A Conversation with K.R. Cunningham, a New Adult Fantasy Author

K.R. Cunningham is the American author of Beyond the Core, book one in The Starborn Series. Since the age of 9, K.R. has held a love for writing imaginative fantasy stories. She practiced the writing craft as a hobby. Knowing she wanted to take her stories further than her virtual library, she joined online writing groups, where she met a variety of writers all striving for the same thing: an audience.

Though fantasy is her first love, she welcomes all ideas of fiction into her head. Delving into fantasy lands is one of her favorite hobbies, and she is excited to bring her stories to life for everyone to read and enjoy. When she isn’t writing, she’s playing videogames with her three sons, and having date nights with her husband in Georgia.

Let’s get started with a quick rapid fire.

Q1. If you could be transformed into one mythological creature, which one would you choose?

Faerie.

Q2. What time do you usually go to bed at night?

Anywhere from 11 pm to 2 am.

Q3. What are the least-likely three words someone would use to describe you?

Outgoing. Girly. Care-free.

Q4. Where did you go on your last vacation?

The beach!

Q5. Would you rather find your dream job or win the lottery? You can’t do both.

Dream job.

Q6. What is one thing you regret spending money on?

Book formats before I was ready.

Q7. What object do you misplace or lose the most?

My phone.

Q8. If you were a spy, what would be your codename?

Agent Wilde.

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Q9. What secret about the universe would you most want to learn?

If there are gods.

Q10. What never fails to make you laugh?

Those bad lip reading videos on youtube.

Q11. What was one “before” and “after” in your life?

Before I had kids, life was a whole lot different. After, my life became more chaotic, albeit interesting, but I wouldn’t trade it back for the “before.”

Q12. What do you think people misunderstand about you?

That I know more than I let on. My shyness usually holds me back!

It’s time for a more detailed conversation, Katie.

You’ve answered our rapid fire brilliantly, Katie. Now, it’s time for our readers to know more about the person behind the book.

Q. Tell us something about yourself that’s going to keep us wanting more.

I’ve got a soft spot for indie authors. Being one myself, I’m striving to help them as much as I can. I do this by recommending their books on my site and reviewing anything I read for them. There’s an audience out there for indies, and I believe we’ve all got great stories to tell!

Q. Well, that’s just…memorable for sure. So, what books have you read more than once in your life? 

I’ve definitely read The Raging Quiet by Sheryll Jordan more times than I can count. It’s my feel good book, something I read when I was a teen, and it captivates me each time I read it.

Q. Interesting. Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing? 

My husband and my mom. They’ve read some of my writing and have read the first two books in my current fantasy series.

Q. Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

Definitely. From modeling some characters’ traits to people I know or have met to the card games my characters play.

Q. Now comes the most anticipated question that every author must answer. How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?

Not every book is going to be someone’s favorite. We’re all different and like different things. I have to remind myself that what someone finds wonderful, another person finds boring. And I’ve been there myself, so I don’t beat myself up too hard. I’ve had my fair share of DNF’s!

Q. What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?

The characters all the way. I love a good plot, but if I’m not connecting to characters through hardship and relationships, I’m going to end up losing sight of the story altogether.

Q. How do you develop your plot and characters?

I’m what they call a “panster.” I write stuff down as it comes to me. I usually will have a story and characters in my mind for about a month before I start creating a world around them. Then comes the plot. The problem with being a panster is that you’ll end up finding things you should have written in before.

Q. You got 100 points. You need to divide them on the basis of how relevant and important they are to you as a reader and a writer for your book or someone else’s as a reader. Your options are Plot/Story, Dialogues, Book Cover, Marketing, and, Reviews.

As a writer, I’d say: Plot/Story – 30, Dialogue – 20, Book Cover – 30, Marketing – 10, Reviews – 10.

As a reader: Plot/Story – 40, Dialogue – 30, Book Cover -20, Marketing – 5, Reviews – 5.

As a reader, I crave a good story despite the reviews and marketing. As a writer, I know a good book cover can go a long way, and marketing and reviews are so important, but you’ll see in both cases, I still value plot overall.

Q. So, now, about your book. Talk to us about it. No major spoilers.

Why are these always so hard to tell? Haha. To put it simply, Beyond the Core is an epic fantasy. The main character is 20-year-old Owen Greene. He holds a power he keeps hidden, and those with power are called Astrans. After learning he could be in danger with the Legion—an organization who oversees the laws in his country—he leaves his home with his friend and a smart-mouthed newcomer that he slowly befriends over the course of the story. There is a villain who pursues him, and it features a few chapters in his point of view.

Q. What part of the book did you enjoy the most while writing?

Every scene featuring characters getting to know each other. It could be a small snippet of a conversation or banter. Either way, they were fun to write.

Q. What is your kryptonite as a writer?

Marketing. It’s no joke. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Sometimes I feel like I can do it, but most of the time, I just stare at my screen and am like, “What do I do?”

Q. What risks have you taken with your writing that have paid off?

I have done some editing jobs for indie authors that have helped pay for my writing (covers, software, etc.) So that’s a plus!

Q. Let’s talk about the process of writing. Do you do research while writing a book to add more authenticity? What kind and how far do you go – ever traveled to a foreign place just for the sake of your book?

I’ll do whatever I can for the sake of research and experience. When I was in my early 20’s, I had never gotten drunk, but I had some scenes with characters who were drunk. So naturally, I wanted to drink and get drunk so I could experience what my characters were. Hey, it’s paid off, and I had a great time researching!

Q. What was your hardest scene to write?

Any and every fight scene. They’re necessary for what I write, and sometimes can be a little fun, but I can assure you every fight scene I’ve written has gone through more revisions than anything else.

Q. Well, this has been great. Now, before we wrap this up, do you have any suggestions to help someone become a better writer? If so, what are they?

Just write what you want, despite what people say or think. There were times I held back because I was afraid someone would get offended. Just do some good research and write what you feel. This is writing. You get to express yourself. Where else can you do that 100%?

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