CWD Member Interview – K A Hart

Each Thursday in 2018 we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals.

Today interview: K A Hart

Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from.

I’m happy to report, I’m only half crazy. One side of my family is 5 stars-wacky and the other, well, they didn’t get the memo. The most problematic issue I have currently is I’m living with the former. 

It doesn’t help when you reside in one of the most dangerous places on earth. Even the everyday gardening stories my family has accumulated over the years have ended with blown up trailers. Not to worry - every single green ant did not survive.

I’ve recently moved from Toowoomba, QLD back to Darwin, NT. I’m still adjusting to the flames. My personal sadistic enforcer of pain still trains me every week via FaceTime, but it’s not the same. He can now only glare at me when I stop at twenty burpees.

Question 2: Tell us about your writing.  What do you write and why?

I write specks of ideas that have inevitably exploded beyond their tiny existence. Fanciful lands and space-skirmishes. Daring rescues and gasping torture. Heart-pounding hide and seek. Hold-your-breath moments of love and affection. It all sparks into life and irritates with consistency until it’s written down. Only then, can I rest.

Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

No one famous. Oh wait, the Quirky Quills have. And a few I-could-start-my-own-library, book-hoarder family members - they’re not famous though.

I envision the perfect readers of my work to lie upside-down on their bed with their feet against the wall and their head hanging over the other side while they read. And Ted Dekker.

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

Well, the first thing you should have is an idea and then ... Well, first you need something to write with. They ... they know that. Well, obviously you need a writing instrument and you need an idea. I'm just not sure which should come first.

Bones, Season 1, Ep 11

There are those annoying, yet somewhat satisfying distractions like Pinterest, Facebook, life … life … more life. And then there are those procrastinations like … procrastination.

You’d think having a deadline would help with my writing process. If I didn’t have multiple alarm clocks on my phone every morning to get up for work, I’d be scrambling for the car-keys. It’s the same with writing. A deadline is great. Not having people hound you a couple times each month before the deadline isn’t helpful (no need for everyone to volunteer, I already have my Cheer Squad).

Visual cues like collages depicting my story (this is why I love Pinterest) and inspiring quotes are amazing slaps-in-the-face to keep me on schedule. I do wish they had an app to create your own storyboard collage though. It’d save on bluetac.

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why? 

There are Writing Craft Books? Maybe someone could suggest a few in the comments. Books might help …

I have recently bought the Trait Thesaurus’ by Angela Ackerman & Becca Publisi, but have yet to really explore them.

Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

Oooh, wow. Just one? How about a CWD, separate, individual group. The Quirky Quills. Mazzy Adams, Adele Jones, Nola Passmore, Janelle Moore and Sandra Troedson. These ladies are some of the most inspiring women I know. They all have unique strengths. All encouraging in their own ways. And all absolutely and beautifully crazy.

We may need to have a honourary Quirky Quills, though. Charis Joy Jackson. Such an amazing and gorgeous soul. Her first novel, The Rose of Admirias debuted in the On the Horizon ebook box set. She is a talented storyteller and I can’t WAIT to have that book in my hands, literally.

Question 7: What are your writing goals for 2018? How will you achieve them?

I plan to write … something. Woohoo! I just did. NAILED IT!

I would leave it there, except I now have the lovely Nola Passmore and Adele Jones whispering in my ear with sharp, hissing words. ‘Finish editing your novel. You need to send it to a publisher.’

So, there’s that. They’ll probably send strategically, worded texts to help prompt some of the editing.

I’ll Skype the Wright Write session that occurs every third Thursday of each month. We may do some writing. We may not. Depends …

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

My talent, the stories, they all come from Him. I cannot boast it to be mine alone.

He slips in silently and threads his way through the story. Unnoticed. Unassuming. He doesn’t hinder the true nature of the human or the depiction of a sinful world. He works through it and transforms words into sentences, into paragraphs, into chapters to entire stories. And I marvel at his creation.

K A Hart has had two short stories published. Stone Bearer, appears in Glimpses of Light and Tedious Tresses, in the As Time Goes By Mixed Blessings anthology. She is currently working on a fantasy novel.

Website: www.kahartauthor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kahartauthor/

Pinterest : A Thousand Words

by K A Hart


Sometimes I wish I’d pursued the art of painting or drawing earlier in my life. Now, don’t get me wrong. I can whip up a beautiful and intricate landscape of rolling hills or a spring garden brimming with colourful flowers and doting bees. My talents even extend to the chaos of war where hundreds of warriors clash for their king’s victory. 

There’s just a small problem. 

I’m the only one who can see it because it’s all in my mind.

As a child, my best friend and I lived mostly outdoors. We had overactive imaginations. We’d gallivant across the yard and play elaborate games, saving animals from bushfires and cyclones. Our bikes were shape-shifters. They’d transform into any animal we required for our daring rescues. Hay castles. Tractor monsters. Everything we could imagine was possible.

As I’ve grown older, it’s become harder to create those worlds. Worlds need to make sense. They need to have a purpose and I’ve become limited by my own experiences. I now need to write things down or the ideas become lost in the everyday rush and often, those thoughts written into words don’t fully capture what I’ve imagined.

That’s when I discovered Pinterest. Finally, some place to collect pictures, ideas, and information all into one place.

I can search through Pinterest and find almost any picture, article or website related to a keyword. I’ve then been able to set up files or boards where I can save them as pictures around a particular topic. As I’m a visual person, I’ve found it beneficial to set up boards for my novel ideas, character development, even possible locations. This has given me the ability to find pictures that look similar to my hero/heroine and the possible settings of their adventure (this has been invaluable as my WIP plays out in desert, forest and mountain scapes). I used to become stuck on how an action scene might look like. Not any more. 

I have to laugh at some of the things I’ve searched for on google. Who knew there were so many creative ways to drown someone … Maybe that’s why I like Pinterest so much. I can have a public board where anyone can see what goodies I’ve filed away or I can have secret boards. Every story I have written is hidden away from prying eyes. Even those I haven’t written yet. NO SPOILERS. I can always change them later to be public, so readers can see the thought process behind the novel.

When I’m not sure where to go with my story, I can add a friend to the board to help collaborate the obstacles my hero/heroine has to overcome. If I ever have the opportunity to co-author a novel, this would be a great way to correlate our ideas.

Writing can be very lonely and isolating if you let it. Most days I like it this way, though sometimes I’ve needed some guidance. I’ve joined a writing group of talented ladies who have encouraged, on an occasion nagged and for the better part, inspired me to reach beyond what I thought possible. If you haven’t yet joined one, now is the time to do so. But when we’ve all said our goodbyes and I sit back down at my laptop, I have those odd doubts as to why I’m doing this at all. There are so many inspiring pictures and words I’ve been able to capture, which help to remind me of this amazing gift God has given me.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)

It’s great to be able to keep all my favourite blogs in one place. All those insightful ideas on how to enhance my writing and the words of encouragement from those who have travelled before me. 

I’ve found myself up at one or two in the morning, surfing the web for information about something vital to the success of my hero/heroine’s journey. Moon phases and their meaning have been a particularly sore subject for my WIP. I’ve been able to find quite a few articles and pictures around this subject. The ease in which I linked these to my chosen board for perusal later was amazing. No more keeping a tab open or saving the website to favourites - what if I didn’t like it?

I’ve never been short on ideas - I have enough novel outlines saved on my computer to last me at least a decade. Short stories however, aren’t my strong point and when I have writers block (yes, it’s a thing), Pinterest has been a great resource to help spark my imagination again.

I’ve said it before. I’m a visual person. I now have an entire wall filled with pictures I’ve found on Pinterest. It depicts the storyline of my WIP and helps me stay focused on the big picture. If you ever come to visit, I might just show you.

Still hesitant? Come and have a look at my Pinterest page kahartauthor. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Find fifty you like? You might just have a novel.

If you already use Pinterest, how has it helped you in your writing journey?








K A Hart's first short story, Stone Bearer, appears in Glimpses of Light and another soon to be released in one of the Missed Blessings anthologies. She is currently working on a fantasy novel.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kahartauthor/