Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Just Sit Down and Write a Book...A Writer's Tale


A special birthday wish to a wonderful writer with a heart of gold...from francy

Click for Kitty's  interview with Morgan Bailey

Kitty Kirwin, is a writer. Yes, she has written books, blogs and articles...but what makes her a writer is that she --- WRITES!

Everyday, Kitty is writing, editing, correcting, outlining, talking over ideas, re-structuring her chapters and sharing her information with her writer's group. All that energy and love to bring a good read to her dedicated readers.

A few years ago, a group of women got together to support each other with the independent publishing of their work. The group is called @WritersThatChat. There has been those that have come and gone with the group...but Kitty was an original and she has stayed on just like a trooper. This group of writers gathers in chat each Saturday and brings up ideas for their writing and the problems to jump over, in their lives. It has been so refreshing to have the support of others that share the love of writing. We all get together and keep the goals of writing and publishing in the front of our brains. Especially, when life gets so busy that writing often sounds like a fancy vacation from our real life.

Back to Kitty. She is a girl that enjoys reading and that is always the key to the soft spot of any good writer. Her favorite is to be terrified as she reads...so she now writes in that same format. Her many books have done very well and she is always working on another one. Consistent attention to details and gathering odd and interesting ideas to shock and awe her readers - is always on the forefront of her day

Kitty is now in the end run of putting out her new novel in the next couple of weeks. She has been having it edited and has Natalie Silva designing the cover. It is not just sit down and write in this day and age. You have to have special software, save the book in a special format. Get the book read and edited by multiple writers to find all the errors and get it in perfect shape. There is the choice of how to go about publishing the book...deciding which online book retailer should you use and the tasks go on and on. Then there is getting your work out there...so you need to schedule interviews and promotional parties as well as ideas to give the book a great send off.

A girl can not work alone. Kitty has her adorable corgi, Princess Gwenie at her side, at all times. Little Gwenie is always helping her mom with the house chores so Kitty can keep writing. You can always find the low-down on the Kirwin household from Gwenie--- on their shared Facebook page.

When you are an Independent publisher/writer, you do it all. All of the things a publishing company would do for you as a featured writer...you have to do for yourself. You have to learn book by book...gathering ideas to make your work a higher quality and sales ever-stronger. It takes hours and hours each day to do all the research and projects to meet your roll out date. Since I have had the pleasure of knowing and working along side Kitty, in the @WritersThatChat group...I have been consistently impressed with her dedication to her craft.

Tomorrow, is Kitty's birthday. I have been thinking about that all day...and what I know is that she is not planning a party, baking a cake or buying herself a fancy gift. She is behind her computer, going over details for her soon to be released new book. I admire that in her and I wanted to share the behind the scenes of a writer with you. It is so easy to go to Amazon or Barnes and Nobel and click and get an eBook downloaded in seconds. You forget how much time, energy and love has gone into that book. From its creative spark to its cover design...the writer takes a daily grind of writing, editing, publishing and selling- selling - selling.

Please do me a favor and go to Kitty's Amazon Page and order one of her books. Enjoy the story and remember the lady behind the book...has created it with so much love to give you a few hours of escape into her world of the strange, spooky and unusual.

As Kitty's friend and fellow member of @WritersThatChat....I can not even list the many support ideas, editing and friendship gifts that Kitty has given to me in the last few years. I so appreciate her work as a writer...but even more so...I appreciate the friendship and support she gives to me. She helps me to keep writing when my life is in such a fuss over my care-giving for my husband. She is always there for me. I think keeping grounded and giving back to others; is what makes a writer understand real life, loyalty and then express those thoughts in their creative work.

Do follow Kitty and her wonderful little corgi, PrincessGwenie, on Facebook and keep updated with the roll out date for her new novel. If you're smart - you will enjoy her twitter account with updates on her writing life on a daily basis @KittyCorgi

Happiest of Birthdays, Kitty...may your new book...be the hottest seller of them all !

Click for  my mom's blog page, too!