Today’s author interview is a little different, instead of our normal format of parrying questions back and forth, Mary Kipps, author of ‘All in Vein’ decided that she’d rather do a little soliloquy for us based on some of the current author interview questions. Take it away Mary:
As a writer, I am first and foremost a poet. I enjoy composing in both traditional forms as well as in free verse, and I write for all age groups. My poetry has appeared in journals across the U.S. and abroad since 2005, and my haiku and tanka are regularly solicited for inclusion in annual anthologies. My poems occasionally win prizes. I submit primarily to print publications, although my tribute to the Dickin cat can be found online at www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/famous/simon-tributes.html. In 2014, one of my sonnets was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
I’m not good at waxing poetic on intangible or philosophical subjects. My poems typically tell a story, which is often inspired by a phrase I have heard or read. The vignettes in ‘All in Vein’ started out as free verse poetry. That particular light bulb came from the title of a DVD I saw one day in Blockbuster. The title was “In Search of a Midnight Kiss.” I thought, ‘who better to go in search of a midnight kiss than a vampire.’ But I needed a twist. So, I did a bit of research and discovered one who must attack in the nude. And I thought, ‘I can do something with this.’
I confess that I rarely read books or watch movies about vampires. I do not enjoy horror. My demons need to be likeable characters. I also prefer novels over short stories. So, go figure why I found myself driven to write what is basically a series of flash fiction about a vampire.
In my twenties and thirties I did read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, but nowadays I lean more toward general fiction. I like stories that are different, with characters who are at least a little outside the norm, and if that story invokes a laugh or raises a tear, all the better. In the past decade I’ve developed an affinity for tales by Indian and Middle Eastern authors.
For the past seven years I have been fortunate to meet regularly with a small group of talented and well-published poets who provide each other with valuable critique and support. At their encouragement, I am currently working on a sequel to ‘All in Vein’.
I’ve worked in IT all of my adult life. I love to travel, the more exotic the better. Throughout much of my career, I was fortunate to have a job that allowed me to do just that, all over the world. I have always abhorred being herded and avoid any organized tour that lasts more than half a day. I love adventures, preferably with a hint of danger. I don’t mind being somewhere I don’t speak the language. My favorite city is Hong Kong.
About ice cream: When I was four, it’s how I learned to use chopsticks. Nowadays, I favor sorbet.
Mary thanks for bringing a new twist on the author interview format to ItsWriteNow.com and I hope that your promotion of ‘All in Vein’ goes fantastically! And of course, best of luck for your upcoming sequel.
Want to find out more about Mary Kipps? Connect here!