Interview with Author Kim M. Watt
- Describe your writing process. Do you outline, plot and plan, or is your writing more organic?
I’m a pantser from way back. I tend to start with a single snapshot of a scene, or sometimes even just a line, and build out from there. It was fine when I mostly wrote short stories, but horribly inefficient for anything longer. I’ve made several attempts at different ways of plotting and outlining, but inevitably by three scenes in the characters have taken off in completely different directions and I’m left running after them shouting, “Wait! I had a plan!” And if I try and force the story to fit the plan, I very quickly stall. So these days I just have plot points I want to hit, and other than that have resigned myself to the fact that there’s always a lot of plotting and rewriting involved after the rough draft’s done.
- Tell us what you enjoy most about writing your genre.
I love that I have a lot of freedom. Because I’ve ended up in a mash-up of cozy mystery, fantasy and humour, I’m able to pull my favourite aspects from all of them. I can keep my stories fairly gore-free, while adding little snippets of thoughtfulness and reflections of reality through a fantastical lens, then chuck a really bad joke on top of it all. It means I get to concentrate on what suits the story and characters most, rather than worrying too much about specific genre tropes.
- What have you found to be most challenging about writing in your genre?
Not going too far into slapstick territory, or too deeply into fantasy. It’s a little bit of a balancing act, and sometimes I have to pull myself back and think, wait, my readers are still looking for the cozy mystery side as well. The ladies of the Women’s Institute are always a good way to do that, as while a lot of the humour comes from them, they’re also terribly practical and down to earth and aren’t going to stand for too much magical nonsense!
- Describe the book in 10 words or less for people who are just learning about it.
Tea, cake, and mysteries with the Women’s Institute. And dragons.
- Is there anything you would like people to take away from your book?
That there’s magic in the world still, and friendship is the most wonderful form of it. And tea and cake, of course.
- Do you have any odd (writing) habits?
I love the clarification that these odd habits have to relate to writing … And I’m not sure mine are particularly odd, as I think us writers are a bit odd in general anyway. However, if I’m stuck on a scene or otherwise in need of inspiration, I’ve discovered that walking and dictating scenes works well for me. Unfortunately I’ve since worked out that I get ratherexpressive when dictating said scenes, and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen people cross the road to get away from me. I also find that some days I can only write by sitting on the floor surrounded by cushions and blankets, with the sofa behind me and the coffee table in front of me. Some days we all need pillow forts, I guess.
- What has been the toughest criticism you have received as an author? What has been the best compliment?
I have amazing beta readers who give the most wonderful criticism. They always spot plot or character problems and are fantastic at being constructive about their advice. I think the toughest – yet most useful – criticism was on an earlier book, when a beta reader pointed out my POV issues. I’d never even realised how much I head-hopped until they drew my attention to it, and it was a massive step in improving my writing. But it did involve a lot of re-writing on that particular book… The absolute best compliment was when a reader told me that I got them back into reading. They’d almost given up as they’d read so many stories that had a bleak outlook on the world, and my books countered that. I still get warm fuzzies thinking about it!
Title: A Manor of Life & Death
Author: by Kim M. Watt
“Accidental” poisonings.
Topiary of dubious intent.
Throw in the full complement of the Toot Hansell Women’s Institute and dragons doing yoga on the terrace, and DI Adams is starting to wonder if she might have made a small misjudgement signing up for this particular spa weekend in the country.
And that’s before the dead body in the sauna and the storm that cuts them off from the rest of the world.
Now she’s dealing with a houseful of guests (and staff) who’re looking more suspicious by the moment, fending off protesters wielding table condiments, and trying to keep everyone safe as the storm closes in. She needs to find the killer, keep the dragons hidden, stop the W.I. forming some sort of pearl-and-twinset posse, and try to resist the urge to arrest everyone.
And that’s even before she addresses the problem of the invisible dog.
Sure. It’s going to be a wonderful weekend.
A Manor of Life & Death is a feel-good cozy mystery, perfect for those who like their whodunnits served with a generous helping of humour, friendship, and magic.
This is the third Beaufort Scales cozy mystery (with dragons) – check out Baking Bad and Yule Be Sorry for more dragonish adventure!
About the Author Kim M. Watt
Hello lovely people!I’m Kim, and I write funny, magical books that offer a little escape from the serious stuff in the world and leave you smiling. They’re about tea-drinking dragons solving mysteries in sleepy Yorkshire villages, and baking-obsessed reapers setting up baby ghoul petting cafes, and ladies of a certain age joining the Apocalypse on their Vespas. They’re about friendship, and loyalty, and lifting each other up, and will let you step outside of life as we know it for a little. Most of all, they’ll remind you that life, and people (of all sorts of descriptions) can be very wonderful indeed.
There are also snarky cats, because that’s how cats are, and not even magical books can change that. But we love them anyway, right? Right. *Eyes the Little Furry Muse apprehensively.*
Originally from New Zealand, I’ve lived and worked in various (usually warm) countries around Europe, the Pacific and the Caribbean. I’ve been writing since before I could do joined-up letters, and with any luck my stories have improved, even if my handwriting has actually become worse. Seriously, it’s like secret code.
I currently live in France with my very understanding SO and the Little Furry Muse (Layla), who inspires the ruder – sorry – more majestic cats in my stories. I read a lot, write a lot, and consume far too much tea and cake to be healthy.
I’d love to hear from you with with your thoughts, comments, favourite cake recipes, story ideas (I take requests), or just to say hi!
