23 Aug 2012

AAA: Interview with Kirsty Eagar, author of RAW BLUE

Kirsty Eagar may have only been around for a few years but she has quickly become a beloved author among Australians, along with a rapidly growing international fan base, ever since her debut, Raw Blue, released in 2009. Since then, Saltwater Vampires and Night Beach have released and it doesn’t look like Kirsty’s slowing down anytime soon! It is with great excitement, that I bring you this interview. Please give a warm welcome, to the wonderful, Kirsty Eagar!

What’s it feel like to have such a wide fan base, not just in Australia but also in the US?
It blows me away, because I know how hard it is to get hold of my books! Hopefully that changes a little with Raw Blue coming out in the UK, but still, I really appreciate the effort people have gone to. Also, I know it's due to the blogging community spreading the word, so I have nothing but gratitude in that department.
 
What’s the hardest part about writing a book?
Ahhhh, definitely the first draft. I'm usually in a world of pain for most of it. The only way I get through it is by having a deadline, or self-imposed daily word limits.

So far out of your books I’ve read Raw Blue and it was such a powerful, beautiful book. What inspires you to write?
Thanks Rebecca! Usually there's just this pressing, insistent urge to discover the story. I'll start with an idea, and a vague feeling for what I think the story will be, but often when it's done it's different to that, and more what it's meant to be. And the thing is, writing it is the only way I can know it. That might make the whole process sound romantic, but actually it's irritating and uncomfortable. Like there's this bloody thing in my subconscious and I just want to get it out.

How do you decide what your next book should be about? Do you keep a journal full of ideas?
How do I decide? With great difficulty, is the short answer. I always seem to have a couple of things that I'm deciding between. Eventually I'll start the one that holds the most appeal, and I'll be really happy with the choice until about 15,000 words in, at which point things will start to get hard, and then I'll wish that I'd chosen something else. Never do other projects seem more interesting to me than when I'm having trouble with the thing I'm working on!

I don't keep a journal any more. Now, I just trust my memory. Besides, it's a good litmus test for the strength of an idea. If you're still thinking about something a year or two after you first came up with it, it means that you're probably interested enough to want to write about it.

People always comment about Aussie YA and that there must be something in the water Down Under because the books are so fantastic. What are your Top 3 Favourite Aussie reads that you absolutely love and completely recommend?
Oh, cruel question. There are so many great reads. But today I'll go with The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta (okay, that's three books right there but let's not get caught up in details), The Golden Day by Ursula Dubosarsky, and The Shiny Guys by Doug Macleod.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Find Kirsty on: Goodreads | Website | Blog

A huge thank you to Kirsty for taking her time to answer my questions! If you’re a fan of Kirsty and her books, take the time to appreciate her, via your blog, facebook or twitter, just as long as you spread the love!
Giveaway!
Don't forget to go enter the AAA giveaway! It's open internationally, and there are DOZENS of books to be given away!

13 comments:

  1. ASKJGDAKJSGD OMG OMG OMG I LOVE HER!
    God, I'm sorry I am just completely FREAKING OUT right now! I haven't yet read Raw Blue (I can't find it anywhere dammit!) but I have read Night Beach and basically, my mind exploded with how awesome and UNIQUE that book was! Ohh, it's bit creepy (I personally love creepy, but I know you're not a huge fan :D) but hopefully you'll enjoy it!

    Awesome interview Rebecca <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't apologise, freak out all you want! I'm a reader, blogger, book lover - I GET IT. *squeals* *jumps*

      You can get Raw Blue from TBD. The UK just released it over there so you could order it from them if your desperate. It's hard to get a copy here, maybe try your library (that's where I got mine from) or if you want an Aussie edition Fishpond has it in stock. YAY, so glad to hear you enjoyed Night Beach, pretty sure I read your review ;D It sounds great but I've heard it's seriously creepy... *runs and hides* *leaps into your arms*

      Thanks for the awesome comment, lovely! <3

      Delete
  2. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    AMAZING interview, Becca! Oh my goodness, I love her answers, and seeing inside her BRAIN, and THIS:

    "Ahhhh, definitely the first draft. I'm usually in a world of pain for most of it. The only way I get through it is by having a deadline, or self-imposed daily word limits."

    THAT is INTERESTING. I swear I always thought the revisions would be the hardest part, so I LOVE seeing a different answer! Seriously, I'm convinced authors are SUPERHUMAN. Like... you go to work in an office, a restaurant, anywhere else in the world. You do 'X' task, 'X' way, and at the end of the day you go home. All those WORDS and IDEAS and WORLDS have to be PULLED out from inside, put into words -- words that have to flow and dance -- and take form... wow. Seriously. I LOVE. AMAZING!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, brilliant, co-host, Sarah!

      Authors ARE Superhuman. To be in the club, you have to go through a screening process and then and only then if your cool enough, they let you through and with that responsibilty comes magical powers and superhero abilities to work super hard and get things done. ;D

      Delete
  3. Kirsty is one of my favourite authors and I am so glad that readers overseas love her books as much as us Aussies do! Great interview, Rebecca!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks :) It's so nice to see her doing well internationally. Kristy deserves it! <3

      Delete
  4. I kinda love Kristy's line about if you're still thinking of a story a year or two later... I have had this one idea stuck with me since I was 18 and it's evolved SO much over the years. It has a crap ton more to go to even become something I can solidly grasp, but I really, really hope to do something with it one day!

    And ditto with what Sarah said above... usually authors say edits or revisions are the hardest, so it's interesting to see her say the first draft!! I SO need to read Kristy's novels. I've heard nothing but amazing things. I love how the blogging community has helped spread the word of her fantastic books <3

    Love the interview!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, that must be some story forming in your brain. To carry that around with you for 4 years? Forming, evolving, creating, changing and developing into something beautiful and then watching it unleash into into the world. We aren't going to know what hit us.

      Good luck, Brodie. You keep working that magical, beautiful brain of yours.

      <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

      Delete
  5. THIS ---> WOW. That is smart and so true.

    I have to admit, I've always been super curious about this author. Everyone RAVES about her work and I've never been fortunate enough to get my hands on it. It is curious to me how it can be so tough for books to be available worldwide... US books should easily be available to you guys and Aussie books should be easily available to us. Sigh sigh sigh, I shall wait I suppose.

    Saltwater Vampires seems really cool. I've never heard of that one at all until I read this post and checked it out. Although really, they all seem good. ONE DAY.

    I suppose it is a testament to how great her work must be - if everyone wants it but hardly anyone can get it, right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Duh, but THIS I meant THIS: "If you're still thinking about something a year or two after you first came up with it, it means that you're probably interested enough to want to write about it."

      I think I'm fangirling over here in the Eastern US. haha

      Delete
    2. *joins in the fangirling* I ADORE that line. If it doesn't stay with you, it probably wasn't meant to be.

      Raw Blue released this month in the UK, meaning it's available to buy from the Book Depository. Just thought I'd let you know ;) If you really wanted to get your hands on Kirsty's book, check out fishpond.com.au :) Might be bit pricey but unfortunatley at this stage that's the only way...

      Delete
    3. No worries, glad to help! :)

      Delete