Interview with Kelly A. Harmon

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Kelly A Harmon
Author of Blood Soup, a dark fantasy.
http://kellyaharmon.com/

1. Who is Kelly A. Harmon?

Kelly A. Harmon is a scribbler. She jots on receipts, envelopes, 

and the ever-favored napkin...in the car, in elevators, and while 

waiting in line. She stays up nights to finish a scene, chapter,  fifty 

pages or so. She is late to events and often incinerates dinner 

while plotting. She has won awards for both fiction and non-fiction. 

While a reporter, she interviewed authors and thespians, senators 

and statesmen, movie stars and murderers (and all of that is 

interesting); but, really, she just wants to write fiction.

    

     2. What genres do you choose to write? Why?

I prefer to write science fiction and fantasy. 

Fantasy I like for the escapism…I like being transported to a 

different time and world.  There’s something appealing to me 

about the possibility of magic and the likelihood of meeting 

some fantastic creature, like a dragon or satyr. Fantasy is like 

bedtime stories for adults.

Science Fiction appeals to my curiosity. It’s about extremes...

I enjoy playing the “what if” game, taking a situation and 

extrapolating it to the nth degree.

    3. What is the hardest part of writing for you?

For me, the hardest part of writing is turning off the internal editor 

when I’m trying to get everything down on paper.   Things always 

change on the second draft, and again after my critique group gets 

through with it.  I know that I don’t have to be perfect, yet, I always 

strive for that. I could probably write twice as much if I could turn 

off the editor while I work.

   4. Do you ever have problems with writers block?  

If so how do you get through it?

I rarely suffer from writer’s block because I always know which 

direction my story is going.  I find that if I know what scenes are 

coming up next, than there’s little chance for me to get blocked. 

This isn’t to say that I plan out every detail before I write.  I like to 

have a broad, general idea of what I want to say, and go from there.  

I leave room for the characters to grow and for new ideas to sprout 

during the writing process.

  5. What do you do when you’re not writing/editing or 

thinking about writing/editing?

I like to read, of course...I’m never without a book, no matter 

where I am.  I enjoy taking pictures, and hiking or walking...occasionally 

I combine those two things.    Lately, I’ve been teaching myself to knit. 

I love working crossword puzzles. 

 

  6. When did you realize you wanted to write?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer.  I don’t remember ever wanting 

to do anything else.

In high school, I decided a journalism degree would be better than an 

English degree, so I gravitated toward non-fiction.  I found a job as a 

stringer – a freelance reporter – at my local newspaper and started 

publishing stories when I was 14. I enjoyed non-fiction more than I

thought I would, so I stuck with it for a lot of years. But my first love 

is fiction, so I’ve been concentrating on that for the last few years.

  7. While working on a story, do you directly onto the computer 

or are there notebooks and plot ideas jotted down in various places?

Because I work full time, I don’t have large chunks of time to devote to

writing.  Knowing that, I try to make the most of every minute of downtime.  

I carry a clipboard in the car with me now, so I can write while sitting at stoplights.

I have a little notebook in my purse that I scribble on during meetings, or at lunch.  

I’ve been known to use a napkin or a receipt if I’m out somewhere and don’t 

have anything with me. When I get back to the computer, I put all those 

notes into some kind of order either in one file, or several and go from there.

  8. From your own writing, do you have a favourite story or character? 

Why?

My current favourite is The Dragon’s Clause...and not because it’s gotten 

a couple of rave reviews.  It’s the first story I wrote with the intention of 

getting published in an anthology.  Ricasso Press had put out a call for 

dragon stories, and I wanted in.  What’s funny about that is although I like

to write fantasy, it’s never crossed my mind to write a dragon story.  

I had to think up a plot from scratch and create a believable dragon 

character. I looked at it as a challenge.

The Dragon’s Clause was originally published in the anthology Black Dragon, 

White Dragon under the name San Marino and the Dragon.  It’s a story 

about what happens when a city of people reneges on their deal with a dragon.  

Details and more info are available on my blog.

  9. What’s one thing about you that your readers may not know?

I prefer to make my pasta by hand...and never eat Italian out.  

At Christmas, I use my grandma’s “manual” pizzelle –iron, and make the 

cookies one at a time over an open flame.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions and 

giving everyone a chance to get to know you better!!!

Here's a sneak peak of Kelly's book "Blood Soup"

Excerpt:
    “Do you want to learn about your sister?” King Theodicar asked.
    “Go on.”
    “Salvagia had a set of runes, and she cast them over and over and over as Pia’s pregnancy advanced. Always, the answer was the same: ‘A girl child must rule or the kingdom will fall to ruin.’”
    “Do you believe that, Father?”
    “Your mother did. And so did Salvagia. They came from Omero, where the eldest born ruled, not just the eldest male. They believed your sister should rule.”
    “But, did you believe?”
    “I think your mother wasn’t meant to bear children. She was little and frail. Her labor arrived early—almost too early for you to survive. Your sister was born first. She was tiny, and just as delicate as your mother. Pia died the moment she was born, without even seeing her. Salvagia cut the girl’s cord and handed her to me. Then your mother’s belly contracted, and we realized there was another babe: you.”
    “So, you killed my sister so she wouldn’t take the throne.”
     “It wasn’t like that at the time.” Anguish washed across Theodicar’s face. “The girl was
frail, but you were worse. Salvagia could only save one of you. She was certain you wouldn’t last through the night, and she tried to convince me that your weakness fulfilled the prophecy. I wouldn’t listen to her. I told her to sacrifice the girl so you could live.”
    “The girl, the girl, the girl. Has my sister a name?”
    “Her life was given for yours before she was named. I’d asked Salvagia to remove the body afterward, so there would be no question about who would rule after me.” He looked down at his feet. “I’m fairly certain Salvagia named her, though she never told me so.”
    “How did my sister save me?”
    “Her blood, Amal. You drank of her blood to strengthen your own.”
    Amalric’s hand tightened on the glass in his lap. He swallowed hard, imagining he could taste the tinny flavor of blood on his tongue. It was worse than he first thought: not only was he winner by default, but he was beast—some variation of an incestuous cannibal—alive only because he drank his sister’s blood.

Be sure to leave Kelly a comment and  and you’re eligible to win a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card!