Author Interview: Kathryn Mackel

Plug time. What book or project is coming out or has come out that you’d like to tell us about?

I’m so excited about Outriders: Book One of the Birthright Project. It’s about a future world that has fallen back into the dark ages after “endless wars.” The only technology that has survived are cell lines, thought to be magic potions, that sorcerers use to mutate living matter and create horrific living weapons for the stronghold nobles.

God’s faithful remnant builds an Ark and eventually hides it under the Arctic ice. Generations later, the builders are told (through an angelic vision to each one of them) that it’s time to gather. Their teenaged kids leave the Ark and go into a very fallen and very dangerous world to preserve the birthright by collecting non-mutated species and by sharing the gospel.

Outriders has allowed me to exercise my creativity to a fuller extent than I’ve ever been able to do within a story. And what a joy to write true heroes and watch them work through their flaws.

Speaking of heroes—part of the promotion we’re doing is an aptitude test that folks can take online to see what role they would play in the Birthright Project. It’s surprisingly accurate and a lot of fun. It can be found at www.birthrighters.com.

How long had you been writing seriously before you got “the call?”
Four years.

Tell us about the call.

I had sent out queries on my first novel (A Season of Comebacks.) An editor from Putnam called and talked to me about the first chapter, wondering if I’d be “inclined” to change it. After discussing how it could be changed, I blurted out, “Wait a minute. Are you telling me you’re buying my book?” She laughed and said, “Why, yes.”

Speaking of changing the first chapter—I’ve written ten novels for publication and have been asked by my editor to rewrite the first chapter for nine of those novels.

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

My writing professor used to ask: “Where does your story really start?” It took me years to appreciate that, by applying this question to every chapter—or even section in a chapter—I could streamline my writing and shape it for optimal drama and effect.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever heard?

Can’t think of any, though writers should know there’s plenty of bad advice out there. The trickiest water to navigate are writers’ groups (critique groups). One must learn when to trust and when to ignore. And that’s not easy, not at all.

What’s something you wish you’d known earlier on that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

The importance of branding. Not that a writer has to be pigeon-holed but if I had to do it over, I wouldn’t have jumped genres so often. I’ve written SciFi movies and children’s movies, SciFi kids’ books and sports kids’ books, supernatural thrillers and now a fantasy for adults. I haven’t stayed anywhere long enough to build an audience.

Do you have a scripture or quote that has been speaking to you lately?

Isaiah 50: 4 The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.

Is there a particularly difficult set back that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?

When I sold my film script CAN OF WORMS to Disney, I thought my career was finally on the fast track. I love movies, and I love writing for children. It seemed a natural fit. But after doing one rewrite on my script, I was replaced by another writer.

He did three rewrites but Disney felt the ‘magic’ (which we know to be the hope and joy of the Lord) was somehow missing. They brought me on again, paid me a lot of money, and used very little of what I suggested.

Then I contested the credit assignation, which gave me shared credit, went through Writers Guild arbitration, and won. Sole credit is very important for a screenwriter.

Disney never did business with me again. I felt for years it was my failure, and I also held a grudge against the executive who wouldn’t consider hiring me or buying any other of my products. It was only when I was asked to mentor a teen at church that I was able to give him the task of praying for my grudges, while I prayed for his. The Lord cleared both of our hearts. While I look back on the experience with a pang, I’ve clearly learned from it.

What are a few of your favorite books?

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
In this House of Brede by Rumer Godden
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy

What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?

My newest release, Outriders: Book One of the Birthright Project. Grateful and hopeful are perhaps greater adjectives than proud. I’m grateful that WestBow Press offered me the opportunity to write a story that was dear to my heart. Hopeful that this type of fantasy will speak to many people, especially younger adults who have been raised on Harry Potter and thrilled to Lord of the Rings. And thrilled to be part of an epic adventure.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

The amount of promotion that authors have to do. Writing is hard enough but having to learn to be promotional wizards is taxing for all of us. I spend more time in marketing than I do in writing, and that just doesn’t seem right.

Can you give us a view into a typical day of your writing life?

Write a couple of hours. Clean up the house, hike with my dog, eat lunch. Do my bible study/devotions. Write a couple more hours. More hiking, this time with my friend and her dog. Greet my husband, have supper, spend time with him. Write a couple of hours. Watch the Red Sox while I sift through promotional work. Kiss my husband goodnight, take the dog out, do more promotional work or email, watch Seinfeld. Fall asleep embroiled in some scene in my work-in-progress.

It amazes me when I have a completed manuscript in my hands, knowing how ugly my process is.

It seems that there are two kinds of writers. Some can focus for hours on end. Others (like me) hop like fleas, trying to muster enough attention to keep our backsides in our chairs and get something written. It might be a fun survey to take some day and see if there’s a fifty-fifty split. I think there might be.

If you could choose to have one strength of another writer, what would it be and from whom?

What a great question. It’s going to be hard to pick just one. Colleen Coble has great story instincts in choosing unusual settings and occupations. Charles Martin is great at description and mood. Ted Dekker excels at crisp action writing. Oh, there’s so many more whom I admire. It’s like the conundrum in Hebrews 11. “What more shall I say? I do not have time to talk about…”

But if I have to choose one strength, it would be to write lyrical prose as well as Angie Hunt. Her style is simple yet rich. Her word choice is impeccable and her ability to set mood without becoming excessive is admirable. She has a fine touch and I envy her that.

Do you have a dream for the future of your writing, something you would love to accomplish?

My dream was to write an epic. Outriders is the first step in that journey. I would also love to write a movie as spectacular as Lord of the Rings.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

No.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

I would love to give a lofty answer about creativity or even the opportunity to reach souls. And truly, I am grateful for such things. But if I am being brutally honest, my favorite thing is not having to sit in a cubicle. I can’t sit still (see question 12). When I was in corporate life, I loved the challenge and the work but being in the same place for 10 hours a day was excruciating.

My least favorite thing is starting a new project. Again, being brutally honest, I will say that my gift is in creating stories but not writing them. Writing is very difficult for me, especially at first when my characters are finding their voices. Once they do, the process is exhilarating. I always say that, for me, writing is four months of hell and two months of heaven.
Parting words?

I can’t thank my readers enough for reading my books. Sometimes I get so focused on sales (or lack thereof), that I don’t give thanks for those who have bought my books, and I don’t pray for those who spend their valuable time reading my stories.

These folks have honored me, and I pray that my words may bless them and, in a very small way, give them a glimpse into the heart of Christ, and help them grow in the grace of God.

And for those out there who are writers, struggling to write and get published, my heart and prayers are with you. Writing can be a thankless, hidden task. That you’ve committed to do it at all, let alone as an expression of faith, is a wonderful thing. Keep the faith, and keep that Light shining.