Finnian Burnett

Welcome to the 5 Questions Series. Each week, I’ll ask five questions of some of my favorite authors, editors, publishers, and other industry professionals. This week, I’m talking with Katherine Rupley.

Let’s start with the most important question first. Who is your favourite Star Trek character?

Clearly, Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy)

Tell me about your recent release. What’s it about and what inspired it?

My wife and I took a cruise to Antarctica about three months before the pandemic hit. The cruise featured lectures, nature, and photography. One lecture was from a German doctor who’d been part of a women’s team wintering over at the South Pole. Her lecture was fascinating. There were other lectures that were equally mesmerising. I got into a conversation with one of the science team (yes, I am a nerd too) about Antarctica and the idea for a mission and the characters crystalized in my head.

What was the path to publication like for you?

I sent Antarctica to my publisher, Bella Books, on April Fool’s Day, 2023. I signed the contract about ten days later. Then came the waiting. I didn’t tell Bella about the book in advance, so I had to wait almost twelve months for the book to be published. Lessons learned let them know sooner so you can get into the queue faster. Bella provided some cover art options, and we went back and forth until we were all happy with the result. In December, I received my edits from Ann Roberts and I got to work revising. I sent the final back around Christmas time. Proof copy was received January 30. One of my GCLS WA friends, Sue Still’s wife, Jayne, jumped in and did the main proofread for me (yeah, friends). Now I’m done and Bella gets to finalize everything for publication on March 14, 2024. (Ed. Note. Preorder available here.)

How important is writing community to you and how do you go about finding it?

I don’t know if I would have survived as a writer without my community of writer friends. My editor, Ann Roberts, recommended I do the Golden Crown Literary Society Writing Academy. The GCLS WA was fabulous and I got to meet some of my writing friends for life group and got a wonderful mentor, Susan X Meagher. My WA classmates still meet, text, and talk weekly. The Bella staff and fellow writers have been very welcoming. It’s great to know many of the authors I’ve idolized as fun people to know and hang with. I’m part of Terry Wolverton’s Crafting the Story weekly workshop where I have opportunities to read my work and get real-time feedback. Kay Acker’s QueerConnect Sapphic Hour is a fun time to talk about writing and kibitz about life. The GCLS conference is a great source to meet people and learn. There are so many great groups and opportunities to learn.

Having people to talk craft with, life with, who will read my work, give me feedback, brainstorm with me, let me whine (on occasion), celebrate with me—it’s all part of my process and journey as an author.

Find your community. Don’t be shy. You have something to offer and writers are a great people willing to share knowledge and talk shop. And — you can’t edit what’s not on the page.

What are you working on now?

I’m not very good at coloring in the lines. My first book was a Romance—Calculated Risk. My second Antarctica is suspense/thriller. And now I’m going for a fantasy series about a world-weary general who believes she’s failed her country and her friends, a newly minted Bright Witch who’s never had to live in the real world, and a mysterious dog. (Ed. Note. This sounds incredible!)

Bonus question: Have you ever taken a picture of a weird bird?

I’ve taken a lot of pictures of birds. Is it weird to be told off by a bird? Here’s a picture of a Lilac-breasted Roller who was giving me what for.

Katherine Rupley can be found on the web at www.KatherineRupley.com

Socials:

Instagram: KatherineRupleyAuthor

Bluesky: @Katherinerupley.bsky.social