Comments on: Guest Blog - Katherine Allred

By: Denise A. Agnew

Denise A. Agnew — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:10:05 +0000

Katherine,

Late saying howdy and yes, I think every author ends up using some real person…bits of them here ad there in their writing. It’s almost unavoidable. People are a part of our experience, and our experience colors what we write. Glad you were able to stop by! Love, Love your books!!

Denise A. Agnew

By: Lorelle

Lorelle — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:40:18 +0000

The charm of Southern fiction is definitely in the characters. We see our own imperfect family members in the stories. I don’t start out intentionally writing about my quirky Southern family, but somehow when I’m done there they are in all their glory. There are some incidents that I can’t write about until the people involved are gone from this earth. I can’t wait to read THE SWEET GUM TREE!

By: Beth Kery

Beth Kery — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:33:21 +0000

OMG, hilarious story, Kathy–especially the part about Piggy. It strikes me what a great FICTIONAL piece that would be, the scenario of family reacting to their real and imagined parts in a family member’s novel and the secrets and conflicts that might arise.
All of it based solely on made-up characters, of course. Not that your family would ever believe that!

By: byrdloves2read

byrdloves2read — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 20:03:17 +0000

ROTFL *wheeze* Oh that’s so funny. I love Southern fiction. There’s just nothing quite like our Southern “characters”.

By: Katherine Allred

Katherine Allred — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:06:29 +0000

Marissa, hide when it comes out. Azteclady, the not showing up sounds pretty good most of the time. And Erin, we’re having a family reunion next month. Want to take my place?

Kathy

By: Erin the Innocent

Erin the Innocent — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 18:51:15 +0000

This just makes me want to meet your family now. LOL I loved that story! G

By: azteclady

azteclady — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:54:30 +0000

I’m rolling around with Amie Stuart–and feeling utterly smug, as I don’t write, so there’s no danger of finding myself in your shoes ever *evil background cackle*

Ms Allred, you should keep writing real people into your books–when asked about it, you can always say it’s meant as homage

Or you can just never show up again at family functions…

By: Marissa

Marissa — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:35:35 +0000

Also, there was an over-the-top reviewer, who literally held court at the conference and had the power to make or break careers. I was a little worried about that character (I mean, do we really want to get reviewers mad at us?), but later learned that the fabulous and much beloved Melinda Helfer, at RT, was proudly telling everyone that SHE was the reviewer in 1-800-HERO. I was hugely relieved that, since she saw herself in the character, she actually loved what she saw.

Another LOL moment. Great story, JoAnn. Hee!

By: Marissa

Marissa — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:32:20 +0000

OMG! LOLOL! My sympathies Kathy. LOL But dear Lord, I’m writing my family in my current book. I wonder if they’ll recognize themselves. I sure as heck won’t be telling them!

I’m still laughing! What a hoot!

By: Katherine Allred

Katherine Allred — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:26:31 +0000

My aunts. Gotta love ‘em. And I didn’t even write a word about how they tormented me when I was growing up.

Kathy