The Scary Reviews

Today is the release of Blood of the Sixth, the third novel from K.R. Rowe. Her previous two books are Amber and Blue and the sequel Amber and Blue II-Victory. I was lucky enough to have a chance to beta read Blood of the Sixth earlier this summer. It was a great read, thrilling and filled with plenty of horror. Now I have the privilege of sharing my interview with Karen. I had a chance to speak with about all things writing, her books and to find out if we will see a follow-up to Blood of the Sixth. Thank you kindly, Karen, for talking with me, have a great release day and I wish you the best on your new book.

 

 

The Scary Reviews: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, a quick introduction if you will.

K.R. Rowe: I was born and raised in the Chattanooga, Tennessee where the hot summer heat can be stickier than chewing gum on molasses.  I am married with one son of my own and a step son and daughter.  I have a two sweet little Chihuahuas and one irritable cat.  I am (fill in blank with non-old age) but I don’t feel a day over 20.  I have a foul sense of humor and will laugh at just about anything. I enjoy good heavy metal, the old stuff and the new.  I like cheesecake, coke, sharp cheddar, sweet concord wine and pinto beans and cornbread.  I like to cook too but I’m not very good at it.

TSR: When did you start writing and what sparked your interest in writing as a career? 

K.R.R: I started writing when I was probably a pre-teen.  I can’t remember much interest in writing before that because I was too busy rolling down hills in old inner tubes and jumping ramps with my bicycle.  I had three brothers so whatever they did, I did.  When I hit my teen years, the poetry flowed like my boy crazy hormones.  Most of the poetry was about teenage infatuation or pop music and that sort of thing.  The pop music turned to heavy metal and as I grew older I started writing short stories involving my friends.  I never killed any of them off in my stories like many of my unfortunate characters nowadays though.  I’m sure they appreciate that.

Back in 2010 I had a story idea and decided to put it to paper.  Amber and Blue was born and soon after, the sequel Victory followed, and then my latest horror release, Blood of the Sixth.  I can’t say what actually sparked my interest.  I think I just always liked to write things.  Unfortunately, I haven’t quite made it a career yet, but maybe someday that will change.

TSR: Do you plan your writing with outlines, or any specific pre-writing rituals? Or do you just write as it comes to you?

K.R.R: I’ve not developed any pre-writing rituals yet, but I can totally see a Cheese Puff and Coke ritual forming if I let it. J  I rarely use outlines and write as the story comes.  With my latest release, Blood of the Sixth, I was forced to create an outline about halfway through to keep the story organized.  I don’t suspect my next work in progress with have an outline but I won’t rule it out.

TSR: Do you have a set schedule when you are writing?  Do you put a specific number of hours in each day?

K.R.R: I work full time during the day and sometimes it is difficult to find time to write.  I try to write at least one hour in the evening after dinner.  I love to write when I am home alone.  I find that is when I get my best work done.  I have also been known to write at work in extreme downtimes. (If you are my boss and you read that last line, it was totally a figment of your imagination.)  

TSR: Do you have a favorite character from one of your books and if so why?

K.R.R: Yes, I definitely have a favorite.  Just the opposite of most my readers, my favorite character is Lucien from Amber and Blue.  Lucien Laurent is by far one of my most developed characters.  Lucien is caught in a world of crime and violence while all he ever wanted was to be a good man, like his father.  He is a criminal who desperately wants to do the right things but due to his surroundings and influences, is unable to do so.  He will do just about anything to get what he wants.  Lucien loves deeply; he is obsessive, loyal, tough yet gentle.  Although sometimes consumed by guilt, it doesn’t stop him from making the same mistakes again and again.  He is very human and very imperfect.

TSR: What do you like to do when you are not writing? Is there a hobby or activity you always wanted to try, but haven’t?

K.R.R: I love the outdoors.  I love to backpack in the mountains.  I have a kayak and enjoy taking it out every so often.  I usually do calm water but wouldn’t mind going out on a little whitewater every now and then. I love roller coasters and anything that goes too fast to for me to realize how high off the ground I actually am.

I have never been on water skis and might like to try that someday, although I’d probably end taking a nose dive and skipping the water like a flailing hockey puck.  If I said I’d like to sky dive, I would be totally lying. I am afraid of heights and would probably pee my sky diving suit on the way to earth.  I really, really, really want a dirt bike. (motorcycle)  I want a little one that I could hop on and get lost in the mountains.  I might like to drag race motorcycles too.  I rode my own before and loved that adrenaline rush when I took off fast from a full stop.  I’d probably totally lose every time but it would be fun.  Although you might think a drag strip a bit dangerous on a motorcycle, it would actually be much safer than riding in traffic with a soccer mom in a mini-van.

TSR: Can you talk a bit about your latest work in progress?

K.R.R: I can’t reveal too much about my upcoming work in progress as it is in its infancy at the moment.  I do have some ideas down and some things that are swirling about in my head.  I may do an expansion on one of the flash fiction pieces on my blog.  As with Blood of the Sixth; my next work will be chocked full of gore and creepy things.  I’ve also been asked quite a few times if Blood of the Sixth will have a sequel.  If the demand is high, I may put a sequel next in the writing pipeline.

TSR: Having just finished writing the Blood of the Sixth do you prefer the darkness and horror in this book or is there another genre you equally enjoy?

K.R.R: I do love a good romance, but I haven’t read much of the genre lately.  My first novel Amber and Blue is romance with a lot of action and suspense, as was its sequel, Victory.  I think I killed off way too many people in my romance novels and found that I loved the darker elements of my writing more than the actual romance so horror was a natural progression for me.  I’ve always loved horror movies and reading articles involving real murders and serial killers.  I believe that romance is a key element for all genres though, as love can make humans do truly horrific things. I think overall, I enjoy the dark, creepy stories of horror and will likely continue with this genre.

TSR: I really loved the ending to Blood of the Sixth. Do you think that is a story you will revisit with a sequel?

K.R.R: I’m seriously considering writing a sequel.  I think Blood of the Sixth has the potential to go in many different directions.  I’ve had a few ideas and hopefully one of them will make a great story.

 

Thank you so much for taking time to interview me, David.  I really appreciate it.

You are very welcome, and again happy release day for Blood of the Sixth! I hope everyone loves it as much as I did.

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