Q&A With Katherine St John 

Last night I was delighted to hear that the New York Times Bestselling author Katherine St John decided to answer my instgram message back agreeing to do this Q&A with me. Katherine has written “The Lions Den,” “The Siren,” and her latest novel “The Viscous Circle,” came out on September 22^nd. 

Q: So Katherine at what point in your life did you realize that writing was your calling? 

A: I’ve always been a big reader and thought it would be a dream to write a novel, but I never had time to give it a shot until I had two little girls back-to-back and decided to take some time off work to be home with them. I used their naptime as my writing time, and my first book, The Lion’s Den, was born. Writing is addictive for me! I absolutely love what I do.

Q: What advice do you give to those who want to write? What advice do you give to those who struggle with writers block?

A: If you want to write, just do it! Don’t let anything get in your way, and don’t second guess yourself. First drafts are rarely any good, so don’t worry too much about making it perfect. Some brilliant person said that writing a first draft is like scooping sand into a sandbox knowing that later you will make castles. I love that analogy, and remind myself of it often when I’m writing a first draft.

My biggest fix for writer’s block is to go for a long walk and let my mind wander. It’s helpful to give your mind a break from focusing on the writing directly, and allow your creativity to come in. Go watch a movie, visit a museum, or hang out with friends, then circle back. Stress is never good for creativity!

Q: Out of all the novels you wrote if you had to choose, which one was your favorite to write and why? 

A: Choosing a favorite book is like choosing a favorite child! I love them all equally but for different reasons, haha. I’m always most engrossed in whatever I’m working on, but I can’t say I have a favorite book. 

Q: Where do you get inspirations for all your novels?

A: I’m very interested in the human condition, what makes people tick and why they do what they do, and I find inspiration absolutely everywhere. Often I’ll be inspired by my own reactions to certain people or circumstances, and I’ll think, “Why did I react that way?” I’m inspired by news and current events, by literature and movies, by idioms and even by questions my children ask.

Q: Does Hollywood have the rights to any of your novels? If so which ones are currently in production and are you an executive producer? 

A: Yes, I’m very much looking forward to adapting my books for the screen, and will be involved on every level. It’s a long path from script to screen and I can’t say too much yet, but I’ve got some great partners and am excited to be a part of the development. 

Q: If you had to collaborate with another author, who would you choose as your co-author and why?

A: Oh man, that’s a hard one! There are so many great authors out there. I think it would be fun to write a story from multiple different perspectives, with each author writing a different perspective in their own style. 

Q: Are you writing a new novel now? If so can you spoil a little bit about what it’s about?

A: I am writing a book right now that’s set in Greece. It’s about an heiress with a dark secret who’s taken advantage of by a con artist…