Wednesday, August 12, 2015

AUTHOR, KIRBY KELLER'S FIRST CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE

A few months ago, I conducted an interview with new author, Kirby Keller. Kirby is just getting started with her writing endeavor and has agreed to update us on her first conference experience.

Hi there!  It's Kirby Keller coming to you fresh from NYC and excited to update you about all I experienced while there with my great friend, Carly Jordynn.

We left Kentucky excited about the possibilities.  For me, it was something new.  I'd been with Carly before as a tag along when the conference was in Orlando. It was awesome to be around so many authors as an avid reader myself.  I met so many of them just hanging around and inserting myself into the scene.  I came home with a new passion...I wanted to write. I had written some poems and short stories years ago in school but nothing of great substance.  But now, my brain was swimming.  As I mentioned in one of Carly's previous blogs, I had already written ideas down while there for a book.

New York was the opportunity of a lifetime in so many ways for me.  Being a member of the RWA now and having a couple of works in progress helped me know what types of classes I wanted to take while  at convention and they did not disappoint.  I came out of there very satisfied with every class I took and much more equipped for the journey.  I now know how to better research for my books and how to mold my characters.  I also learned how to build timelines in a much easier way, and files and family trees can help as well.  I learned a whole lot about the use of conflict in my stories.  I really appreciated how they taught on how to end a story based on whether or not you wanted to continue into a series.  I even feel more comfortable in allowing my characters to take me to where they want me to go.   My ultimate goal is to venture into writing FBI/crime and psychological thrillers, which are what I enjoy reading most.  They provided classes which helped me on my way in that direction and for that I am thankful. I took classes in forensic anthropology and interrogation.  Classes on how to interview people.  I even took classes on murder.  It was quite interesting.  Then there were classes on how to write in specific genres. This was nice because I have a book I've written in YA and have a couple of works in progress in other genres as well.  It's not always easy going back and forth.

Now, the icing on the cake during my time in NYC was something I wasn't expecting to happen.  Carly believed in me so much that she made it happen.  She arranged a meeting with a publisher to pitch my YA sci-fi/fantasy I've nearly finished and...she wants to see it.  I'm so very excited and so very grateful.  Both to the publisher and to Carly.  Who knows what will happen?  It may not be my time yet, I'm just thankful for the chance, and that's the best we can all hope for as new authors.

Friends, I hope to speak to you all again soon and next time I hope it's as a published author!  Thanks Carly for hosting me today on your blog, and I'll see you for dinner or coffee real soon.

Social Media Links for Kirby Keller

https://www.facebook.com/KirbyKeller8570/timeline

We hope to hear more from Kirby soon!


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