Ask the Author: Katherine Anderson
Answered Questions (11)
Katherine Anderson
My father passed away back in May and in cleaning out the basement, we found a mysterious collection of keys hanging from the rafters along with a WWI dog tag. I showed the keys to my mother and learned that one of the keys, a Model A Ford key, belonged to a car buried in their backyard. What was that car involved in? Why was it buried with the key still hanging in the basement?
Katherine Anderson
You're very welcome! I wish I had better news to give you about searching for documents but they've really made it exceptionally difficult to locate family members. It's certainly something I would love to see changed!
Katherine Anderson
Hi Cindy! Unfortunately the process for accessing patient records begins with the Department of Mental Health and requires both a court order and proof of relation to the patient. There is a lot of red tape around accessing patient records and information, sorry to say!
Katherine Anderson
Anne of Green Gables. I would love to see her version of PE Island and live in Green Gables. Especially in her era of one-room schoolhouses, no technology, and a hard-working farm existence.
Katherine Anderson
I'm trapped in a room. With nine middle school aged boys right after gym class; they're not allowed to change.
Katherine Anderson
Too many projects to count!
Right now I'm finishing a nonfiction book about Danvers State Hospital.
I've also begun two new novels that may or may not be out by fall!
Right now I'm finishing a nonfiction book about Danvers State Hospital.
I've also begun two new novels that may or may not be out by fall!
Katherine Anderson
READ! Always read. Read everything you can get your hands on.
Second, write, all the time. Even if it's a To Do list, keep writing.
And finally, don't be afraid to submit your work. Submissions help you shape your work and help your writing grow.
Second, write, all the time. Even if it's a To Do list, keep writing.
And finally, don't be afraid to submit your work. Submissions help you shape your work and help your writing grow.
Katherine Anderson
The best thing about being a writer is immersing myself in a world of my own making and getting to know my characters, then sharing them with the world. I also love the research aspect of what I do, especially when I get to write about asylums.
Katherine Anderson
So many! Right now I'm reading Dennis Lehane's "Since We Fell" and on deck is Paula Hawkins' "Into the Water".
Katherine Anderson
This is my favorite question because I get to show off a little. I have been researching, photographing, and writing about asylums for over a decade and they're buildings that hold a natural mystery that makes it easy to write in a fictional one. They're the settings for horror films, tales that make your skin crawl, but they're also rich with a history that most people outside the mental health field never have a chance to experience. Along with telling an entertaining story, I always hope to leave my reader curious about the history and wanting to dig deeper.
Katherine Anderson
I can't think of anything to write for this one....
Kidding. I have a terrible sense of humor. Honestly, writer's block is a terrible muse for me. When I get blocked while working on a piece I tend to spiral out of control and start coming up with new ideas. I'll write a few pages of a new novel that I feel I just MUST get down on paper and very often that gets the wheels moving again. If that doesn't work, sometimes I put my manuscript away. As Porter Shreve said, sometimes you need to stuff your manuscript in a drawer and leave it there until it's ready to come out.
Kidding. I have a terrible sense of humor. Honestly, writer's block is a terrible muse for me. When I get blocked while working on a piece I tend to spiral out of control and start coming up with new ideas. I'll write a few pages of a new novel that I feel I just MUST get down on paper and very often that gets the wheels moving again. If that doesn't work, sometimes I put my manuscript away. As Porter Shreve said, sometimes you need to stuff your manuscript in a drawer and leave it there until it's ready to come out.
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