KMHayes

That's hard to say. I honestly wouldn't call myself a pro on fandoms and I don't like to be critical of anything if I don't have to be. But around the fandom, I guess I just hate that people get judgy about bronies and stuff. I mean, why can't people just like what they like and not have anyone else freak out about it? People are so weird that way. I mean, I don't get all huffy when someone says they're a football fan even though I don't like the sport. If they like it more power to them. I wish that outsiders would just offer the same kind of respect, I guess. Hmm, write what you love, ruin your characters lives, and then fix it all up in the end:) (Or don't if it's a tragedy. Your call.) I'm an author! It's awesome:) Twlight. Mostly because I was totally like her when I was younger, minus the magical unicorn bit;) That really depends on your publisher or if you're indie, etc. On this book, my publisher makes most of the profit. If it was indie, I was make most of it. So it really varies based on contract, type of book (ebook, paperback, hardback, etc.), and mode of publishing. (Also, thanks for buying and reading!) Thanks for having me! I think I got in all the answers:) You guys were so kind to have me and you all asked such lovely questions! See you around:D

Well, it really varies. When I'm on a tight deadline it can be full work days and then some and I still have to feed my kids and take care of them somehow. And then when I'm not under contract it can be a pretty leisurely pace, though I'm stressed I won't ever sell a book every again. But stress is a serious writing occupational hazard. I actually just recovered from a case of stress-induced shingles that were very painful and the doctor was all YOU NEED TO SLOW DOWN NOW. Many writers I know have had some kind of stress related illness, and often if they struggle with mental illness that is exacerbated. I try to do yoga and have non-writing activities to help me decompress from my work. It's also really good to take breaks. They are important to fill those creative wells. And it's essential to be aware of your mental health and honest with how it is. It is a real statistic that writers are at a higher risk of suicide. There is something about creative work that wears on you and taking care of yourself is essential. Haven't read him. So I'm not not a fan?

Oh my goodness I have no idea! I mean, I get a little shy and I can't even imagine any of the show staff looking at it! It's a miracle to me that anyone here has read it at all and then even liked it on top of that? It's so amazing and humbling. I have no idea how it'll ultimately be received. I'm just grateful I got to write it at all. I'm really sorry to hear that. I hope it'll work out and that you can find support in other ways at the very least! I'm not at that point, actually. I'm just lucky enough that my other full time job is Mom and I am at home with my children. My spouse works full time outside the home. If it was just me working there'd be no chance we'd survive on my meager writing income. We will have that first post:) My favorite story to write is an honest, heartfelt, kinda funny one. The hardest genre for me is horror. I'm a scardey cat so it doesn't work out so well. Ships are funny. I don't really get TOO crazy about them, but yeah, ZUTARA FOREVER.

I've been a fan since season 1 popped up on Netflix. Twilight is my favorite, mostly because I idenitfy with her the most personality wise. Favorite episode is a hard pick, but my favorite SCENE is Fluttershy losing her temper in the Power Ponies episode and going Hulk. Oh my gosh, even just thinking about it makes me laugh. The animation on that was just FANTASTIC.

It's going okay! I have it all cut out and ready to go, but I won't have time to get it all together until I get back from a conference I'm teaching at in two weeks. All the prep for that is ruining my free time! But I'm so excited to finish it. I'll be at Salt Lake Comic Con as a panelist, and you better bet I'll be wearing it there!

It can be really hard. Most of the time, I just don't go and seek out the criticism. I know there are bad reviews of my books on GoodReads--I have not read them. I don't need that negativity and reviews aren't really for me--they are for other readers. What has also helped me is just knowing that there's something for everyone out there, and not everyone will like everything. That is true of ALL things. You cannot make everyone happy. It's impossible. You have to, first and foremost, make yourself happy as a writer. If you love it, then it's worthwhile and has meaning because it changed you as a person. If your work finds other people who love it, then all the better! It's great to focus on those who connect. What was that T-Swift song? "The haters gonna hate hate hate...but I'm just gonna shake shake shake shake it off." Yeah, that's some good stuff. If all else fails, just blast that song and do a dance and smile it off:)

I haven't! Most of my writing has been novel-minded and I don't know a lot about script-writing. It was be a fun but intimidating learning curve!

I haven't, but point me in a direction and I will go;) I can now justify it all by saying it's book research! I am WORKING, guys! Haha.

Middles are hard! Many authors even call it "The Dreaded Middle." But if you're struggling to get to that place, this is my technical advice: Ruin your character's life. Yes, really. Okay, so more specifically. The beginning of a novel is setting up what your character has, what they want, and how they plan to get it. And then everything goes wrong--otherwise known as the try/fail cycle. If you're struggling with the middle, it may be that there isn't enough conflict in your book. I mean, look at MLP, for example! The very first episode, we know that Twilight has a plan for her life--study a bunch as Celestia's prized pupil and be the awesome student she believes she must...and then ALL of that is taken away from her as she's thrown completely out of her comfort zone in Ponyville. She is constantly trying and failing and figuring out, ultimately reaching her goal but not in the way she expected at all. Those motivations and conflicts are the structure for the story. Think about what your story's are and if they can carry a book:)

Sorry about the Chipmunks:( I guess it wasn't meant to be? I always have ideas I haven't put down yet, waiting for the right time for all the pieces to come together. I have been struck powerfully though, and have written novels in mad flurries when I get really excited about an idea. I admit that hasn't happened recently, though. Things change a bit when writing becomes your career. With deadlines and other responsibilities, a lot of the times you can just sit down and do that. Well, I think like in most cases, the fandom is a "you get what you put in" kind of thing, isn't it? I mean, I am not the authority at all. I am a fan, but at the same time I get super intimidated by the people who are super SUPER fans that exclipse my ability to fan by millions of times over, you know? But yeah, I think this show and fandom can change lives. And I also think if someone doesn't think much of it, then it won't do anything for them in return. You get what you give. That's true in life, really, not just here. Very much! Haha. I was afraid no one would ask questions so this is great!

I am a half-pantser? Hehe. I mostly go without an outline, but I do like to make notes about 3-5 chapters in advance of what I think will happen in the draft. Sometimes I stick to it and sometimes a don't. Basically it's like I have a flashlight in a dark forest so I can see a few feet ahead but not the whole landscape:)

This came from a place where I wanted to show a little bit of how girls were bullied vs boys, how it can be dangerous in a very different and scary way. And it was a way of showing a "line," so to speak, between what is okay and what is so not. I also wanted to show the abusive nature of what might have been a relationship under other circumstances, had Skye not been befriended and started to believe that was the best she'd ever get. Which does happen. I've seen it, and it's heartbreaking.