– First, introduce yourself a bit. What is your name (or pen name) and where are you from?
Ok, let’s see! My name is Kayla Klassen! I am a wife and mother to two children (ages twelve and fifteen). I have one doggo and one cat. I love reading, writing, coffee, and nature. I live in BC, Canada!
– Next, tell us a bit about your most recent work. Is this your first published book? What is it about and what genre would you classify it as?
I am extremely proud and excited to share my debut project, Nature Ninjas. Nature Ninjas is a story about Riley and Milo, two young children who love to explore nature and discover wonderful creatures. The best friends leave no stone unturned as they enjoy a marvellous forest adventure that is filled with wonder and amazement. It is a children’s book aimed towards ages six to eight.
– Tell us a bit about your main character; what are they like, how did they come about, and what are some of their strengths and weaknesses?
Riley and Milo are best friends! They are both eight years old and absolutely love investigating for creatures in nature. Riley is confident, quirky and inquisitive while Milo is calm, thoughtful and shy.
– What was your hardest scene to write in this (or any) book?
Hmm, honestly this story was not hard to write at all. The story, characters, and thoughts all flowed very nicely.
– Did you go the traditional route when publishing your book or did you choose to self-publish?
I chose to self-publish! What a journey this has been!
– What would you say is the most difficult part of your writing journey and what advice would you give to other writers?
To keep going no matter what. There were many times I became frustrated with formatting or sizing. Nothing a good coffee break couldn’t fix! Right when you think about quitting or giving up, that is when you need to realise that you are doing a good job and to keep going!
– Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Nature Ninjas is a standalone children’s book. I do have other stories that are ready to go!
– What would you say has been the best way to market your books?
So far, I have been using all the social medias – Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I have utilised Linktree to have all my websites in one place which makes it easy for customers to find. I have hopes to do school visits (whether in person or through Zoom), library visits and I would love to have Nature Ninjas in some brick and mortar storefronts as it is already on many online stores.
– Do you read reviews of your book and, if so, how do you handle negative feedback?
I do read and share reviews of Nature Ninjas! I love reading the feedback. So far I have not read anything negative about it. I do welcome reviews of all kinds. I will take all into consideration so that I may work harder on my next project.
– What are some of your quirks as a writer? Do you like to plot everything out or do you prefer to just “wing it” and see where the story takes you? Do you listen to music when writing and, if so, what do you listen to?
Ha! Yes, I listen to music while I work. Currently, I am listening to a 2000’s throwbacks playlist on Spotify. Some quirks I have…hmmm. Well, I have a set routine of things to do before sitting down at my computer; I will spell check as I go, I will have a random dance party to a 50 Cent song that happens to start playing, and I have a mild case of OCD so if something is out of place, I MUST fix it!
– What’s next for you? Are you currently working on any new books or stories?
Yes, I have five more children’s stories that are all edited and ready to go!
– Finally, feel free to plug your social media, website, and links to Amazon, GoodReads, and other relevant sites below, and detail any current offers available for your book/s:
I have all the social medias!
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