Interview with Katherine Hayton

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Katherine Hayton, author of mystery novels to include Found Near Water, Breathe and Release, Skeletal and her latest offering, The Three Deaths of Magdalene Lynton. 

To kick things off, I asked Katherine to provide her author bio. So, here’s a bit about her: 

Katherine Hayton is a 42-year-old woman who works in insurance, doesn't have children or pets, can't drive, has lived in Christchurch her entire life, and resides a two-minute walk from where she was born. For some reason, she's developed a rich fantasy life. 

Your latest book, The Three Deaths of Magdalene Lynton, has been submitted for review under the Kindle Scout program and is not yet available for purchase. Could you give readers an idea of what this story is about? 

Forty years ago Magdalene Lynton drowned in a slurry. She choked to death on animal excrement as her hands scrabbled for purchase on the smooth concrete walls. A farmhand discovered her bloated body three days later.

Except, Paul Worthington just confessed to her murder.

Forty years ago Magdalene Lynton died in a dirty shed. He smothered her life along with her cries for help as he tore the clothes from her body. He tossed her defiled corpse into a river when he was done.

Except, as Detective Ngaire Blakes investigates the death she discovers clues that won’t piece together with either version. Gaps, inconsistencies, lies.

Forty years have eroded more than memories. Is it possible to uncover the third death of Magdalene Lynton when time has eaten away at the evidence? And will the person responsible let her live long enough to try?

What genre are your books? 

Mystery books

What draws you to this genre? 

I’ve always loved reading mysteries because I like a bit of gore and figuring out puzzles. It’s always such a thrill when you work out who did it and even more when you can’t. 

Have you ever considered writing stories for other genres?

I did try my hand at writing romance for a while but my characters kept getting into scrapes and getting themselves murdered so I thought for their sakes I’d better change genre. 

When did you first discover your passion for writing?

I remember being eight years old and using an old typewriter to make up stories or copying other people’s trying to work out how they did it. Time always flew by when I was doing this and I think that’s the key to passion. Becoming so absorbed that you lose track of everything else, including time. 

What inspires your stories?

Usually just a random thought that floats across my mind. If one snags to the point that I start asking questions and developing answers that’s usually the one that triggers the next novel 

Do you have a special routine or ritual when you sit down to write?

I just sit on the couch with my laptop and try to get my word count for the day. 

What is the best part about being a writer?

Having people read my work and enjoy it in the same way I did when the ideas were coming together. 

Yes, readers make it all worthwhile.
What is the worst part about being a writer?

Trying not to be distracted by everything else that the world has to offer. I’d block the Internet but the only time I did that I found I use it all the time for researching little details as I go along, so that wasn’t much of a goer. 

Do you ever feel self-conscious when writing love or sex scenes? Why or Why not? 

My characters don’t have sex! There’s murder going on. 

Haha! It's good they have their priorities set.
Do you write for yourself or to what you believe your readers want?

I write to solve the puzzles that arise in my own mind and I keep going until they resolve in a satisfactory way. I don’t have any idea of what readers want so I figure if they like my books and I like my books then I’ll just keep on writing what I enjoy and that should all work out. 

What do you do to get book reviews?

I use NetGalley to list them (Found, Near Water is on there at the moment), which is a service that provides free copies to reviewers, librarians and media to read and review. I also ask readers to review, either through my newsletter or at the end of each book. 

How successful has your quest for reviews been so far? 

I feel it’s going okay, though of course every one more that my books receive make it easier for readers to know if it’s the book for them. 

How do you deal with negative reviews? 

Reviews are written for other readers not for authors, so I don’t really deal with them at all. If someone doesn’t like it then it’s fair they warn other readers of what they found off-putting. Otherwise, readers may buy my work with the wrong expectations and that’s not good for them or for me. 

That is an excellent way to look at reviews!
Do you find promoting your books challenging or enjoyable?

I find it a bit of both. Most of the time it’s hard work to get my books out there and noticed, but at the same time it’s marketing that draws readers in and getting to know them better makes it worthwhile. 

What are you currently working on?

I’m in the middle of writing a trilogy of books. The first one is The Three Deaths of Magdalene Lynton which is on the Kindle Scout site at the moment and the second is As Yet Untitled and about halfway through being written. It’s been interesting to work out a series as until now I’ve written stand-alone books but when I reached the end of the first book I realized there was still a lot for readers to know about the main character and I needed a longer format to show that, so my series was born. 

Would you like to give readers a bit of a teaser for your latest work? 

If readers go to the Kindle Scout site (https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/14OQDFXYPOZZI) before the 5th of February, they can read an excerpt of the first 5,000 words. Or they can sign up to my newsletter on my website and gain access to a three-chapter excerpt downloadable to their e-reading device of choice. 

What advice would you give to aspiring authors? 

I like Dorothy Parker's advice on this subject: “If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.” 

That's a great quote!

Well, thank you so much for carving out some precious writing time to let readers get to know you. Where can they go to learn more about you and your work? 

Website:    http://www.kathay1973.com/ 
Blog:          http://www.kathay1973.com/blog/ 
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kathay1973 
Twitter:       https://twitter.com/kathay1973 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8390059.Katherine_Hayton 
Pinterest:    https://www.pinterest.com/kathay1973/ 
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1PrWqF1