Ask the Author: Candy Atkins
Answered Questions (7)
Candy Atkins
Never believe what people say about you whether it’s good or bad.
That may be oversimplified but what I learned filled a 6 book series. If I had to boil it down to one thing this would be it. People have their opinions when you're on top and especially when you’re on the bottom. Don’t let "them" define you.
That may be oversimplified but what I learned filled a 6 book series. If I had to boil it down to one thing this would be it. People have their opinions when you're on top and especially when you’re on the bottom. Don’t let "them" define you.
Candy Atkins
I got the idea for Agatha several years ago when I was sitting in a meeting for the finalization of my bankruptcy. It was a time in my life where I was fighting too many wars on too many fronts—this was just another battle. I was sitting in the conference room surrounded by ten lawyers who were all gathered around the table fighting over who got what. I wasn't allowed to sit at the table. I had to sit in a chair off to the side and observe. On the table was the plan that dissolved what was left of my life.
There was nothing left. I had this image of a bare carcass thrown on the table and vultures pecking each other's eyes out over a few pieces of tendon still holding at the spine.
I sat there silently watching them and thought, "When are these men going to remember that I'm a person? That I'm a single mother, all alone, with two children under the age of six? That what they're battling over is the remains of a lot of hard work and sacrifice? And this is a devastating moment for me?"
The answer was never. But it got me thinking about what it would be like to physically leave the human race. How would I respond to being thrown into a world where no one is like me? Forced into a situation where I'd have to fight, but be totally unqualified, overwhelmed and desperate?
There was nothing left. I had this image of a bare carcass thrown on the table and vultures pecking each other's eyes out over a few pieces of tendon still holding at the spine.
I sat there silently watching them and thought, "When are these men going to remember that I'm a person? That I'm a single mother, all alone, with two children under the age of six? That what they're battling over is the remains of a lot of hard work and sacrifice? And this is a devastating moment for me?"
The answer was never. But it got me thinking about what it would be like to physically leave the human race. How would I respond to being thrown into a world where no one is like me? Forced into a situation where I'd have to fight, but be totally unqualified, overwhelmed and desperate?
Candy Atkins
Of all the characters in The Lost Knight Series, Jonah has lived with me the longest. We've been together for about fifteen years. Weird that I would have the Grim Reaper tagging along in my thoughts but there he was. I had many conversations with my husband Michael and my stepson Scott about Jonah that they both were not surprised when I sat down one evening six years ago and wrote twenty-five pages about him.
His story fizzled out around page 50, but that girl he met, Agatha—she seemed interesting. Her story came out slow, but it was intricate and exciting.
His story fizzled out around page 50, but that girl he met, Agatha—she seemed interesting. Her story came out slow, but it was intricate and exciting.
Candy Atkins
The Lost Girl is the second book in The Lost Knight Series and it's due out November 20, 2016. It’s a lot of work launching a book and that is taking up a good portion of my time.
Candy Atkins
Live an extraordinary life. Travel the world. Meet people and create YOUR story. Writing about what you know doesn't mean making your home town the setting or your first love the plot. It’s your experiences and your responses to those experiences that makes your story – your story.
Candy Atkins
That you can have a conversation with the imaginary people in your head and as long as you write it down and make people spend money to read it, no one will call you crazy.
Candy Atkins
I don’t get "writer's block" in the traditional sense. I don’t use daily word counts or pressure myself to sit at the computer. It took me six years to write The Lost Knight Series. If I wasn’t inspired I didn't write. Taking a week off wasn't unusual and I've stayed away as long as six months.
I plotted in my head, developed characters and jotted down notes, but if I didn't feel like writing I didn't write. I believe that many times forced writing seems…forced.
I plotted in my head, developed characters and jotted down notes, but if I didn't feel like writing I didn't write. I believe that many times forced writing seems…forced.
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