Interview with KB Benson

I am delighted to welcome KB Benson to the blog for an interview! Here's a little bit about her:

KB is the author of the 2019 release Call of the Sirens trilogy. Absolutely in love with her family, KB can never say no to a chocolate brownie (or any dessert for that matter) and enjoys taking afternoon naps. She's a huge advocate for following your dreams and making them come true. 

A convicted sleepwalker, highlighter collector, and compulsive list-maker, KB writes Clean YA Fantasy. Before an author, KB is a busy stay-at-home mom who loves spending time with her husband, daughter, and Golden Retriever. When she’s not writing, she’s usually trying to keep up with her baby girl. 

And onto the interview!

In your own writing, which character of yours do you relate to most?
Ironically, I relate most to my main character, Iris, who happens to be a siren. Over the past seven years writing the Call of the Sirens trilogy, I’ve often had friends and family say, “Wow, you just seem so nice and happy. How did you write something so dark?” I can’t help but laugh 😊 In all honesty, as I got deeper into the siren world, I found myself going through a lot of the same trials Iris went through especially in book three (minus the blood and murder and fighting, of course).
Call of the Sirens is a trilogy of boy meets monster and falls in love, but it’s also a lot more than that. It’s about learning to understand who you truly are and loving yourself for that person because the simple fact that you are you makes you pretty amazing and worth something. That’s a lesson I learned a lot about as I wrote the trilogy.

Do you read your own genre? Is it a favourite?
Yes! YA Fantasy is my favorite! Add in some romance and I’ll be hooked.

If you had to describe your style in three words, what would they be?
Poetic. Descriptive. Dance-like.

What was the first story you ever told?
Aside from the little two-page stories I wrote in grade school, my first story/novel was about time travel to a place of kingdoms and princes, secrets and spies. It’s still unpublished, but I hope to get back to it one day and make it a worthy read!

Was writing always your dream choice of career?
It was one of them! My three dream jobs were to be a stay-at-home mom (check!), an elementary teacher (I changed my mind after starting the program almost a decade ago) and being a writer. Honestly, I thought the writing career was probably the least likely to happen!

Do you have a writing space? Pictures or descriptions!
Oh, I wish I had a writing nook but my favorite place to write... is my bed! Haha. It’s so comfy and is big enough to give me almost unending space to spread all my notes out around me while I’m working. If my daughter wakes up and I need to take a break, it’s also high enough to keep all my notes safely out of her reach so I can leave my mess and come back to it later.

Playlists? Yes or no? And why?
Absolutely! Music helps me so much during the brainstorming process of outlining my books. Whenever I hear a new song or one that speaks to me, I write it down so that I can add it to my playlist for a particular series and listen to those songs on a loop while I write the outline. They help me set the mood I’m going for within a book, and I always discover new music and artists!

Which social media do you see as a must for writers?
Instagram is huge! I’ve also seen a lot of authors use Twitter, though I’m not on Twitter :/

Where do you hang out most online?
I spend most of my time on Instagram and Facebook. I love getting to see everyone’s creative photos on Instagram (Have you heard of Bookstagram? It’s pretty much the most amazing thing ever)!

Do you have a favourite app for writing?
I guess I’m old-school and like to just use Microsoft Word. I’ve tried apps like Scrivener and a few others, but I like the simplicity with Word.

Organised or not?
Very organized. When I wrote The Harvest (Call of the Sirens Book One), it took me six years because I “pantsed” the crap out of that story. I had no idea where I was going; and each time I hit a roadblock, it’d take me weeks to overcome. The Hunt (Book 2) and The Harrowing (Book 3) took me a total of just over a year to take from little ideas to publication because I spent the time to create very detailed outlines. If I ever hit writer’s block, it would take me max a day or two to solve. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to just “pantsing” a story.

What's your favourite book you've read?
This year I read Mary Weber’s new release To Best the Boys, and it was amazing! I’ve also always loved Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series.

Morning or evening writer?
Morning. By the time evening comes, I’m usually too tired to be much of anything, let alone creative.

If you had a hashtag for your books, what would it be?
I’m glad you asked because I do have a hashtag for my book, though it isn’t widely used yet. #CalloftheSirensTrilogy

You can follow KB Benson on Instagram and Facebook.

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