Ariel Chart Interview with Kristi Ivey

 

Ariel Chart: Artist Interview with Kristi Ivey

  

I see you are writing a sci-fi / fantasy series. What draws you to that genre?

 

One of the first books I read was a Wrinkle in Time and the thought of creating new worlds along with new characters appealed to my young mind. It was at that moment that I realized SOMEONE actually WROTE this book. How did they do that? It wasn’t until I was twelve and going through my first bought of teen angst “the world is against me, *cough* nobody loves me phase I wrote my first poem. 

  

Your poem “Hopeless Tempo” was on the #1 spot of Ariel Chart’s top ten reading list for nearly seven weeks. What’s the story behind that popular poem?

 

My uncle was a Vietnam Vet and as a young child I snuck and hid around the corner while he talked about his friend dying and seeing it. It was a story that wouldn’t leave my mind. It was a nightmare for him, he suffered severe PTSD, I realize that now.  That story came out as Hopeless Tempo, I felt such sadness for that young man while he told the story that little girls shouldn’t hear. This poem is dedicated to my Uncle Sampson (R.I.P.) and all those that didn’t come home, or came home but suffered from what happened over there.

  

What have you learned from writing instruction that you can pass on to other writers?

 

The few that sticks out in my mind is don’t stop writing. Don’t let your writing stagnate. Find an experienced author to mentor you and then pay it forward.

  

I hear you have your own author site. Tell us about why that is so important these days?

 

That’s where “don’t allow your writing stagnate,” in today’s high-tech world we no longer have traditional publishing houses, well not like we had even ten years ago. We have to change with the times and how we promote ourselves as writers. Writer’s works are considered a commodity. We buy and sell this commodity so we have to have our own safe place to promote our writing.

 

 Your work has been getting accepted in a number of publications. What tips can you provide?

 

Keep writing, rejection happens to all of us and when it does just dust yourself off and keep submitting. Those beloved writers that are read over and over, have all been rejected before.  They didn’t stop. Keep honing your craft, and find a mentor someone who has been up and down. Those that are willing to mentor will only ask that you help others in return.

 

Check out Kristi Ivey's new author website @ Author Website Link