An Interview with Kathy Baker - the Author of "Echos After Death"

As WRIPE - 6 move forward with its team of aspiring authors busy writing and excitedly preparing for the oncoming World Asteroid Day 2020, one of the team's highest performing personalities sits down to have a friendly chat with Chinthaka Nanayakkara - the Chief Organizer of the Writing Project.   

Q - K. H. Baker! Or should I call you Kathy?

A - Kathy is okay.

Q- I see your English is perfect. But your mother tongue is Spanish, right Kathy?

A - Yeah, that’s right. I'm also conversant in English; it's a language that I have alway liked.

Q - You write in English and Spanish. Are there any other languages you use?

A - At the moment no. But in the future, maybe I would translate to Italian or Japanese because they are other languages ​​that I love.

Q -  Kathy, tell me something about your early days in literature.

A - Well, I started to be interested in literature when I was a child. The first book I read was a collection of stories by Hans Christian Andersen that my mother gave me for my birthday, from there, and as I grew up, my interest focused a little more on the black genre (Stephen King is one of my favorite authors). When I reached adolescence I was already clear that I was passionate about writing and began writing my first horror stories that, over time, I was correcting and improving. I am currently writing the first installment of a series full of drama and crimes.

Q - What was your first literary work, Kathy? It was in Spanish? 

A- My first literary work was Ecos de ultratumba (in English it would be something like “Echoes after Death”), in fact, I recently rewrote it for a contest and won first prize. The story is currently written in Spanish, but I plan to translate it in the future.

Q- What was the competition? Can Sweekers also apply for that? 

A- The contest was part of another writing platform called Inkspired, that's where I share my writings in Spanish. The contest is called The “Authors Cup” and is worldwide, it's enabled in two languages, both in Spanish and English.

Q - “Echoes after Death”. Very dramatic. Maybe you would like to share with us a brief plot summary of it? Hope you don’t mind, Kathy!

A - For sure! I would love to. I have it here and I would read it out:

Since childhood, Olivia Thompson experienced a special sensibility that brought her dangerously close to an unknown world. Where she saw peculiarity, the others saw a rarity that they should get rid of: everyone thought she was crazy and, in the end, she also ended up believing it.

Her life improved when she left behind that town that had caused her so much pain, but upon the death of her father, Olivia will have to return to the town of her childhood and face all those fears that tormented her for so long.

The struggle between reality and paranoia will plunge her into a spiral of dementia from which she will have to fight to get out

Q - Hmmm … beautiful. Absolutely loved it! Floated into completely another world! No wonder you bagged the First Prize! Maybe we will share a link to this story here? Our readers might be interested! 

A- Of course! This is the link!

Q- Thanks! You were still in school when you wrote it?

A- No, at that time I was working.

Q - Now after ‘Echos after Death’ what is going to be your next significant milestone in your writing life? 

A- Definitely, the Komplott series. The series will be about three women whose life has mistreated them and now they just want to regain their strength and move on.

Q- Komplott Series? Hmm … Rings a bell… There was a TV series in that name, right? Back in 1973 … Yours has no connection with that? It’s in Spanish? How can your fans find it? It’s available on the web, perhaps? 

A- If I'm not mistaken, the 1973 series is called "Das Komplott", yes. But no, the saga I'm writing is not related to the television series. It's currently written in two languages ​​on writing platforms, but only the first part (a small free version). In Spanish you can find it in Inkspired and Booknet with the name "Red de infortunios", and in Sweek you can find it as "Hatch the Trap". Soon it will be for sale in bookstores but only the Spanish version.

Q - Wow! When did you start on the Komplott Series, Kathy? What inspired you to create the saga? Hope you were not one of the three women in the series! ha ha!

A- I started this saga a little more than three years ago, I had to look for a lot of information, spin the plot well so that everything coincided, create the characters to have a life of their own. It has been really hard work and although it is not over yet, I'm proud of it. Ha ha ha! Fortunately it was not least inspired by my real life, but yeah I must say that there is a certain essence of real situations that go with the series.

Q- How did you come across the Writing Projects of Chinthaka Nanayakkara? 

A- Well, the truth is that it’s something curious because it wasn't me who found his project but the other way around. I had a bad experience on another writing platform and, after a long time, I decided to return to Sweek to get English-speaking readers. I started sharing a couple of ‘Hatch the Trap’ chapters and it was Chinthaka Nanayakkara who found me. He said I had potential and asked me if I wanted to be part of his project and the truth is that he moved me in such a way that I got very involved in this awesome project.

Q - Oh ha ha! So he selected you! That’s a stroke of luck! What’s your viewpoint of this Writing Project you are participating in now? It’s his 6th Writing Project, right Kathy? The WRIPE-6 … and it’s based on World Asteroid Day 2020?

A- Yes, something like that ha ha ha! The truth is that from the very beginning I was attracted to it! It was a very interesting project. Yeah, it was called WRIPE-6, the 6th writing project of Chinthaka! yes and it was about World Asteroid Day 2020. I had never heard that there was a UN recognized international day for Asteroids, so this project surprised me a little, but I soon saw that it was something incredible and that, not only did we help contribute to it (because it’s always great for people to know about these kind of things) but, at the same time, it helped us discover ourselves as writers! I have always liked challenges and this, without a doubt, has been one of the ones I liked the most.

Q - You became the Spanish Coordinator of WRIPE-6 … your work role include translating your fellow authors’ mini ebooks to Spanish, welcoming Spanish writers who newly arrive at Sweek…How do you feel? Are you excited?

A- Yes, the truth is that I’m very excited. Not only do I have the opportunity to help more people and let them know that they are not alone in this immense world of writing, but it also helps me to get rid of my shy.

Q - Okay, wish you all the best Kathy! It was lovely to talk with you this beautiful evening. Before we wind up the interview, what are your future expectations dear? You are aiming big?

A- I’m trying that. I have many projects and good vibes for this year. I think it will be a great year. I loved talking to you, this interview has been a very good experience for me, thanks!

Q - You are welcome! And thanks very very much! And … finally, how can your readers reach you? Any emails? Social media? Writing Platforms? You are in Valencia … that’s in Spain, right, Kathy?

A- Yes, I currently live in Valencia, Spain. Any of my readers can find me on reading platforms (Inkspired, Litnet and Sweek) like K.H Baker, and they can also find me on instagram as @khbaker_escritora (account in Spanish) and @khwriter3 (account in English), and on twitter as @AnkathiKH