Aspiring Author Interview with Lydia Kang



Somebody LOVES the snow.

 First of all, let me just say we're in the midst of a SNOWPOCALYPSE right now. (okay so my favorite term for it right now is SnooooOMG)  First Blizzard since 1912 or something crazy like that.

I have this picture in my head of Laura Ingalls Wilder inching along a rope in the blizzard, not able to see anything in front of her and almost dying.  SO glad I don't actually have to make a living off my animals! Pretty sure we can't milk my dog anyway.  Actually I'm certain- he's a boy.






So while we're all holed up inside praying our pipes don't freeze in -12 weather, I'll warm you all up with a little piece I like to call, Aspiring Author Interview.

And this one is super cool you guys.  It's Lydia Kang from The Word is My Oyster.  She's a mother, wife, DOCTOR, and a writer.  Yep, I said doctor.  AND she has awesome posts on Mondays in which she talks about blood, guts and gore and the technicalities of ailments, death and any other medical condition you want to write about in your book.  She's a great research tool if you want to find out just how long it takes to heal after a gunshot wound to the calf, or what kind of drug will make a character unconscious for several hours.  Check her blog out for these great tips and other awesome writing-related doctorly type stuff!

Ooh ooh, AND she has a 600 followers contest going on right now!  Check it out!


1.      Tell us the scoop on how you got into writing novels.

 About five years ago I started writing non-fiction pieces about my day job and managed to get a few published in journals. Three years ago, I joined a writing group involving doctors, poets, and writers called the Seven Doctors Project and the love of writing poetry began. I got a poem or two published too, but it wasn't until about 18 months ago I decided to write a novel.
I always wanted to write a book but I didn't know how, and I didn't have any good ideas.I actually took a few hours one day and just thought really hard about an interesting idea that popped into my head. It was an urban fantasy YA plot, and after hashing out the basics, I thought, huh. Maybe I could try. Three weeks later, I had my first novel. After a bunch of small revisions, I queried widely and even spoke to an agent. But the novel wasn't ready, and by then, I had a new idea brewing, so I moved on. Since then, I've been writing nearly daily and learning the craft.

2.      What genre do you write?

I write YA. I started with urban fantasy, moved onto a historical romance that is still out with some agents. Now I'm revising a near-future sci-fi. I can't seem to stick to one sub-genre!

3.      What authors inspire you?

Suzanne Collins opened my eyes to plotting and pacing. Libba Bray, Margaret Atwood, and Jennifer Connelly (among many, many others) inspire me to work on my prose. I have a huge author-crush on Austen, all the Brontes, Laura Ingalls Wilder, L.M.  Montgomery, J.K. Rowling, Tolkien...
I used to be embarrassed that I loved so many middle grade and YA books. I've gotten over it. Waaaaay over it.

4.      How often do you write?

When I'm doing a first draft, I write every day for hours at a time. I lose sleep and lose weight. It's a bit unhealthy! Generally I write on my non-working days and after the kids are in bed.

5.      Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I'm 65% plotter and 35% pantser. I know what scenes and plot points must happen, but the scene itself is pantsed. Some of my crit partners actually beta my outlines now.

6.      Where do you write best, and do you listen to music while you write?

I can write almost anywhere (floor, bed, desk, teahouse, coffeehouse, bookstore) but I can't be confined. I need to get up and walk around, tuck my legs under, stretch. I listen to music sometimes but when I'm in the zone, I tune it out and forget it's even on.

7.      What is on your TBR pile?

I'm only partly done, but Dark Life by Kat Falls (won that from Carol Riggs, thanks!), Shipbreaker, The Book Thief, to name a few.

8.      If Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling got in a cat fight, who would win?

Let's face it, they've got enough cash to hire their minions to fight for them. So I guess the question is, which would win, a wanna-be vampire/werewolf or a wanna-be witch/wizard?
I'd give it to the witch/wizard. You can do a lot of damage with that wand while the wanna-be vampire is spreading on the glitter and the wanna-be werewolf is attempting to wax his chest hair off.


9.      What is your “day” job?

I'm a part-time primary care general internist, a dying breed in the U.S. I spend a huge amount of my time praising the virtues of exercise and healthy food. 

10.  What can you not leave home without? (cell phones are off limits!)

My tea, either green or white. I drink about six cups or more a day. I joke that most people's bodies are 60% water; mine is 60% green tea. I'm a total snob about my tea too. Don't get me started on brewing temperatures and the horrors of bagged teas. 

11.  Mac or PC?

Converted to Mac one year ago, never looked back.

12.  Favorite dessert?

Oreos and cold milk. 

13.  Favorite desert?

Antarctica. 

14.  Where is your dream vacation?

New Zealand. I must visit Hobbit holes before I die.

15.  Finally, link us to your website, blog, fb, twitter and anything else you might like to shamelessly plug for yourself.
http://lydiakang.blogspot.com/
Shameless plug: If you haven't had a chance, enter my 600 Followers contest where I'm giving away gift cards or stuffed, fluffy diseases, risk free! Ends Friday Feb 4th.
:)