Today we’d like to introduce you to K.M. Lister.
Hi K.M., so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been a storyteller, acting out scenes and fairytales in the shower, on playgrounds, in my room when I was supposed to be sleeping. It’s inherently who I am. However, I didn’t start putting pen to paper until high school. That was when I began writing short stories and, yes, fanfic! I loved it! It was exhilarating, in a way, using my imagination to create characters and worlds. I had stopped writing for a while once I got to college, and then during the pandemic, found my way back. It was as if I was always meant to write stories. That was when my debut novel, The Shackled Serpent, was born.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
So far it has been pretty smooth. There are always hiccups in the creative process, including a lot of rewrites and self-doubt—a lot of self-doubt unfortunately—but in the grand scheme of things it’s been going well! I’m very thankful for that. One of the positives of being an indie author is I have creative control and freedom to pick my deadlines. If I had gone the traditional route, it might have been different.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a native Texan who spent my childhood imagining stories. I currently have two books released: one is a stand-alone fantasy novel that follows Maeve Wyndell who must complete four deadly trials to determine which kingdom she’s going to serve for ten years called The Shackled Serpent; the second is the first book of my new romantic fantasy trilogy that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world after a curse destroys it and leaves Eleri Fos with the inability to touch anything alive without it turning to ash called Above the Ashes. And I’m also working on my next novel now. I think I’m most proud of the journey itself. I never thought I would be able to call myself an author, so getting to achieve merely that makes me incredibly proud! I think what sets me apart is the emotions I like to elicit from my readers. As a lover of angst, I hope my stories speak to my readers while bringing out emotions that might be hard to swallow.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I truly believe literature and books will continue to grow over the next 5 years. Although it seemed to be dying before the pandemic, the resurgence of reading has been incredibly inspiring. More people want stories they can lose themselves in, relate to, cry to, laugh to, all of it. I think so many talented authors are providing that for them, and in turn a successful cycle for both authors and readers will continue!
Pricing:
- Above the Ashes paperback: $20
- Above the Ashes hardcover: $28
- The Shackled Serpent paperback: $20
- The Shackled Serpent hardcover: $28
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kmlister.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthtokace
- Other: https://bio.site/earthtokace
Image Credits
Photos by: Mikayla Oelschlegel
Cover designs by: Rena Violet
