Writer Interview: JA Konrath aka Jack Kilborn

Today I am happy to have touring Crime writer Joe Konrath aka Horror novelist Jack Kilborn.
Joe is doing a huge and apparently successful blog tour of the web appearing on as many as half a dozen blogs a day to tout his new horror novel "Afraid" written under the pseudonym Jack Kilborn. As I understand this is neither a novel for the faint of heart nor the child at heart...unless that child is "Chucky".

Joe also hosts a really informative blog and forum titled "The Newbies Guide to Publishing". Go check it out, I really recommend it. And join some of the contests at his forum, you'll learn a lot in the process.


How long have you been a published writer?
Since 2003. My first novel was published in 2004.

How many books did it take before one got picked up by an agent/publisher?Whiskey Sour, my first sold book, was the tenth one I'd written. A few of my early, unsold books are available for free on my website, www.jakonrath.com/freebies.htm

Have you ever sung an opera or performed a ballet?
Karaoke is the closest I come, but I win karaoke all the time.

What got you into the whole writing thing in general?
I love to tell stories.

Do you have plans to write other genres in the future?
Yeah. I'll be doing a sci-fi series soon.

If so, what pseudonym would you use those genres?
We'll see. But the initials will be JK.

Where do you hail from and what is your favorite part of the country?
From Chicago. I like it, except for winter, which lasts from October until May.I've been to most of the states in the union, and they all have their pluses and minuses. Eventually, I want to live on a lake, someplace where it doesn't get too cold.

I once saw the three Tenors (Pavarotti, Domingo, and Carreras) sing together on stage. They were joined by pop singer Michael Bolton. Would you consider yourself an opera singer in the class of Pavarotti, or more like Michael Bolton....or Michael Jackson maybe...or whatever?
I'm more like Tom Waits, before anyone knew who he was.

Ever been to Alaska?
Not yet. Still haven't made it to Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, and North Dakaota.

Wanna come up?
It's on my list of things to do before I turn forty. I turn forty next year.

Once it was so cold in my hometown that I went to pee in the outhouse and the urine froze before it hit the ground. Instead of going tinkle, I went clinkle. It's not really that cold too often. But you might wanna take a summer tour if you come up here.
Summer may be the way to go. I don't think I'd like pissicles.

Let's say your book Afraid is so scary that you frighten the mayor of your hometown and the governor of your state so badly that they banish you for all eternity. Which state would you want to set up your new identity in?
Florida. They don't ban anything in Florida.

Let's say then, that President Obama and the director of the FBI both agree that you are too scary an author to reside in the US, what country would you choose to live in then?
Australia. It's warm, and I don't have to learn a new language.

If you did ever sing an opera would you rather it include a fat lady with butterfly glasses or someone with a horned helmet?
If the one wearing the horned helmet is Elmer Fudd, I'll go with opera.

Your Jack Daniels books are all named after alcoholic drinks. What is your personal favorite cocktail?
Small batch bourbon, on ice. I like Blanton's a lot, but there are other good spirits.

Favorite Wine?
Pinot Noir. No real label preference. I don't drink wine very often.

Favorite Beer?
Sam Adams Utopias. It's a bargain at $250 a bottle.

Black French Roast Coffee or Latte?
Black. Why cut the caffeine with dairy?

When writing your very scary novel Afraid, did you envision yourself as the killers or the killees?
I pictured them in my head, but didn't imagine I was them. That sounds like too much work.

If detective Jack Daniels was in your new book Afraid, what would happen to her?
She'd have a rough time, but emerge victories, like she does in all of her books.

You have a pretty strong web presence and your forum has a lot of greathelpful ideas for new writers. I myself have read a large part of yourNewbies Guide to Publishing and found it quite informative. Why do you do that?
If we can't pass along what we've learned, what's the point in learning it?

You hold a lot of cool little writing contests. What has been the mostinteresting writing competition you have done?
I like the contests that require a story written using a limited amount of words. They really make every word count.

What was the weirdest?
The poetry contest. It ended weeks ago, and I'm still trying to pick a winner.

If you did dance in a ballet what colour would your tights be?
Pink. I'm man enough to wear pink tights.

If the life was ebbing out of your mortal body and you only had the strength to say twenty words or less what would your last advice to your literary disciples be?
Don't sell the movie rights for less than a mil.

After those twenty words, what would your last sentence to the world be?
Before you bury me, make sure I'm not just joking.


Well, there you have it folks, straight from the horses mouth, actually the novelists mouth, and he looks nothing like a horse or any other kind of four legged creature. For that matter I don't even know if horses are mentioned in his books in any major form, so you might as well get that image out of your mind now. I don't even know why you brought it up.

At any rate, be sure to check out Joe's books and his very informative blog and forum at http://www.jakonrath.com/freebies.htm and pick up a copy of his new really scary, hide under the covers and don't let your limbs hang beyond the edge of the bed novel "Afraid" due out March 31st.

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