Featured Author
Kristi
Gold
Kristi Gold began her romance writing career at the tender age of twelve when she and her sister spun romantic short stories involving a neighborhood friend and a popular television host. Yet it wasn’t until 1992 that she attempted her first full-length mainstream romance.
After becoming a 1996 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart double finalist with two longer books, Kristi turned her focus to short contemporary romance in 1997.
In spite of a few stops and starts—and a rejection on her first series submissions—she sold to Silhouette Desire® in July of 1999. That July 2000 debut release went on to be a Romance Writers of America® nominee for Best First Book in 2001. To date, Kristi has sold twelve more Desires and several of her books have appeared on the national Waldenbooks best-seller list; two have debuted at #1.
Even the simplest of events—from hot air balloons to horse races—can lead Kristi to an idea for a book. But first and foremost, she feels very fortunate to be able to weave stories that include love and commitment and that all-important happy ending. She has also discovered that some of the most rewarding moments come from readers who write to share their views as well as their own personal stories.
Kristi resides on a small ranch in Central Texas with her husband of nineteen years, two of her three children along with various and sundry livestock, including Texas longhorns and pampered horses.
Read on and "Be touched by Gold", as Kristi Gold graciously took a little time out from her busy schedule to answer a few questions for Writers Unlimited.
WU: Why did you decide to become a romance author?
KG: I've always loved love songs and movies and books—and writing—so romance was a natural choice. The process began for me with a simple idea for a mainstream romance and my sister's encouragment to write it. I did write it, for about two years. I discovered Romance Writers of America in 1995, joined the national and local organizations, and by that time I'd written three single title romances, two were RWA Golden Heart finalists in 1996, but none of them sold. In 1997, I had another idea, this time for a short contemporary series book, which was subsequently rejected, but I found I really loved writing series books. I sold my first Desire in 1999, had two more ready to go, and saw that first book hit the shelves in July of 2000. And here I am!
WU: Do you write full time or do you have another career?
KG: Writing is definitely my full-time job and my career. I can't imagine doing anything else.
WU: Can you give us an example of a typical day in the life of Kristi Gold?
KG: Well, most of my mornings are usually devoted to the business of writing, promotions, correspondence, etc. (playing a few games of spider solataire to clear my mind until I'm awake) and editing what I wrote the night before (and occasionally laundry and grocery shopping, if I must). At about 4 p.m., around the time the kids come home from school, I usually walk away from the computer because I'm too sleepy to focus. My husband has a technical term for this—my cortosal level has dropped. I call it cratering. From that point on it's rest time, then family time. We almost always have dinner together, watch television or a movie, or I often find myself helping with school projects (ex. loading multi-media software onto my computer, which is faster, so my son can make a movie for school). 11 p.m., when the house is again quiet, is my best creative time, and that's when the majority of the writing takes place. I usually stop anywhere from 2 a.m to 4 a.m. or until my face hits the keyboard, whichever comes first.:) But there are times during deadlines when I write all day long. I am definitely a binge writer.
WU: Readers today demand accuracy in the books they read. How much research about life styles, setting, dialect, etc. goes into one of your stories?
KG: That definitely depends on the story. I've written several doctor books, and my husband is a doctor, but if it's not within his realm of knowledge such as neonatology (he's a retired neurosurgeon) I have to rely on other sources, i.e. the Internet (how did we live without it?). I've covered everything from the deaf culture to domestic violence to sailboats, but every book I write requires research on some level, be it locations or occupations. It's amazing how research sometimes spurs other ideas for the basic plot. I look at it as one big learning adventure
WU: Tell us about any upcoming releases and works in progress.
KG: Aside from my January Desire, The Sheikh's Bidding, I have three more books scheduled for 2003—Renegade Millionaire (Dr. Rio Madrid who was introduced in my Marrying An M.D. miniseries last year), Marooned with a Millionaire, June, (The Wizard of Oz meets The Love Boat during The Perfect Storm) and Expecting the Sheikh's Baby, Dynasties: The Barones, in September.
I'm currently writing a Cattleman's Club continuity scheduled for April 2004 and to follow, another Dynasties book coming out in June 2004. I'm also working on my own miniseries that involves a wager between three Harvard roommates, all royalty in their own right. The first book, The Playboy Who Would be King, has already sold with no release date yet, and the other two books will soon be submitted for consideration. I always have something in the works, not to mention a lot of people and ideas running around in my head.:)
WU: How do you come up with the ideas for your books? Do you have a
brainstorming session with someone or do they just kind of "pop" into your head?
KG: It's definitely a 'pop into my head' kind of process, sometimes brought about by an event and even songs. The idea for Marooned With A Millionaire came about when a hot air balloon race passed over my house. That was all it took. I do tend to brainstorm with my agent and a few writing colleagues if I get stuck. Otherwise, I just let my imagination take over, which can at times be a very scary thing.:)
WU: A lot of aspiring writers suffer the agony of rejection after rejection. How hard or easy was it for you to "break in" to the published ranks?
KG: It took about seven years all total, two years from the time I decided to write short series until I sold. I enjoyed every minute and wouldn't take back that time since I learned so much! I'm not going to kid anyone and say that the rejections were a barrel of fun, but it's something you have to keep in perspective. I tried to quit for three days after one rejection, but thanks to a good-hearted friend named Vicky and the fact I couldn't begin to consider doing anything aside from writing, I got through it. The next book I wrote was the one I sold. I'd hate to think what might have happened if I had given up.
WU: Do you ever suffer from "writer's block" and, if so, what helps you to get back on track?
KG: Sometimes I have problems with certain scenes and that's usually because I'm trying to force characters to do something they don't want to do. And some days I don't feel like writing a whole lot, so I don't. I'm not a structured writer by any means, and I give myself permission to have those days where I do nothing but edit or read over material because I know that I'll have days where I'll knock out twenty to thirty pages. This works best for me but it doesn't work for everyone.
WU: Any words of wisdom for those that would like to follow in your footsteps?
KG: I like to tell aspiring authors (at the risk of getting injured) to enjoy that period before they sell. It's a time for learning and growing and just plain reveling in the craft. After the sell, many factors come into play, mainly having to do with the business of writing and building a career. Write what you like to read, not what you think will enable you to 'break-in.' If you do happen to be lucky and sell in a sub-genre you don't particularly care for, you could find yourself very unhappy somewhere down the road. You have to write because you love it regardless of whether you sell one book or 100. When the process is no longer a joy, then it's time to reconsider what you're doing. Oh, and never, ever go into this with the attitude that you want to quit your day job if you're dependent on that salary.
Building a name takes time, and the markets can be volatile. Again, write because you love to write, write what you love to write, and that will translate into your stories. Learn the basics of the craft, but don't confuse yourself with the facts. In other words, trust your instincts. Great characters and plots come from the heart, not from a chart. Do what works best for you, and don't let anyone tell you that it can't be done. Perserverance is truly your best friend in this business. If anyone would have told me four years ago that I would sell fifteen books, I would have told them they needed help. But here I am and I'm darned happy to be here!
WU: Where can readers contact you?
KG: I can be contacted by email at KGOLDAUTHOR@aol.com, through my website at http://www.KristiGold.com or through snail mail at PO Box 11292, Robinson, TX, 76716. I love hearing from readers!
Visit http://www.KristiGold.com for information on Kristi's upcoming releases, contests, and more.
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