Katie’s in the House! Please Welcome Katie Hamstead to the Blogathon!

Today at the Blogathon, I’ve got Katie Hamstead!

Welcome, Katie! Tell us all about you! What would you most like your readers to know?

That they are awesome! Seriously, my writing would go nowhere without them. I won’t say it’s pointless, because writing is still a great outlet for me, but having people appreciate what I do write almost validates my work.

But, about me. Hmm, I am third of four kids, two older brothers, and one younger sister. My sister is all kinds of awesome, and I love that my hubby and hers are totally bros in the non-biological sense. I’ve live a good life, my parents never divorced and are still going strong, so they taught me the value of prioritizing marriage and working hard on it. They showed me that love is a verb, while media told me otherwise. Because of them, and wonderful grandparents who also showed unwavering dedication to their spouses, I learned what real love is, and how deeply it can run. I wouldn’t say I was sheltered, but definitely kept safe from the harsher realities of life. I think that’s why I portray deep loves that are beyond the butterflies and dizzy spells.

I also used to be a travel agent. One day, I will see the world!

Are you one of those writers born with a pen in your hand and ideas flitting through your mind, or did your interest develop later?

I think I was born with it. As a child I told stories with my toys and wrote longer narratives than the rest of my class. I daydreamed through exams too. I definitely had a strong creative streak.

What are some life experiences that have infiltrated your stories?

I think life always filters through to novels. Whether it’s an actual event, a personality trait, or personal beliefs, they make it onto the pages.

A fair few of my books are set in Australia, and that’s because I was born and raised there. I know Sydney, the culture, the people, the landscape, so it makes it into the books.
What shining moment in your journey stands out the most as a real turning point for you as a writer?

Having a baby. Up until that point, I was busy doing other things so never took my writing seriously. It filled my time as a hobby and to relieve my feelings, but once I was at home with a newborn ad not much else to do, I became an avid, passionate writer. Not long after I wrote something that I thought, Hey, I could actually publish this, so I pursued it. It soon became my debut novel, and the rest is history.

Writers face many time-constraint challenges. What are some of yours? What do you do to overcome them?

My biggest time constraint is being a mother. Taking care of a child/children can be very consuming. There’s no real time frames, because anything can pop up, even after they’re supposed to be in bed! I can plan to do something one day, but then someone will wake up sick, or just extra clingy.

To overcome this, I just need to be flexible. I take moment when I can, and give them up when I need. I do have set times for working and I make them clear, but I can never guarantee an interruption free slot!

What is the most thrilling aspect of the writing process for you?

Getting into the characters’ heads. I love getting to know them, to see how they react to their circumstances. My characters are everything, and I come to love them.

How do you begin a story? Do you just sit down with an idea in mind and start writing, or are you a person who wouldn’t dream of starting without a detailed outline, character sketches, and pages of research data?

I’m completely a pantser! I have an idea and run with it. I know where I want to guide the story but mostly I let the characters take me there. It’s fun, and often surprising.

Katie’s debut release with Soul Mate Publishing, Branded:

Terrorists have invaded Sydney, and Allison King barely escapes her brother’s wedding reception alive. She and her siblings flee, but their parents are killed by firing squad.

Now Ali’s on the run and terrified. While searching for other survivors, she is captured by the General who leads the invasion. He’s smitten by Ali, and when she refuses to submit to his whims, he brands her for death. In a wild act of defiance, she snatches the branding rod and sears the mark onto his face. Marking not only him but also sealing her fate. Ali manages to escape and flees into the bush once more where she finds a group in hiding. Even with the scars left by the General, Ali learns to love and falls in love with the young man who found her—Damien Rogers.

But the General is hunting her. When he discovers their location, and finds her with another man—Damien—his wrath is kindled and his obsession is inflamed. Ali must put herself on the line or the General could kill her family, those who help her, and most significantly, the man she loves.

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Katie’s upcoming Soul Mate release, Dancing in the Athenian Rain:

When Donna is sent back in time to Classical Athens, she’s furious at Dr. Stephens for sending her against her wishes. Then a Greek soldier purchases her to be his wife.

She’s forced to learn a new language and culture, and faces her fears of never returning to her own time. The society hates her, especially because they think she’s an Amazon, which forces her to confront her issues—being compared to her genius brother, borderline abusive friends, and a cheating boyfriend.

But her husband, Peleus, is kind and patient. Although against her best judgment, she allows him into her heart. He counters all the negative voices from her past, but those voices drive a wedge between them. She must let go of her fears, her inhibitions, and insecurities, and admit her feelings, or she could lose him and the life they’ve built.

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Katie, thanks so much for visiting with us today!