For my stop on the mini blog blitz for Spider Hunting, organised by Rachel’s Random Resources, I’m delighted to share an interview with the author, K.J. McGillick
Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell us something about yourself and how you became an author?
I am now on my third life career. Upon graduation from the University of Miami, I entered the field of nursing where I practiced in a hospital setting and eventually taught nursing to college students.
As a second career in life, I found my way into the practice of law and specialized in Family Law. Twenty-five years later, with hundreds of cases under my belt, I decided that it was time to slow down on my trial practice and think about doing something fun and frankly not so dark. I started doing a life review, what could I say to my grandkids that made me proud, what was my legacy to them. Sure, they would have a property inheritance and pieces of my travels, but what could I give to them that was a real part of me? I decided I wanted to give my grandchildren something forever, something permanent, something in perpetuity. It was then I decided to write a book, one book. Now, ten books later, I am slowly thinking of myself as an author. Almost.
Which books did you love to read as a child/now as a grown-up?
As a child, the Nancy Drew Mystery series captured my attention and I believe I read every one in the series. As an adult, I gravitate toward thrillers Sydney Sheldon started my interest, and later Dan Brown and David Baldacci. Now that’s not to say that while in high school I was not a fan of the classics, I was, however, thrillers have always captivated my attention.
Is there a writer which brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?
Dan Brown. He was recently added to MasterClass, and the man has a wealth of information to share. I must have watched his series at least 8 times. Although I love Baldacci, and trust me would love to get into his head, having met him last year in London’s Capital Crime, I believe he likes to keep his writing process rather secretive.
If you could, which fictional character (from your own book(s) or someone else’s) would you like to invite for a chat, and why?
Mary, my ninety-year-old investigator. I love her humor and brashness. Amos Decker from Baldacci’s Memory Man because he is such a good man and yet so flawed.
Do you have some rituals or habits while writing?
Not particularly. I normally sit down until a chapter is complete.. Depending on the difficulty I am having with a chapter, I may revisit it that evening.
Where do you come up with your idea(s)?
Some ideas I get from headlines or articles that catch my interest. Others from my interest in money laundering and how clever people are to find new and better ways. I enjoy digging into new scientific areas that present moral quagmires for people to sort through.
Are you a plotter or do you go with the flow, as a pantser?
I am your proverbial panster. However, I am presently working with the Snowflake method for my new book and find it helpful in organizing my plot.
Can you give novice writers some tips (do’s/don’ts)?
Have a theme and a premise to start, then be flexible.
What are your plans as an author?
Keep writing, keep practicing, and keep entertaining.
About the Book
It’s never what it seems.
A murder of a high-profile law partner on a Manhattan street should have made the front page of the news. And yet it didn’t. Drew Bradley’s murder was treated as just another senseless crime and relegated to page four of the evening edition. But what if the press had been privy to the fact that the murder was actually an assassination?
As the partners at Lannister and Stewart scramble to fill the vacuum left by Drew Bradley’s sudden death, Asia Blythe, a rising star in the firm is offered his coveted position. But this golden opportunity that brings with it power, prestige, and unlimited financial rewards demands adherence to a code. A code of allegiance to the firm with no exceptions. Catapulted into the world of genetically modified designer babies and state-sponsored espionage, is Asia prepared to deal with the intrigues of a world that will threaten her life and shatter her illusions?
Purchase Links ~ Amazon UK | Amazon US
About the Author
K. J. McGillick was born in New York and once she started to walk she never stopped running. But that’s what New Yorker’s do. Right? A Registered Nurse, a lawyer now author.
As she evolved so did her career choices. After completing her graduate degree in nursing, she spent many years in the university setting sharing the dreams of the enthusiastic nursing students she taught. After twenty rewarding years in the medical field she attended law school and has spent the last twenty-four years as an attorney helping people navigate the turbulent waters of the legal system. Not an easy feat. And now? Now she is sharing the characters she loves with readers hoping they are intrigued by her twisting and turning plots and entertained by her writing
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