Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Talking with 17-year-old Writer Katie Charles

Katie Charles is a 17-year-old romance author and musician. She plays four types of instruments: baritone saxophone, alto saxophone, guitar, and piano, and spends her spare time reading or writing with music playing in the background. Katie's story was published in Inspiration Lost and Found - Be Mused - an A-MUSE-ing Anthology, which just came out in April from Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc.
Why did you start writing?
I have written as long as I can remember, everything from stories about talking animals when I was little to the published book
Be Mused.

Where do your ideas come from?
Most of the time from every day life. Talking to friends and someone will say something funny and it is the opening to a story. And the rest of the time I don’t know where I get the ideas from. I just start writing and look in awe at what is on the paper or screen. The characters take over.


Tell us about the Be Mused anthology... What is your story about? What inspired you to write it?
My story is about a Muse named Jezebelle struggling through her first author assignment, and how she falls in love with a famous muse who helps her. It's also about the struggles she goes though dealing with a violent author. I wanted to write it when my mother and her business partner where talking about the anthology one day. It sounded really fun and I offered to write one.

This is your first published piece. How does it feel to see your name in print?
To be honest, I don’t know yet, it hasn’t really sunk in. I don’t know when I will be in awe that I am published. I guess I will know when it happens.

How does it feel to be the only author under-30 in the anthology?
It doesn't faze me much. I talk to some of the authors in the company, and have always tended to talk to adults without any problem. Sometimes we will talk about books that we read. I feel like a peer, not a child.

How do you balance school, music, and writing?
There is a saying about high school “Good grades, social life, or enough sleep: pick any two.” I don’t know how I do it all. Music is my outlet, I will say that. I would not be able to handle the stress of school and writer's block if I couldn't play the piano or saxophone.


Who are some of your favorite authors what are some of your favorite books?
Right now I am completely obsessed with the House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. I like the Twilight books by Stephanie Meyer, but the movies kind of killed them.

What's next writing-wise?
Other than the essays in English class, I am just writing anything that comes to mind. I have a few stories that I am working on, but not one in particular. I tend to jump to wherever the Muse leads me. Although, I am working on a book with my best friend. We're tandem writing it - she writes a chapter, I write a chapter, and so on.


What is your career aspiration?
Right now I am undecided between veterinary medicine and criminal justice. Yeah, options on two opposite sides of the career scale. I have always had a love for animals. And taking a high school forensic course at the local community collage last year got me intrigued in the forensics side of justice. Right now, writing is something I enjoy doing, but my focus is on other things.

1 comment:

  1. Great interview! Katie is an amazing writer and her story in Bemused blew me away. I wish I had her talent and focus when I was her age. I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve next. Believe me, whatever she has up there will totally rock our world.

    Jmorgan

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