August 15, 2007 It's so hot here in Memphis I can hardly think. Monday night Frank and I went to the Redbird game, and it was 101 degrees in the shade. We were drinking constantly. Mine was my favorite a cup full of ice with water. The cup dripping with sweat, as I was, felt cool on my legs and face, and I was fine till the seventh inning stretch when I stood up and almost passed out. Like most of the other fans there, I toughed it out till the Birds won and we got back to our AC in the car. What a relief! The next day, a migraine kept me inside, away from the 105 degrees outside and away from everything else as well. But today, just as hot, I'm back at the computer after aerobics and a trip to the library, and I have another author interview for you.


Interview with KC Oliver



GRACE: K. C. Oliver, It's great to have you here with us. Tell us about yourself.

KC: My name is KC Oliver and I am the author of the young adult thriller, Pretty Pretty about two best friends who land summer jobs in a haunted hotel in Hawaii. I live in Manitoba, Canada with my husband, my children, a goofy cat named Xena, and an amazing betta named Timbit(yup, I love Tim Hortons!) Manitoba is smack dab in the middle of Canada and has a little of everything; prairies, mountains (small ones), a small desert, even tundra complete with polar bears! It's fantastic.

GRACE: If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

KC: I'd be a gargoyle-like muse like the one on my website (See About Me)…is that an animal? I want to be the little voice that inspires authors to write.

GRACE: When did you begin writing, and what prompted you to write?

KC: I have been writing all my life in one form or another. I have always loved to read, and the way a well-written book can pull you into a world of adventure and make you feel that you are actually a part of it, always amazed and thrilled me. I found that I was filled with ideas and adventures of my own that demanded to be heard. And once I started to write, it was like the flood-gates opened, and I have never looked back.

GRACE: Which writers do you most admire, and why?

KC: I absolutely love Carolyn Keene, R. L. Stine, and J. K. Rowling. Every one of these writers has inspired me to pursue my love of reading and writing.

GRACE: What is the hardest thing about being a writer?

KC: Not having enough time to write; there just never seems to be enough hours in the day.

GRACE: Tell us about your writing—published and in progress.

KC: Early in my writing career, I had some smaller milestones; I had a short story published in a magazine and some poetry published in other publications. When Pretty Pretty was picked up by Echelon Press, I was thrilled beyond words, and the publication of the book set me on the path to something new; marketing and promotion. This was a real eye-opener because the work doesn't end with the writing and publishing of a book; that is but one part of it.

Pretty Pretty is the first book in a series of "Pretty" books. Sleep, My Pretty, is the second in the series, and in this novel, the characters find themselves in the sights of a serial killer. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time has never boon so deadly. I hope to see the second book out in 2008.

GRACE: It has been a great pleasure having another writer for young people here with us. The two of us seem to have a great deal in common. Both of our first books were published by Echelon Press in 2005, we both began writing at an early age, and we were both motivated by our reading and experiencing new worlds through the printed word. Thank you very much for sharing your time with us. We wish you the very best as you continue writing and introducing young readers to new worlds of excitement through reading.

You may find KC online at www.kc-oliver.tripod.com, www.jacketflap.com/profile.asp?member+KC+Oliver, and http://kcoliver.blogspot.com