your family think of your writing?

I am really lucky in that my family is super supportive of my writing career. My parents always believed in me, they encouraged me to get my B.A. in writing, and they just have this unwavering faith in my writing ability. It’s the same with my husband. I’m so lucky to have a husband who supports my dream and believes wholeheartedly in my writing.

What is your go to food/beverage when you are writing?

When I write, I’m always #teamtea. I gotta have my tea to start off the day, and it sustains me!

What do you think makes a good story?

I’m not even sure there can be a definition for this because what makes a good story is so subjective based on the reader and what they want. But I think at the end of the day, a good story is one that keeps readers turning the page.

What do you wish you had known before you decided to write your first book?

I wish I had known a lot of things! When I wrote my first book, I knew nothing about adverbs, or show vs. tell, or passive voice. I just wrote! And in a way, it was freeing, but it another way, it was a mess! I also wish I had known that it’s okay to write for the experience and to not rush the publication part.

What advice would you give a novice writer who wants to take on the task of writing their first book?

I would advise a first time writer to immerse yourself in the writing community as much as possible. Being a writer can be really isolating, and it’s so important to have community to lift you up when you’re down. It’s also so helpful because you’ll find beta readers, critique partners, and friends when you join the writing community.

What advice would you give a novice writer who is about to edit their first draft?

I have a unique take on this since I’m both an editor and an author. I think it’s really important to learn when it comes to editing. Read editors’ blogs, learn from your fellow writers, read books on story structure and self-editing. The editing process is really important for putting that need shine on your project.

 A Darkness Found—

Before she hired a huntsman to steal a heart, she surrendered her own.

After years of torture and abuse from her wicked mother—a woman consumed by her lust for dark magic—Grishelda finally finds happiness in her marriage to a king. The joy is fleeting when the king’s daughter grows jealous and threatens to drive a wedge between the newly married couple. Grishelda knows if she has any chance at a happily ever after, she must act—even if that means using dark magic. With each use of the seductive magic, Grishelda risks ruining the love she never thought she’d find and succumbing to the darkness she’s always feared.

A Darkness Within—

A genie in a lamp shattered his soul, but love can piece it back together.

Exiled and on the run, Kumar must slip into a realm of nightmares to rescue a princess, deliver her to a pompous prince, and release a deadly bounty from his head. The fierce princess isn’t the damsel in distress he imagined, and Kumar fights a growing attraction to her while fending off flying rugs, wretched insects, and deadly jinns. As more nightmares from his past creep in, Kumar realizes the princess isn’t the only one who needs rescuing. If he has any hope of redeeming himself, he must face the past that haunts him and fight the darkness within.

• Genre: YA fantasy (fairytale retellings)
• Number of Pages: 122
• Print Format:  Paperback & Ebook

Is it part of a series?  If yes, how many books are going to be included in the series? And where does this book stand (what number)?

This is part of a trilogy called The Darkness Trilogy. A Darkness Found is book 1, A Darkness Within is book 2, and book 3, A Darkness Stolen will be released in March of 2019.

Who are your favorite character(s) and why?

I love both Grishelda and Kumar because they’re misunderstood villains with a story to tell. Both of them are so determined to be good and both struggle with the darkness inside. I love them because they’re lost souls just hoping someone will reach out to them.

Favorite Quotes:

“All this time, he’d been trying to protect her from her nightmares. Silly villain. He should’ve been protecting her from himself.” “A kiss was worth a thousand words, and oh what a story theirs told.”

Where can your book be purchased?

A Darkness Found on Amazon

A Darkness Within on Amazon

Places where your book has been recognized.

Ania from the https://thestarslistensite.wordpress.com/ has reviewed both of my books. She gave A Darkness Found five stars and A Darkness Within four stars

Any other tidbits you would like to share.

I’m obsessed with fairytale retellings, but I love dark and gritty characters, which is why my retellings focus on the villains. I think every story has two sides, and it’s important to hear both sides.

What makes your book stand out among the other books in the genre?

I think my books are unique retellings from the villains’ perspectives. I haven’t seen a lot of retellings about Snow White’s “evil” stepmother, and I haven’t seen any retellings about the “evil” magician from Aladdin, so I think these stories shed light on lesser known villains.

What would you tell a potential reader (teetering on the fence) to sway them to read your book?

If you love romance, magic, adventure, and fairytales, then you’ll love my novellas!

Social Media Links

Twitter https://twitter.com/tkwhiteauthor

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tkwhiteauthor/

Website/blog www.tkwhiteauthor.com