Kate F. Eaton has lived in Kansas most of her life, with brief interludes in Missouri. She writes copy for a number of online businesses as well as pursuing publication in fiction writing. Her love of a good story told concisely led her to flash fiction. As she submits her flash stories to contests and literary journals, she is also making final edits on a novel written during NaNoWriMo 2014.
During moments of downtime, Kate and her wonderfully supportive husband are restoring a vintage “canned ham” camper and enjoying life with five adult children and their growing families. You can find Kate online at http://katefeatonwriter.com.
If you haven’t done so already, check out Kate’s award-winning story “Horse Thieves” then return here for a chat with the author.
WOW: Congratulations on placing 3rd in the fall 2015 contest! What was the inspiration for your short story, or what prompted you to write this particular story?
Kate: Growing up on a farm in Kansas during the 1960s, my siblings and I had enormous freedom to roam the countryside and instigate all sorts of high-spirited adventures. From early morning to long after dark, we ‘ran wild’ but with a certain innocence. I wanted to share what that was like with readers, so I created a composite of my sensory impressions from those years.
WOW: A wonderful tribute to your adventures! Will you tell us more about the novel you started during NaNoWriMo 2014?
Kate: Ah, the dreaded unfinished novel. It’s also set in the Midwest, this time in an urban setting, and focuses on the challenges of redefining life after great tragedy. It also offers a glimpse into the lives of characters with various physical limitations and what they are able to accomplish.
WOW: Good luck with it! Unfinished novels, I think, always hold a glimmer of hope within them. What do you enjoy the most and/or the least about writing?
Kate: I love having the freedom to create a world from nothing and having people behave as we wish they would in real life (or as we suspect they might if given a chance). The thing I least enjoy about writing, at least in this season of my career, is deciding whether to self-publish or begin searching for an agent. So much to learn!
WOW: Perhaps searching for an agent while researching self-publishing options would provide a win-win situation! I agree, though, there’s a lot to learn in the publishing business. What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it?
Kate: I’m in the middle of two books right now. In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White was a gift from a friend, and is one I’ll read again. It’s an intimate look into the US justice system, our treatment of ‘outcasts’ and the process of spiritual transformation. I’m also reading through Daniel Silva’s series featuring the Israeli assassin/art restorer Gabriel Allon. I’m currently finishing Moscow Rules.
WOW: If you could give other creative writers one piece of advice, what would it be and why?
Kate: “Don’t give up!” This story is my very first fiction publication after years of ghostwriting non-fiction blog posts and articles (and also receiving lots of rejection emails). Even though I’m officially in the ranks of such late bloomers as Colonel Sanders and Grandma Moses, I still have something unique to say and so do you.
WOW: Wonderful advice! Thank you for sharing it. Anything else you’d like to add?
Kate: Just to thank Guest Judge Marie Lamba and the good people of WOW! Women on Writing for this honor. What a thrill!
WOW: You’re welcome! Thank you for your thoughtful responses. Happy writing!
Interviewed by: Anne Greenawalt
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