Book: Scots Honor
Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
My name is Kelly Malee, which is why I write under the name K.M. Hardy. I’m a college graduate with a degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology, I’m a huge foodie and lover of adventure and trying new things and… people have told me at first glance that I’m intimidating but, really, I’m just a big, weird, goofball.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Scots Honor’?
I think probably the biggest challenge I faced was listening to my characters. It’s so easy to stay stuck to the initial outline that sometimes you can make your guys do things that they wouldn’t normally do and it completely ruins their character arcs. Other than that, I would say finding my own writing voice. Even now, I have a hard time properly explaining the genre of Scots Honor. If you tell somebody you wrote a romantic mystery thriller, the first thing they think of is one of those books where somebody is brutally murdered or having sex in every single chapter. I’m not down with that. I like writing things that everybody can enjoy that have a good pace. I like to think that Scots Honor is a mystery thriller with the right amount of romance: where there’s an actual real relationship between two characters and not just raging hormones. The best way I can think to describe it is like a great PG-13 movie.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
I’m a big fan of Tom Clancy’s ‘The Hunt for Red October.’ Such a great thriller with so many twists and turns! Angels and Demons by Dan Brown is another favourite, and I really like the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. To me, the pacing in these books is absolutely perfect and, if you’re not careful, you’ll miss an important detail that plays into the finale. I try to keep my writing interesting and fun and in a way where every detail is important. I want my readers to be on the journey with my main character Sam, not just observing him.
The truth is I’m a picky reader. To me, it’s all about the voice of the author: there needs to be the right amount of balance of adventure, action, story, a little romance when necessary, and humour. For example, I know that Stephen King is an amazing author and his imagination and storytelling abilities are brilliant, to say the very least. But I’m a big baby. I cannot do horror or I won’t sleep again in life. Sorry Stephen.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
Honestly, anywhere that has a body of water. I’ve seen the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, I’ve been to the Caribbean, every year my family travels to Lake Powell and I could visit any one of those places and still have my breath taken away. I love the water. When I was a little girl, I would spend every waking moment of my life in my grandparents pool pretending to be a mermaid. I know, a lot of little girls do that. But even to this day, if I could live in the water I totally would.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
They say that 90% of an author’s job is research. And they weren’t lying. Thankfully, I have a lot of friends and contacts still working in the criminal justice field that I’m able to call up when I have a nitpicky question that my own experience can’t answer for me. Other than that, it’s all about the elements of the story for me. If there’s a historical element, then I need to find out everything possible I can about it before I’ll even consider putting together a plot. Geographical? Same thing. I need to go and live and experience so I can truly understand the point of view of my guys. Funny enough, that’s a trait that Sam and I have in common: insatiable curiosity.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Scots Honor’ book?
From the very first concept to the finished manuscript… I want to say about seven months. I’m first and foremost a mom, so I work around my kids’ schedules. I have a minimum daily goal of 1,000 words, which is about a quarter of a chapter. Even on the days when I’m stuck, I won’t quit until I reach my goal. On a good day, when all of the voices in my head are talking to me, I can get two or three chapters done. It all adds up over time. Then, when I’m done, I pick it apart until I’m satisfied that it’s perfect. That can take up to a couple of months because sometimes I need to step away and let myself get a fresh perspective. But I also have a very loyal group of beta readers who help me with their constructive criticisms and pointing out something that I might have missed. I’m an incurable perfectionist.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find your books to buy?
Just about everywhere! Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, Books-a-Million, Indie reads… there’s a few more but I can’t think of them.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the cover and the title of your books?
Titling a book is tricky. I very much love symbolism and intrigue as well as sending a message. Scots Honor is Sam’s origin story; it shows people what kind of a man he is as well as how smart he is. He’s not perfect, by any means. He’s an ordinary guy, but he has his scruples that he doesn’t bend for anybody. The cover tells the same story, and I have to credit my amazing artist for it: she’s a freelancer that you can find on Fiverr, she does incredible minimalist art! Back to the cover, it tells the story of Sam vs. Everything Else: while everyone is entangled in a web of corruption and mystery, Sam has his Scottish roots and morals to guide him, even when he makes mistakes.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
Hmm… I would say I rely on two things: my past experiences in the field, and my author powers. My experiences have given me ideas to look back on and inspire me. One of good cops’ best assets is being able to think like the bad guy, the same thing goes for being an author. The difference being that as an author, you have to embrace your multiple personality craziness. We’re all a little crazy. I have never met one person that hasn’t been somebody else around different people. Authors just know how to let all of the voices play together at the same time. That being said, I start by thinking like the crook: I plan the crime, and I figure out every single angle and detail. Then I have to think like a cop and notice the little things that point me in the next direction.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the books (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
Actually yes: even though Sam is the main character, Director Belinda Copper is somebody to pay attention to. She’s actually my favourite character I’ve ever written. I don’t want to give away too much, but I will say that you’ll hate to love her.
Book Is Available On Amazon
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