Kathy M. Howard Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.
A. Sure thing. Thanks so much for having me. I graduated from Carson-Newman College with BA in Liberal Studies and now live in Blackshear, GA with my husband of nearly twenty years and our two teenage daughters. I spend the days homeschooling and the early evenings cheering the girls on in whichever sport they happen to be playing at the time. I’m also a wanna-be runner…meaning I want to be running, but my body reminds me I’m not as young as I used to be. 😉

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
A. The right encouragement can go a long way. My seventh grade teacher was that start for me. Years of journaling followed, which was quite an eye opener. Have you ever reread journal entries from your younger years? The head of a teenager is all over the place. LOL!

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?
A. Back in 2012, my grandfather had a severe heart attack. It led to two weeks in the hospital. The waiting room in the ICCU was my start. The same people were there, day after day. They become like family. My husband suggested I write something about it, so I did. Guidepost Magazine published it in their 2013 December edition. Right after that, I wrote my first novel, FROM DISHES TO SNOW, initially titled, THE LITTLE RED HOUSE. It was submitted to a contest Guidepost ran, making it past round one. While I waited for the next round’s outcome, I attended Carolina Christian’s Writer’s Conference in Spartanburg, SC. There, I pitched the novel to Ambassador International and was asked to submit it if it didn’t win the contest. It did not. I submitted FROM DISHES TO SNOW; they accepted and published it October 2014. The sequel, FROM DRIFTWOOD TO SAPPHIRE followed August 2015. CLEAR CONFUSION came July 2019.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Clear Confusion?
A: CLEAR CONFUSION follows Charlotte Hallaway after she accidently witnesses a drug exchange and murder. She boards a bus to escape her pursuers but wakes up in the woods of Jennings, GA, without a memory of how she got there or of who she is. All she knows is fear is an underlying emotion that she can’t seem to shake. Two hunters find her battered and scared. With nowhere to go, she realizes her life is literally in their hands.

This book was a true labor of love and frustration. It has a little bit of everything – suspense, mystery, romance, laughter, and inspiration. It’s also my first mystery/suspense so it took much longer than my previous novels to finalize. That being said, it was also the most fun to write. It’s not quite as deep as my usual work. Don’t get me wrong; it still pulls on the heartstrings a bit, just not as hard. 😉

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Clear Confusion?
A: Honestly, I don’t know. Once the thought of a character witnessing a crime and then suddenly experiencing some sort of amnesia came to mind, I pretty much let the story unfold on its on. The setting however, does have a touch of my hometown in the book. I’ve learned over the years that I tend to pick an environment and develop stories around that particular setting.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?
A: I hope readers walk away from CLEAR CONFUSION realizing that God is with us every step of the way. We may be thoroughly confused in our present situation, but He can use that confusion for our benefit. Let Him clearly show us how to trust Him, how to have faith in His Ways even during those confusing times.

Q: What inspires you to write?
A. Other than the occasional life event or interesting individual crossing my path, I’ve found God’s creation to be my strongest writing inspiration. Sitting in a parked car during a heavy rain or on the front porch swing as the sound of tree frogs come alive quickly became a favorite location for the imagination.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?
A. I have a few stories I dabble with off and on. (One in particular deals with a life-long journey of two friends, Raven and Knox, as they navigate twists and turns, ultimately realizing God has a plan for them. God’s plan isn’t always our plan, but it’s perfect – not to harm, but to give a hope and a future.) However, with our busy household schedule at the moment, the “finishing” of a long-term writing project may take a while. Children come first and I certainly don’t want to miss the precious little time I have left with them before they are grown and out of the house. 😉

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?
A. When I’m not writing, I am usually hanging out with family and friends, running, reading, watching a movie while eating chocolate chip cookies or chocolate covered popcorn, and daydreaming of possible stories.