An Interview With Author, MK Schiller

Let's meet our guest, author MK Shiller! She is the author of A Girl By Any Other Name!

 

Where are you from? Originally – Mumbai, India. Currently – Detroit.  Typically - Dreamland.

What inspired you to write A Girl by Any Other Name? I’ve always loved stories about first love and friendship. I also wanted to write a suspense novel.

Is this your first book? No, it’s my third.

Do you write full-time or part-time? How do you balance your writing life with your family/work life?  I write part time. It’s hard to find the appropriate number of hours to pursue my passion, but I do my best to think out the ideas in my head. My fingers actually cramp when I find the time to type them all out.

How did you come up with the title? It’s a play on words. Sylvie quotes Shakespeare to Cal and years later, he paraphrases it back to her. The great thing about childhood relationships is that you have these secret inside jokes.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? That unlike everything else, love never dies.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? I had a friend when I was younger, who died. We built forts together, and walked to the store for ice cream. I think I put a lot of Stan’s personality into Cal.
What books have most influenced your life most? There are so many, but I loved IT by Stephen King – not the scary parts, but King has a way of writing friendship like no other author. Also, I loved Fifty Shades. It rekindled my love of romance and my desire to write it. 

What book are you reading now? Arouse by Nina Lane.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? I love Mia Sheridan, EL James, Colleen Hover just to name a few.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? Maybe add a sex scene and a few more chapters from Sylvie’s perspective.
Can you share a little of your current work with us?  This is a story of friendship, first love, and loss. It’s about one man’s endless quest to find the girl who was taken from him – his best friend, his fishing buddy, and the woman of his dreams.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? Grammar is not my forte, so I would say that’s my biggest issue.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? That I read every single review, respond to every email, and reply back as soon as I can. I appreciate all their feedback – both good and bad. It’s allowed me to hone my craft, and I think I learn so much with each book. Writing is a process for the author, and I have loved this journey.
If you could live anywhere, where would it be? Prairie Marsh, Texas – it doesn’t exist, but I love how Cal describes it.

If you could have any super power, what would it be? The power to type at the speed of light (or at least as fast as I can think). 

Excellent answer! Thanks for stopping by! -K.N. Lee