Tuesday, April 27, 2021

INTERVIEW WITH KIM CORMACK, WRITER

I've interviewed Kim before, and I've reviewed her work.  She is a force of nature who moves me, and has work that is worth checking out.

ALEX: In a world with iphones, youtube, massive multiplayer role playing games, and esoteric content available to the click of a button, how do you as a creative talent compete with that?

Excellent question. I think it's freeing to slip into someone else's imagination versus having to be on the ball in a role-playing game. Readers are a specific audience. They take what you've written and let their imaginations go for a ride. When you're reading a book, it's open to interpretation. People take what they need from it. I'm trying to grow with the series. I'm getting my audiobook studio ready and preparing myself to use my youtube channel. A decade ago, I would have felt secure enough to do it. I used to sing live all the time. I hit a point where breathing between the beats wasn't going to happen. My goal for this year is to set up this studio and power forward. I may start with Tik Tok. Give people short spurts of Kim. MS has given me quite the soul beating. I haven't done anything live in a long time. I'm worried about being shaky. The last live reading I did was years ago. I can't hide behind quote boxes forever and not show myself. So, it's going to happen. I may have some challenges, but when I decide I'm going to do something, it may as well be written in stone.

ALEX: Over time covid has made life difficult for everyone, so it must have gone apeshit in your life. Did it affect you more than with the inconveniences, does a person with an ongoing illness have the right to tell the more cavalier of society to f'k off for not being safe for others?

KIM CORMACK: I feel lucky to live on Vancouver Island during this pandemic. We locked down right away in BC. Everyone wears a mask or you aren't welcome in stores. Parks shut down. Our BC response time was impressive. Of course, everything is much worse in larger city centres. I do ms infusions so my immune system is tippy. I've been wiping down groceries with bleach for years. Being on the Covid hitlist makes it super irritating when people have no understanding of the greater good. Everyone matters to someone. Having an autoimmune disease doesn't make you less of a human being. Facing challenges gives you a unique perspective. We're used to taking experimental meds, knowing it may not help us, but it may aid in the discovery of a cure so generations ahead don't have to live with things like ms. You do your immune system treatments signing paperwork, saying you understand they aren't liable if you catch Covid afterwards, but you do it anyway. If you don't, your immune system will be running high, which is equally dangerous. I have a few friends who are deadset on not taking a vaccine that hasn't been tested properly. I'm, whatever. I've been poisoning myself for well over a decade now. My odds are slim. I'm in. It's not safe for me to do the vaccine until at least two months after treatment.

Those complaining about masks are in an autonomous mental state. People living with autoimmune diseases have been forced to see life differently. I've heard the survival of the fittest rants online. It's unfortunate, they can't see past themselves, but those who act responsibly at this time will be on the right side of history. We'll look back and say we did our part to help society survive this global challenge. Hopefully, we get to look back.

ALEX: Who decides any creative content, when the creatives who don't sell well fall out of the ranks and returns to non creative labor?  Is it the audience?  Aren't there works that need to be created, regardless of the audience's acceptance of it?  Who should decide whether a creative keeps plugging away?


KIM CORMACK: That's why it's awesome being indie. I choose how far off the deep end I'm going to take the characters. Nobody decides anything but me. I'll be writing this universe as long as I'm able. If other people love it, that's great, but it's my universe. I touch base with readers. I have a newsletter. I've been sending treats to subscribers. It's cool to get something cool in the mail. I have an insane amount of social media. I take pairing requests. I'll use someone's name because they want to be killed in a book. I aim to please.

ALEX: Let us say that there is an older creative writer who is trying to still be relevant to the younger audience. What can they do to change the perception of their outlook to be more modern?  Can they do anything, or, more importantly, should they?

KIM CORMACK: An inappropriate sense of humour works for all ages. Write for yourself. Tell the story your soul needs. Authors have hit and miss books. If you write it, they will come. Get to know the lingo. Thirst traps are big right now.

ALEX: A long time ago someone did an interview on a site I helped run, with a creative talent who made clothing for renaissance fairs.  I got so much shit for it, that I asked the interviewer if he had received angry emails and he'd received dozens.  Does the audience require creative talent's works to have meaning in their own life before they respect that work, or, are comic and sci fi fans just really small minded?

KIM CORMACK: Lol, it's fair to say anyone obsessed with my series comes from the open-minded pool. My main characters are rather feral but endearing. I cater to a distinct audience of dark comedy, dark scifi fantasy-loving people who adore naughty antiheroes who are sacrificial lambs for the greater good. Are they going to make bad choices? Probably. Are they going to make those same mistakes again? They might. Would they jump in front of an oncoming train to save someone they care for? Definitely.  

Thanks for having me, Alex. I'm always pulling for you, my friend.


Fall down my rabbit hole here www.childrenofankh.com
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My newest book is book five in the Children Of Ankh Series. Tragic Fools was released, 1/7/2021.

Books 2 Read one link   books2read.com/tragicfools

I'm releasing the Children Of Ankh Universe kindle box set, part one. Preorders will be up soon.
I'm writing the fourth book in the COA side series,  Sacrificial Lamb Club. (Same universe of characters)

The Series Order is

Children Of Ankh Series
Sweet Sleep   A free copy of Sweet Sleep for your blog readers
Enlightenment
Let There Be Dragons
Handlers Of Dragons
Tragic Fools New Release January 7th, 2021

 
COA Series   (Same Universe)
Wild Thing
Wicked Thing
Deplorable Me
Sacrificial Lamb Club  Coming Soon

Children Of Ankh Universe Boxset. Coming Soon.
COA Series Boxset Coming Soon

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