I am excited to welcome Elizabeth Nelson, author of Curiosity Killed the Kat, which I reviewed here.
Steph: I see that, in addition to the Katherine Flynn series, you’ve written a variety of fictional and non-fiction books. Is this your first foray into the thriller genre? What made you decide to go in this direction? Is there anything particularly new or challenging about writing in this genre?
Elizabeth: Yeah, it’s my first fiction novel ever published. I get lots of inspiration from other authors. When I was playing out the storyline for Curiosity Killed The Kat, I drew upon great writers such as Dan Brown and John Grisham. But I wanted to add a strong female lead twist to my story. I wanted Katherine to find empowerment in making her own decisions and being a strong, independent woman. But in order for her to have this so called “wake up call” she needed something to ignite the flame. Many of these ideas were drawn upon by other authors' work.
Steph: What makes Kat a unique or unusual heroine?
Elizabeth: Kat is unique in the sense that she has always been obedient. She never had the courage to break out of her orthodox world, that is until she learns of other women who are living a nightmare. She then has the epiphany that would forever change the course of her life.
Steph: Are aspects of yourself reflected in Kat?
Elizabeth: Wow, that’s a really great question. I think in the sense that she always wants to please the man she is with, then certainly.
Steph: When did you first start writing, and when did you finish your first book?
Elizabeth: I started writing when I was very young and the love for the written word has always stuck with me. The first book I finished was in high school. It was about a young girl who fell for an older college aged man. I’ve written dozen of romantic books over the years. Maybe I’ll go dig them up and read them someday? That would be fun! ha ha
Steph: Do you have a day job as well?
Elizabeth: Yes, I’m a freelance grant writer and especially love working with non-profits who concentrate on empowering women.
Steph: Is there any particular author or book that strongly influenced you either growing up or as an adult?
Elizabeth: Nicolas Kristof’s Half The Sky influences me greatly.
Steph: Favorite novel?
Elizabeth: Ann Patchett's State Of Wonder
Steph: Favorite movie?
Elizabeth: Legends of the Fall
Steph: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
Elizabeth: The first chapter is always my favorite. It sets the tone and gives me a platform to launch off of.
Steph: What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
Elizabeth: Criticism for what I choose to write and how I present it. Many people think I’m in pornography mainly for the vivid descriptions I write and present to my readers. Let me first say, writing is not pornography. It is imagination of the mind. There are no risks of disease, no testings, no cast calls, none of that. I sit at my computer and write a story.
Do adults not have sex in our society? That’s what I write about. Experiences that could happen to someone and how they deal with those experiences. Some of those experiences in my stories just happen to be sexual.
It’s funny. Have you ever taken the time to read through the reviews of Fifty Shades of Grey on Amazon? If you haven’t I suggest you do. This book exploded on the American public because the American public wanted it. It was time for the Erotica genre to be mainstream. But just like in politics these days. You either really like it or you really hate it. There is very little in-between.
Now my stories have erotica in them, yes. But they are so much more than just sex! They have believable characters. They have a story that could actually happen to someone. This is what makes me an artist. Sex sells, there is no doubt about that. However, that is not why I include it into my stories. I write sex scenes because it is a human trait that defines us as humans. Perhaps the folks who criticize my writing should take the time to make love to their companions more often and ask themselves if their own love lives are ugly and inappropriate ;-)
I love to connect with readers https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethNelsonRomance and that is the best compliment.
Steph: If this novel were adapted to film, who would you want to direct the movie?
Elizabeth: Paul Greengrass. He’s incredibly talented!
Steph: Who would you choose to play the roles of Kat and Steven?
Elizabeth: Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp.
