This was supposed to go up yesterday…work kicked my ass. So I went to bed at 5.

Yesterday KD Ferguson stopped by to visit and did Q & A with me.

Hi, KD and welcome! Thanks for stopping by! Lets get started.

Me: What books/authors have influenced your writing?

KD: Looking back, I realized I feel in love with dystopians at an early age.  We were required to read The Giver by Lois Lowry in elementary school and that sparked my love for that genre of books.

Me: How did you come up with the title(s)?

KD: The title came from how the main character, Krissa, felt throughout the story.

Me: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

KD: Yes I was inspired by real life events, and I feel that so many individuals can relate to this story because they too have felt the great loss of their first love.

Me: What books have most influenced your life most?

KD: Books that have explored the triumphs and troubles of individual’s lives.  So often I read books of science fiction because they allow my brain to float and wonder and leave everyday stresses. However, the books that impact me and stay with me are books that go in great details of real people’s struggles.  It amazes me to read what some people have been put through.  I admire their strength and the determination they have to make it through their hardships.  Hearing their stories reminds me how fortunate I’ve been throughout my life and how much I have to be grateful for.

Me: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

KD: I’m always looking for new authors. I love finding a new favorite author.  I can’t pinpoint my favorite, as I have far too many.

Me: What are your current projects?

KD: I am writing the sequel to Torn True Love.  And I have another book in mind and it’s completely different from the first two.

Me: Do you see writing as a career?

KD: I see it always being a part of my life.  If I can live off my books that would be amazing J

Me: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

KD: No.  I keep my fingers crossed that it will go to paperback.  My only regret would be if it never makes it to print.

Me: How did you get started with the writing venture?

KD: I encountered so many individuals in my life that went through similar struggles that I had and I thought I needed to put the story that was in my head on paper.

Me: Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?

KD: Finding quiet time to actually sit down and write.  I am a very busy woman (as most woman are).  I juggle two jobs and two young children so finding time to sit and clear my head to write is the biggest challenge I face.

Me: Do you have any advice for other writers?

KD: Don’t give up.  I heard so many ‘no’s, before I finally heard a ‘yes’. The writing/publishing world is very subjective, but with perseverance and belief in yourself, you will succeed.

Me: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

KD:  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!  It’s the support and encouragement that motivates me to keep pushing forward.  I’m so blessed to have such a great following.

Me: What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

KD: Finally putting my work out there for everyone to read.  Because it touched so close to home, I didn’t want feelings of anyone close to me to be hurt.  My objective was not to write a biography, it is fiction, but I worried it could be misconstrued.

Me: Do you ever experience writer’s block?

KD: No.  I consistently have thoughts jumbling my brain.  Sometime I get blocked by my characters, but never the story behind them.  At times I have sit back and reflect on a character and really think about how they’ll react in certain situations.
Me: Do you write an outline before every book you write?

KD:Yes. I also hand write my story first.  I feel much more creative when writing with pen rather than typing on keys.

Me: Have you ever hated something you wrote?

KD: I wrote poetry most of my life.  When I look back on that I tend to dislike what I see, but I need to remind myself that I used poetry as an outlet and it helped me get through a lot of tough times.

Me: What is your favorite color?

KD: My closet if filled with a lot of black and grey but I am a sucker for pink.

Me: What’s your favorite food?

KD: I am a lover of all foods

Me: Puppies or bunnies?

KD: puppies

Me: Chocolate or vanilla?

KD: Twist

Excerpt-

I’d completely fallen for Braiden and while I still had my reservations about the future I

wanted to move forward. I had a hard time believing he was going to choose to stay single. We

had a great thing going thus far, I couldn’t imagine him throwing it away. Months ago I couldn’t

imagine even talking to another boy except Chance. Now I gave him no thought. Except for when I had to put up with his interrogations during fitness class fifth period.

“Hey Babe,” Chance said as I walked out of the locker room, dressed for another exciting

game of badminton. A while back I would’ve looked forward to this, spending forty minutes

with him. But now, those forty minutes were torture.

“Hi Chance,” I said unenthusiastically. “Don’t call me babe,” I made my way to the

basketball court that was set up into four badminton courts.

“Someone’s testy today.”

“No, I’m fine,” I said with attitude. “I just don’t like it when you say those kinds of things to me.”

“Why not? You used to like it,” he handed me a racquet, suggesting I play on his team.

I reluctantly took the racquet, contemplating if I really should put myself in this situation.

“Yeah, I liked it back when we were dating, but since we’re not anymore, you can drop the affectionate name-calling,” I took my place on the court.

“What if I don’t want to?” He kept on as our game started.

“What don’t you want to do?” I asked, stalling the game.

“Stop.”

I didn’t need more of an explanation. “You have to,” I told him. “I’m with Braiden now.” I said before serving.

He angrily hit the birdie back over the net. “What if I don’t like you guys together?”

“What are you talking about Chance, you’re the one who encouraged us to get together,

and you’re the one who wanted this in the first place,” I said while moving quickly out of his

way so he could get to the soaring white birdie.

“Well, what if I was wrong? Wrong about the two of you. Wrong about us. Why can’t we try again? You know, get back together. I miss you Krissa.”

“I’m sorry, what did you just say? I must have misunderstood you,” I was in shock.

“You h            eard me right. I want you back Krissa.”

“I can’t believe you! I can’t do this.” My shock turned to rage. “You made a choice about us a long time ago, and I’m happy you did. I really like Braiden, I want to be with him.”

“So what? You don’t miss me? You don’t ever think about me?” He was smug.

He had no right to want me back. “Not really,” I answered.

“Yeah, right.”

I knew his ego would have a hard time accepting that. “No, really. I don’t think of you like that anymore.”

“Well you should. We belong together, Krissa.”

“You don’t even believe in pairing. We don’t stand a chance, we never did.”

“And you think you and Braiden do? Good luck with that.” He had a point.

I looked around the gym filled with students playing the game. I didn’t want to draw any

attention to mine and Chance’s conversation, but I couldn’t help the tone of my voice. “We don’t belong together Chance. As a matter of fact, we never did,” I spat out in disgust. I could

handle being friends with him, in fact I wanted to be friends, but not under these conditions.

Class was over, as well as our conversation. I put my racket back and headed for the locker room, not looking back at the mess behind me.

Check out KD Ferguson’s TORN LOVE on Amazon!