Author name: Wodke Hawkinson is the name under which Karen Wodke and PJ
Hawkinson produce their collaborated works.
About your family/background, your location:
I’m located in Kansas.
How and why did you decide to get published?
Love to write, don’t love to wait months or even years for traditional publishing. Decided to self publish so we could get our work out there. Also, there is great freedom in being at the helm of your own ship.
What genre do you write? And why?
Multiple genres. We just can’t stick to one thing. Probably a short attention span is to blame.
What other genre interest you?
Almost all genres, with a special affinity for science fiction, suspense, and anything different or a bit skewed. Not a fan of formulaic predictable tales.
What is the story behind your book?
Catch Her in the Rye is a collection of short stories. We wanted to
produce something at an affordable price to introduce readers to our work in advance of releasing our novels.
How do you decide your book cover?
For our short story collections, the cover is based on the final story in the book. For Catch Her in the Rye, we wanted to find a picture of a lovely woman in a field, one that had just the right look. When we found the photo we ultimately used, we knew right away it was the one. This photograph, while not a rye field, does come closest to the story. A woman, a white shawl, a field. We had to use it.
Do you think readers decide based on book cover or book title?
Both. A cover draws readers in but the stories inside are really what matters.
If you write fiction; What’s the source of your inspiration? How much of YOU show up in your writing?
Inspiration can come from anywhere or anything. A person you pass on the street, a real life experience, or even a dream. There is something of the author in each story, but it might not always be readily apparent.
Use one word/phrase to describe your book:
Entertaining.
How have you found the writing process?
Wonderful, frustrating, rewarding, enjoyable, and maddening.
Have you ever experienced writer’s block? How did you tackle it?
Probably most writers experience dry spells. The fastest way to break a block is just to write, even if you are not producing your best material. You can always (and must always) go back and revise.
Do you have a blog? What do you write about? Karen: Yes, our blog, http://wodke-hawkinson.com/blog1/, is a mixed bag. One of our blog categories is “Fake Phony News”, which reveals a lot. Some of our blogging is serious, some silly. But one thing is for sure, we don’t blog as much as we should.
What books are on your shelf at home?
Too numerous to mention as I am addicted to reading. Here are a few: Tolkien, King, Koontz, a variety of self-published works (which we love), sci-fi, and suspense novels.
Any awards/achievement you want to share?
We would share all of them… if we had any.
Who’s your favourite author?
Tolkien.
What are you good at as an individual?
Hopefully writing. Also I have a particular skill for collecting things no one else wants. I’m really quite good at it.
What form of entertainment do you enjoy most and why?
Reading, because it is an inexpensive vacation to places I could never afford to go and to realms no one can visit in reality.
What are your other interests?
Fishing, gardening and learning about other self-sustaining pursuits, home refurbishment.
Your favourite pet?
Cat.
What’s your choice meal/favourite restaurant?
Choice meal is steak, baked potato, and veggies. Favorite restaurant is any place that serves a good steak.
What’s your music choice?
Varied, but I really like to explore independent music created by self-produced artists.
Name your favourite city in the world:
Las Vegas.
Name your favourite world leader and why:
I’m not too crazy about any politicians at the moment, actually.
If you had one wish, what would it be?
To have as many wishes as I want.
If you can change one thing, what would it be?
I would like to control time, go backward and forward at will.
What would you say you’re bad at?
There is not room on this form to adequately address this question.
You’re squeamish to what?
Certain bugs.
What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve done?
I’d be embarrassed to tell you!
Anything else your readers don’t know about you?
They probably don’t know I am addicted to Cappuccino, so addicted I wrote a song by that title.
What’s your favourite quote?
“Determine your own destiny’’.
Why should a reader buy your book?
Catch Her in the Rye gives a reader a variety of tales, some heart-warming, some a bit disturbing, but all compelling in one way or another.
What is your last word?
You mean I only get one last word?
Where can your book be found/bought/website:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/70099
http://www.amazon.com/
Thank you so much for taking time out to answer these questions.
Thank you, Wodke Hawkinson
Author name: Wodke Hawkinson is the name under which Karen Wodke and PJ Hawkinson produce their collaborated works.
About your family/background, your location:
I’m located in Kansas.
How and why did you decide to get published?
I decided I could write a different type of vampire book after enjoying the True Blood and Twilight series. After writing Half Bitten, I joined forces with Karen. We began writing Tangerine, and then we Betrayed, which will be the first novel we’ll release. During this time, we produced quite a few short stories and have released two short story volumes to date; Catch Her in the Rye and Blue.
What genre do you write? And why?
Multiple genres. We just can’t stick to one thing. Probably a short attention span is to blame.
What other genre interest you?
I also enjoy most genres but have a special affinity to mysteries, adult fairytales, and, yes, anything different and a bit skewed.
What is the story behind your book?
Catch Her in the Rye gives readers a variety of genres to choose from, allowing all readers to, hopefully, find the stories enjoyable.
How do you decide your book cover?
I agree with Karen’s reasons and would like to add that she found the picture of the old house we used for the cover of our 2nd short story volume and it generated the story Blue.
Do you think readers decide based on book cover or book title?
I myself am drawn mainly to the cover but admit the title follows closely.
If you write fiction; What’s the source of your inspiration? How much of YOU show up in your writing?
I agree to an extent; although, I don’t completely agree that there is something of the author in each story. As we go through life, we observe many characters and are able to put ourselves in their shoes, thus using something of them instead of ourselves.
Use one word/phrase to describe your book:
Rollercoaster.
How have you found the writing process?
Wonderful, frustrating, rewarding, enjoyable, and maddening.
Have you ever experienced writer’s block? How did you tackle it?
Fortunately, I have not experienced the dire consequences of the sneaky, evil, and soul-sucking writer’s block. But, if I do someday face the villain, I hope Karen’s theory is right.
Do you have a blog? What do you write about?
Yes, our blog, http://wodke-hawkinson.com/blog1/, is a mixed bag. One of our blog categories is “Fake Phony News”, which reveals a lot. Some of our blogging is serious, some silly. But one thing is for sure, we don’t blog as much as we should.
What books are on your shelf at home?
Also an incredible variety on my shelves, which include the same as Karen’s and Rowling, P. Anthony, Heinlein, and A. Christie.
Any awards/achievement you want to share?
Sigh, no.
Who’s your favourite author?
I find that question nearly impossible to answer. I, like Karen, enjoy Tolkien. I have read the Hobbit and the Lord of the Ring trilogy probably seven times since being introduced to the series thirty years ago. But, I have also read the Xanth series by Piers Anthony at least four times, The Harry Potter series three times in addition to listening to them on my iPod once, and so many others. I can’t chose one author but I hear Wodke Hawkinson is going places.
What are you good at as an individual?
I try to listen if anyone needs an ear.
What form of entertainment do you enjoy most and why?
Like Karen, I enjoy reading; not only does it take you places you have never been, it takes you places impossible to go, places that never existed and never will.
What are your other interests?
I enjoy playing games, paint-by-numbers, and bass fishing.
Your favourite pet?
Cat. Oh, and lizards and possibly a sugar glider.
What’s your choice meal/favourite restaurant?
Favorite meal is meatloaf, baked potato, and green beans with a close runner up of tacos.
What’s your music choice?
Old time rock and roll and some country. I enjoy classical upon occasion and a little blues. Beatles, Kid Rock, Garth Brooks, Procol Harum, Dixie Chicks, and the list goes on.
Name your favourite city in the world:
Las Vegas rocks but I can’t really answer this question until I’ve been to them all.
Name your favourite world leader and why:
I am not into politics at all so can’t answer this question but I suspect it will be someone in the future.
If you had one wish, what would it be?
For my husband, kids, and grandkids to live a long healthy life.
If you can change one thing, what would it be?
The low dollar amount in my bank account. The number needs about six more zeros behind the total.
What would you say you’re bad at?
Eating properly, losing weight, playing instruments, acrobats, and art.
You’re squeamish to what?
Definitely centipedes, scorpions, and little black furry spiders.
What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve done?
There was something I did recently that was hilariously embarrassing. But I can’t remember what it was.
Anything else your readers don’t know about you?
Not that I can divulge.
What’s your favourite quote?
“Live and let live”.
Why should a reader buy your book?
Because the stories are funny, sad, strange, and unusual.
What is your last word?
THE often thought to be the first word, now known to be the last word, but quite possibly the only word.
Where can your book be found/bought/website:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/70099
http://www.amazon.com/
Thank you so much for taking time out to answer these questions.
Thank you, Wodke Hawkinson
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