Kelli (K. L.) Peacock lives in Tucson, Arizona. She is an avid photographer, traveler, and rose gardener. Born and raised in Central New York State – near the Finger Lakes, she moved to Tucson over twenty-eight years ago. Kelli graduated from Long Island University with a B.A. in History and Political Science, and a M.A. in Accounting from DeVry University. She is an active member of the Public Safety Writers Association. Her first series, The Crossings, includes: Don’t Shoot The Messenger; Oh Henry, How Could You? and No Man’s Land.
BMH: How many times do you redo the opening of your stories before you are satisfied with it?
KP: As many times as it takes. I don’t mean that sarcastically, but my first two books the opening didn’t need to be redone. The first line was powerful and concise. In Don’t Shoot the Messenger, “Agnes Axelrod knew this was the end of her life.” In my second book, Oh Henry, How Could You? the opening line read, “Myrtle Chitwood woke with a start.” In No Man’s Land, I attempted the first chapter four times and in my current WIP (work in progress) I have lost count of the number of times I restarted.
BMH: How do you choose the names for your characters?
KP: There are several ways I choose a name. I take the first name of one person and the last name of someone else, then I combine the two. In Oh Henry, How Could You? I used names of flowers/herbs for a family. Myrtle, Basil, Rosemary, Marjoram, Lavender, and Jade. Also, in the same book, I used names of the counties in the state of Maine. I have asked people if I may use their names, which they agree and are usually excited to be in print. In my current WIP I discovered the name making feature in Scrivener and I am having a blast choosing combinations. It is really handy for a hoity-toity name. My favorite character names are Father Nikki and Baxter Bear, recurring characters in the series. The names and personalities are based on my two cats. When the real Nikki died, I debated on killing off the character but decided not to. Although I dedicated the real Nikki in one of my books.
BMH: What do you do to prepare yourself to write?
KP: When I began writing fiction, I wrote by the seat of my pants (Pantser) which worked well for my first two books. No Man’s Land proved to be more of a challenge. Three quarters into writing I wrote myself into a corner. I attended a Plotting Boot Camp and learned how to plot and finish the book. Now I write in a more organized fashion, although when I find myself in difficulty, I still make it up as I go along. <grin>
BMH: How do you put yourself into the skin of someone of the opposite sex to write a strong character who is not of your gender?
KP: I think of my character as an actor in a movie then I write the scene as I see it in my head. Writing groups are wonderful for telling people if the gender wouldn’t act accordingly.
BMH: It has been said that there is a little good and a little evil in all of us. Do you believe that? If so, do you believe you pull a bit of the bad out of you and put it into your villains?
KP: I believe people are good but do bad things or are caught in bad situations. Ideas and stories have filled my dreams since childhood. Traveling and encountering all walks of life have provide resources. My characters are usually traits I take from people I know–mainly family members or people I have met. The character Agnes Axelrod in Don’t Shoot the Messenger is a combination of three people. And yes, one of them was a crazy driver.
BMH: What do you consider the most important thing in writing a good plot?
KP: Writing in layers with key scenes, the action and reaction to those scenes, and, of course, subplots. I love to write and weave the plots and the characters story with twists and trouble.
BMH: Has your writing ever gotten you into any trouble?
KP: Only in writing critique groups. There are some people who are offended by the language my characters use. (I don’t write the f word) You can’t tell me a group of car salesmen in a brawl are not going to use colorful and vulgar words.
BMH: What are your hardest scenes to write?
KP: My first book had an extremely bad antagonist. I wrote a scene with my female protagonist finding his pedophile trophies and the recordings of the acts on his computer. She went outside and threw up. I added that part because of how awful I felt about the subject.
BMH: What is your favorite thing about the writing process?
KP: My favorite part of writing is creating the characters. Bringing someone to life and then to death is quite the rush. Agnes Axelrod’s story in Don’t Shoot the Messenger is an excellent example of this. I wrote a journal for Agnes and included it throughout the book. This was one of my favorite pieces of writing. Emotional for me and the reader.
BMH: What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
KP: How to show and don’t tell in my writing. I have a bad habit of wanting to rush through and tell everything. I know I can’t though.
BMH: What is the best encouragement/advice you’ve received in your writing journey?
KP: Just today, David in my writing group sent me an email regarding my writing. “I think your plot has a great hook, and not only the opening, gripping scene. But the tension described at the dinner table is filled with potential plot twists. Multiple hooks! Not easy to accomplish, but you did. Nice writing!”
BMH: When did you first know you were going to be a writer?
KP: Six months before I turned fifty, I started writing my first novel. My goal was to finish before the big day, and I did with a week to spare. I had never written fiction. I had written plenty of papers for college and articles for various groups I belonged to over the years, but nothing was as scary as writing what my imagination held. Someone advised me the best way to write, whether you are experienced or starting, is BIC–Butt in Chair. And it worked. Six months later, I had my first draft of Don’t Shoot the Messenger. Now what? All I wanted was to accomplish writing a book. Mother’s Day was approaching. My mom has glaucoma and cannot read books, so I printed the pages in large print and gave her a notebook of my first draft. She loved it. When I told people at work that I wrote a book, they were ecstatic. Everyone wanted to read it. I could not fathom the excitement people showered me and putting their names on a waiting list to buy when it was published. I had it edited, formatted, and a colleague drew the book cover, then I self-published it. My coworkers read the book. They not only liked the story, but they also gave constructive criticism and wanted another. That was six years ago, and they anxiously waited for two more books–Oh Henry, How Could You? and No Man’s Land.
BMH: What is something you wish someone would have told you before you became an author?
KP: How challenging the marketing would be.
BMH: Why crime fiction?
KP: I have always loved mysteries, thrillers, and suspense. I rarely read anything else.
BMH: What is something you’ve never written about, but hope to some day?
KP: I write mystery and police procedural. I would like to write a true crime or historical fiction someday.
BMH: How big a part did your upbringing have on your writing?
KP: As I child, I read, read, and read. I was an only child with imaginary friends and I had a big imagination. The premise for my first book I thought of as a child. The husband-and-wife protagonists grew in my mind as I became older.
BMH: In real life, who is your hero/heroine? Why?
KP: First responders. No matter if it is police, fire, or dispatch I marvel at their heroism and bravery. Some of the best story ideas I get are from first responders.
BMH: What two words best describes your writing style?
KP: Riveting and page-turner.
BMH: What are you working on now?
KP: The fourth book in my Crossing Series. The first three books are set in West Texas and focus on my female protagonist’s family. Now I am working on the next two to three books set in coastal Maine. The other half of my protagonist duo, the husband, we will learn about his family.
BMH: Where can people find out more about you?
KP: https://www.amazon.com/author/klpeacock or Kelli-Peacock6.webnode.com
