How do you pronouce EA Kafkalas's name?
If you were ever hooked on phonics, it should be easy. The first two letters are her initials, so E. A., and the last name is just as it appear Kaf-kal-as
When did you start writing?
In high school. I wasn’t the most attractive/popular kid, so it was a form of escape for me. And then I realized that there were all these people that lived in my head, and I figured that as long as they weren’t telling me to build bombs, or kill people, that I could put their stories down.
Do you base your characters on real people?
In some instances, yes. I think all authors do to some extent. We draw from past experiences, stories we are told by others, and we create our own words out of those things. I would like to think that we have all known love, as well as loss, and the full range of emotions.
In FRANKIE & PETRA one of my characters is Greek from a large family. I am of Greek decent, and while my own family is quite small, I have spent time in, and around, families with lots of siblings. I grew up next to a large Italian family, and recently have been taken in by another large family. Both families have treated me as one of their own, so all of these experiences bring something to my stories. I never served in the military, but members of my family have, and though my father was a General, he is not the father in THE SECOND HEART, but he did sing that song. If someone that has touched my life sees something of themselves in a character, I hope they will feel honored to have left their mark upon me to the extent that I have written about them.
What do you do when you're not writing?
Read. Paint, sketch or sculpt. Watch movies/TV. Cook (I’m a foodie). And hang out with some of the nicest people I know, who I am honored to call my friends.
Who are some of your favorite writers?
In no particular order, from the land of the living: Laurie R. King, Anne Patchett, Ellen Hart, Neill Gaimann, David Sedaris, Patricia Briggs, Stephen King, Tess Gerritsen, Kathryn Forrest, to name a few.
How do you come up with Character Names?
Characters names are always fun for me. I have one of those books parents buy to name their children. Sometimes characters are based on real people, and then finding a name that reminds me enough of that person is important, but generally I just enjoy coming up with combinations that work well together. I also collect odd and unusual names from a friend that works in a profession where names come across her desk everyday. I'm waiting for the perfect opportunity to use some of those unusual names--you know the kind that kids want to kill their parents for naming them that.
Do you ever write sequels? Do you think about that when writing the prior novel?
I've been working on a sequal to Frankie and Petra that would reveal a great deal more about Frankie's origins. And yes, I thought of it at the same time, as I fleshed out the characters. Whether it will make it to market, has yet to be seen.
Do you ever get "stuck" when writing? How do you get past it?
I always say, sometimes it's just hard to make the muse come. Double entendre intended. And yes, generally it's just a matter of pushing through, even if you're throwing out the pages that come out, until you find the pages that work.
If you were ever hooked on phonics, it should be easy. The first two letters are her initials, so E. A., and the last name is just as it appear Kaf-kal-as
When did you start writing?
In high school. I wasn’t the most attractive/popular kid, so it was a form of escape for me. And then I realized that there were all these people that lived in my head, and I figured that as long as they weren’t telling me to build bombs, or kill people, that I could put their stories down.
Do you base your characters on real people?
In some instances, yes. I think all authors do to some extent. We draw from past experiences, stories we are told by others, and we create our own words out of those things. I would like to think that we have all known love, as well as loss, and the full range of emotions.
In FRANKIE & PETRA one of my characters is Greek from a large family. I am of Greek decent, and while my own family is quite small, I have spent time in, and around, families with lots of siblings. I grew up next to a large Italian family, and recently have been taken in by another large family. Both families have treated me as one of their own, so all of these experiences bring something to my stories. I never served in the military, but members of my family have, and though my father was a General, he is not the father in THE SECOND HEART, but he did sing that song. If someone that has touched my life sees something of themselves in a character, I hope they will feel honored to have left their mark upon me to the extent that I have written about them.
What do you do when you're not writing?
Read. Paint, sketch or sculpt. Watch movies/TV. Cook (I’m a foodie). And hang out with some of the nicest people I know, who I am honored to call my friends.
Who are some of your favorite writers?
In no particular order, from the land of the living: Laurie R. King, Anne Patchett, Ellen Hart, Neill Gaimann, David Sedaris, Patricia Briggs, Stephen King, Tess Gerritsen, Kathryn Forrest, to name a few.
How do you come up with Character Names?
Characters names are always fun for me. I have one of those books parents buy to name their children. Sometimes characters are based on real people, and then finding a name that reminds me enough of that person is important, but generally I just enjoy coming up with combinations that work well together. I also collect odd and unusual names from a friend that works in a profession where names come across her desk everyday. I'm waiting for the perfect opportunity to use some of those unusual names--you know the kind that kids want to kill their parents for naming them that.
Do you ever write sequels? Do you think about that when writing the prior novel?
I've been working on a sequal to Frankie and Petra that would reveal a great deal more about Frankie's origins. And yes, I thought of it at the same time, as I fleshed out the characters. Whether it will make it to market, has yet to be seen.
Do you ever get "stuck" when writing? How do you get past it?
I always say, sometimes it's just hard to make the muse come. Double entendre intended. And yes, generally it's just a matter of pushing through, even if you're throwing out the pages that come out, until you find the pages that work.