Katrine is a human being living in Denmark. She dreams of being an author and, as a consequence, writes books. She has ASD and has included this way of being and viewing the world into the main character of her first book series, The Patron Wars.
CONNECT WITH KATRINE
Welcome to SPFM, Katrine! Since we already have your bio, describe yourself in three words.
Curious, kind, homebody
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Summarize your book, The Spark, using one gif.
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If you could recommend three self-published books, which would you choose and why?
Mage Errant – First book has a fantastic and very moving depiction of dealing with depression and social anxiety and the series overall has a big focus on disability and overcoming adversity.
Cradle – Just overall a very fun book series that gets better as it goes.
Street Cultivation – Yes, all of these recs are progression fantasy but I really like that genre. Street Cultivation is very low-key compared to other series in the genre, but has a really sweet relationship between the main character and his sister.
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What is your favorite part, and your least favorite part of self-publishing?
Favorite: I don’t have to deal with agents and writing cover letters and selling myself to publishers.
Least favorite: I’m my own editor and only have my own brain to rely on.
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Why did you decide to self-publish?
I decided to start writing for the creative outlet and when I was suddenly sitting with a book in my hands, I also had a recent series of articles about the joys of self-publishing. Since I would despise the agent-cover-letter-rejection thing, I decided to just go the Amazon Kindle route.
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How do you approach worldbuilding?
It must serve the story and the characters. It’s easy to get lost in, but the world exists for the plot. I love pushing little world-buildy things into side-comments and other really condensed places, though. So the world feels lived in, even if we don’t spend a lot of time exploring anything more than necessary.
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What’s the first story you ever wrote?
The first long one I can remember was about an elf in a world dominated by dark elves. He escapes captivity and starts a rebellion by being super cool. It… Had issues.
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Who inspires you?
Leonard Cohen is the most amazing word smith I know of. Will Wight’s amazing self-published success inspires me. I don’t know many people who inspire me as people but I enjoy the work of Cohen and the success of Wight is a nice thing to remember when writing myself.
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When did you start writing?
Very young. Free writing assignments were my favorites by a long shot.
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What’s your process for creating fully fleshed out characters?
I base them on my own observations and beliefs about humans. I try not to explain their mindset so much as show it. I try to just let dialogue flow as it needs to. Readers will determine if this actually works.
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What’s your writing ritual/routine like?
Procrastinate, panic, perform? Last one is optional but I got the first two down to a T.
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If you could go back in time, what’s one thing you would tell your younger self?
I’d give out the diagnoses I didn’t find out until my late twenties and say ‘act or be sorry’, then see if the timeline got accelerated a little.
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Tell us what lies ahead for you.
An uncontrollable avalanche of success? I’ll finish The Patron Wars, then dive into another series set in the same universe. I have a lot of idea for other stories I want to do, so I’ll be wading around this universe for a while.
About The Spark (The Patron Wars #1)
“The Spark is a madcap tale of rebellion and getting caught up in forces beyond one’s control, set in a truly strange, magical world. I couldn’t put it down until it was done.” John Bierce, Mage Errant
“The Patron Wars utilizes a magic and combat system where clan warriors can harness the attributes of various animals: wolves, bears, vipers, big cats, ravens, and more. The fight scenes are visceral and beastlike; if you’ve ever wondered how someone imbued with the strength of a full-grown moose would fare in a fight, you’ll find your answer here.” – Alexander Darwin, The Combat Codes
Daina has always dreamed of flight. To soar above her problems, her doubts, and the conflicts of her clan. And here, where shapeshifting is as normal as breathing, flight is indeed possible. Just not to a mix like her, a barely tolerated member of the clan, not belonging to any of the tribes within it.
With parents long gone and no friends except for a curmudgeonly old boss, she has little for her except her dream and a burning rivalry with her longtime enemy, Aisma.
So when two of the clan’s gods approach her, offering to fulfill her dream, how can she not accept? But there is a price for everything.
As civil war besets the clan, and the gods draw up battle lines, the time for dreams and petty rivalry is running out. There is a price for everything, and Daina might have to pay more than she ever imagined.
