Pump Up Your Book Chats with K.L. Brady

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K. L. Brady is a D.C. native but spent a number of her formative years in the Ohio Valley. She’s an alumnus of the University of the District of Columbia and University of Maryland University College, earning a B.A. in Economics and M.B.A., respectively. She works as an analyst for a major government contracting firm and is an active real estate agent with Exit Realty by day—and writes by night (often into the wee hours of the morning). She lives just outside of D.C. in Cheltenham, Maryland, with her son and lives to eat chocolate, shop, read, and write.

Her upcoming adult novel, THE BUM MAGNET, will be published by Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books in March 2011. THE BUM MAGNET was the winner of the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards for Multicultural Fiction, as well as the Third Place Grand Prize Winner for Best Fiction of 2010. Moreover, the African Americans on the Move Book Club recently named her their 2011 Female Author of the Year. You can visit K.L. Brady’s website at www.authorklbrady.com.

Become friends with Karla at Twitter at www.twitter.com/karlab27 and Facebook at www.facebook.com/karlab27.

Q: Can you tell us why you wrote your book?

I had an Oprah “aha” moment one day in the summer of 2008. I was coming up on my fortieth birthday, feeling like I’d reached some level of success in my life, but I wasn’t really fulfilled. I kept trying new ventures that always seemed to fail.

As I got to thinking about what I wanted to be when I grow up, I was flipping through an edition of the “O” magazine and watching her show when it just hit me that I wasn’t living my best life. I’d always wanted to be a writer. I’d been writing in my diaries and journals since I was maybe seven or eight years old. Although I have two degrees, I’d always let the fact that i didn’t have a degree in English or any fiction writing experience keep me from starting. But with the fortieth birthday looming, D-Day had arrived. I pushed those negative thoughts out of my head and decided to honor this gift God gave me and write a book about a woman who took stock of her life and decided to make a major change. I wrote the book in four months and edited for or five months.

Q: Does your book have an underlying message that readers should know about?

I never set out to convey a message when I wrote this book. I wanted to tell a entertaining story that would keep readers glued to the pages. However, I would have to say that there are definitely several life lessons that all people—both men and women—can take from Charisse’s story.

The first is that when you see yourself repeating the same bad patterns in relationships over and over again, at some point you’ve really got to stop pointing the finger at the people you choose, and start pointing your finger at the one who is doing the choosing—YOU! Sometimes, we’re so wrapped up in the drama of relationships that we don’t see that we’re standing in our own way, and blocking our own blessing, because we’re not dealing with some past hurt or pain. We can’t just sweep our dirt under a beautiful rug, sit some furniture on it, and pretend like it’s not still a hot mess underneath.

And while this is not Christian fiction, this character (despite her occasionally colorful language) is very spiritual and learns a few lessons about leaning on her faith, trusting in herself, honoring her friends and family, and the new “F” You word—forgiveness.

Q: Do you remember when the writing bug hit?

No. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. My mother would buy me the old diaries with the little locks on them and I would just write and write about my feelings, what I did, or whatever. Journaling is something I still do to this day. Although I do find some of the subject matter I cover in my novels quite cathartic.

Q: Besides books, what else do you write? Do you write for publications?

I thought I was strictly a novelist until my publisher asked me to write a few self-help/relationship articles based on themes from the book. They wanted to publish them on the Simon & Schuster Tips for Life and Love site, as well as Yahoo! Shine, a site for women. I found I really enjoyed it and wrote two articles in a couple of hours. Both of them were accepted for publication, so I decided to re-launch a blog I’d started ages ago featuring such articles. The blog is called “Get off the Love Short Bus with Rissey and Nisey” who are two of the main characters from The Bum Magnet. The title of the blog really means that women should stop getting in their own way in relationships by doing stupid things. I was an idiot ten or fifteen years ago. I hope this blog helps women find their way a little faster than did I. http;//www.thebummagnet.blogspot.com.

Q: Do you have a writing tip you’d like to share?

Try to write a little bit everyday. Don’t try to force your story, let the characters lead the way.

Q: Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

I have two desktops and two laptops. I write wherever the energy is flowing. Right now, it flows at my dining room table. I love it because so much light floods into the picture window and sunlight energizes me.

Q: What do you do to get away from it all?

I don’t. I’m such a workaholic, I really need to get better at that part of life.

Q: What was the first thing you did as far as promoting your book?

Started a website, which I’ve since upgraded (www.authorklbrady.com) and told all my friends and family about the novel. Then I Googled places to advertise my book for free or as close to free as possible.

Q: Are you familiar with the social networks and do you actively participate?

Yes. I’m on Facebook most of the time. That site is so unbelievably addicting. If you want to find me you can find me there most of the time. I’m also on Twitter quite a bit, and I use a program called Tweetdeck to post everything to my MySpace page, but I don’t frequent that site any more. It’s really all about Facebook. You can find me at:

www.facebook.com/karlab27

www.facebook.com/KL-Brady

www.facebook.com/WorstImpressions

www.twitter.com/karlab27

www.myspace.com/karlab27

Q: What is the most frustrating part of being an author?

For me, it has to be wanting to write full-time, but not yet being at a level where I can do so. It’s hard to find your passion and then not have the time to pursue as doggedly as you might like.

Also, traditional publishing is very much a hurry up and wait game. What self-publishers can do in a matter of weeks, traditional publishers can take up to a year or more. Of course there is a difference in the quality and distribution and all those things we authors are incredibly grateful for…we just wish the dang process would move along a little more quickly.

Q: What is the most rewarding?

Without question, receiving a letter or post on my facebook page from a reader saying they loved my book and asking for the next one. Absolutely my most favorite part of being an author. It’s writer’s crack.

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Kathleen Shaputis, HIS KILT DROPPED HERE

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Bacon Press Books

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T.M. Wallace, WINTERGARDEN

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Mary Lawlor, FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER

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Karen-Anne Stewart, ASH TO STEELE

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Lauren Carr, Best-Selling Mystery Author of Mac Faraday, and Lovers in Crime, Mysteries

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Kaylin McFarren, BURIED THREADS

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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach