Hey everyone! Today I’ve got the pleasure of interviewing my good friend Kristina Hall, author of The Moretti Trilogy, Strangers and Pilgrims Duology, The Refuge Series, and she’s currently working on The Kentucky Midnight Series. Kristina is an Indie-author and I aspire to be able to write as quickly and beautifully as she does!
She’s also a member of our Community, so you can find her over here.
Without further talking from me, because I could gush about how much I love her books for a while, let’s get down to the interview!
Hello Kristina! I am so excited about this interview and I am so happy you were able to join me on Writers’ Vision today!
Thanks so much for having me! Writers’ Vision is a great site!
What inspired you to start writing?
I was a big lover of stories for a long time before I started writing, so I guess that just flowed naturally into a desire to write.
How many genres do you write in? I know you’ve written historical fiction, dystopian, and western all with suspense sprinkled in, have you ever dabbled or considered dabbling in other genres?
I’ve written in four genres so far. I’ve been reading some great fantasy lately, so I’m open to dabbling in it someday when a good idea presents itself.
How did you come to the decision to self-publish? And would you do anything differently if you could go back?
The short story is that self-publishing is a better fit for me than traditional publishing. I guess it all came down to creative control. I didn’t want to get in a situation where a publisher was pushing me to make changes I wasn’t comfortable with. I also like having the option to publish quickly if I have something ready. And I’ve found I really enjoy designing my own covers.
One of the major things I’d do differently if I could go back is to start my website sooner. I waited until two or so weeks before I published my first book to start the website. :)
Could you tell us a bit about your writing journey and how you’ve improved your craft over the years?
I started writing in August of 2017. I actually still have the first few pages of the rough draft of that original story (the rest of it went through some major editing and still isn’t something I’d like to publish). But I think it’s cool to look back and see the progress I’ve made since then. My writing is still far, far from perfect (and it always will be), but I’m trying to make it as good as possible.
I’ve seen the most improvement from just writing. Writing, writing, and more writing.
What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever been given? And who was it from?
I feel like a lot of people have said it, but the best piece of writing advice I’ve ever been given is to write for God and give my writing to Him.
Do you have any advice you’d give to someone looking at self-publishing?
I think they should do lots of research. Self-publishing isn’t easy, and there are lots of things to learn.
And do you have any advice for new authors, or authors just looking for good advice?
Write for God and give your writing to Him. Also, read and write a lot.
How many books have you published in total?
I’ve published twelve so far. I already had most of those written and just had to edit them. But now that I’m out of already-written books, I think my publication speed will slow down considerably.
What can we expect from you in the future?
I’m hoping to publish Shadows Close In, the third book in my Kentucky Midnight dystopian/romantic suspense series, sometime in the first half of 2023. I’m also starting work on a project that is yet to be announced :)
And lastly, can you tell us a bit about your writing process?
I’m not one of those people who can outline the whole book before starting to write, but I do like to have some scenes ahead of where I’m currently writing outlined. Then I just have to talk my procrastinating self into actually writing. :)
Thank you so much for joining me today, Kristina! It’s been such a pleasure to interview you!
Thanks so much for having me on Writers’ Vision!
About Kristina
Kristina Hall is a sinner saved by grace who seeks to glorify God with her words. She is a homeschool graduate and holds a degree in accounting. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, arm wrestling, lifting weights, and playing the violin.
Author links ... Website: https://kristinahallauthor.wordpress.com/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21133401.Kristina_Hall Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinahallwriter/ BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kristina-hall Newsletter: https://kristinahallauthor.ck.page/
You guys should totally check out Kristina's books, they are amazing! Have you read any of her books? How did you like the interview? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!