Interview with Kate James

About the Author

Kate James spent eight years of her childhood living in foreign countries as her professional parents travelled on business. She lived in four countries and spoke five languages before settling down in Canada again to attend university. After graduating with a degree in civil engineering, she held a variety of positions in the field of real estate development and operations, and ran three substantial organizations. While her writing during this period was mostly business related, including presentations and speeches she delivered both nationally and internationally, her passion is and always has been fiction.

Kate's business and personal experiences enable her to write fiction with a deep, often first-hand knowledge of what she is writing about. This approach makes Kate's stories richer and more vivid.

Kate’s goal is to entertain you with well-written, engaging stories, set in intriguing places and with strong, likeable characters. “I hope my stories bring you pleasure and entertain you. Nothing pleases me more than receiving feedback from people who have chosen to spend their valuable leisure time with one of my books,” notes Kate.

Kate married her husband, Ken, in an elegant, ocean-front wedding on a tropical island. When they are not traveling, they split their time between their properties in southern and central Ontario in Canada.

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The Interview

1. How did you get started as an author? What or whom inspired you? 
I always wanted to write. While I was attending university, I started two manuscripts, but after graduation, my career took off. Those partial manuscripts were relegated to a storage box in my basement. Fast forward a number of years. I discovered a notice for a short story writing competition. I wrote a story, entered it in the contest and placed 52 in my category. That might not sound like much of an accomplishment, but the contest received over 12,500 entries! Still, I didn’t pursue writing at the time.
 
A few months later, I was opening birthday gifts from my husband. I’m a very hard person to buy gifts for because there’s not much that I want or need. Yet, my husband always finds the perfect presents for me. On this particular occasion, one brightly wrapped package contained a beautiful white laptop. I smiled graciously and thanked my husband profusely, all the while wondering why I needed another laptop, when I had a perfectly good one from work that was with me nearly 24/7.
 
But my husband knew better than I did. Because I did spend so much time on my work laptop, the last thing I was inclined to do was use it to write. The fact that my personal laptop was white instead of the normal business black made a world of difference, too. It didn’t look or feel like my work computer, and it created an entirely different mindset.
 
My husband continues to inspire to this day, as do a number of wonderful Heartwarming authors!
 

2. How many books have you written and in what genres?
My debut was Silver Linings and it is women’s fiction. I am on my third contract with Harlequin. I have three Heartwarming books already released, two more in the editing stages, and a novella that will be released as a special on-line promotional download as part of a Heartwarming Thanksgiving promotion. The Harlequin books are mostly romance.
  
3. What writing projects are you currently working on? What can you tell us about these projects?
My current project is the K-9 trilogy, set in San Diego. My October 1st release, When the Right One Comes Along, is the first book in the trilogy. The second book, When Love Matters Most, is scheduled for release on January 1st and will be available in select Walmart stores in February. The third book is tentatively titled When the Sky's the Limit, and is planned for release in June 2016.
 
The trilogy tells the stories of three San Diego K-9 unit officers, their love interests and their dogs. 
 
When the Right One Comes Along is the story of San Diego Police K-9 search and rescue officer Cal Palmer, his dog Scout, and trauma surgeon Jessica Hansen. Cal and Jessica meet in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake. Their shared concern for Kayla, a young girl orphaned by the disaster, and for Cal's canine partner, Scout, allow them to see things from a fresh perspective and discover the difference love can make.
 
When Love Matters Most is the story of Rick Vasquez, a K-9 unit sergeant, who fled drug-related violence in Mexico as a boy. Madison Long is the new primary veterinarian for the SDPD’s canines. Rick’s dedicated his life to curtailing cross-border drug trafficking and preventing other young boys from being drawn into the dark world of the cartels. But all that Rick and Madison value, including the growing love between them, is threatened by the dangers of Rick’s job, and the risks he’s determined to take…
 
The third book, When the Sky’s the Limit, deals with a possible terrorist threat at the San Diego airport, and involves K-9 Unit Captain, Logan O’Connor, his dog Boomer, and chief of airport security and loss prevention, Ariana Atkins.
  
4. What does your writing process look like?
 Although I have general ideas about the characters and plot of the story when I start, they evolve as the writing progresses. The only guide I use is the book proposal or synopsis.
 
Writing about what I know or have experienced leads to a more genuine, believable story in my opinion. But to write credible, diverse stories, there is always an element of research that’s necessary.
 
Research is often fun, as it was for the K-9 trilogy. After obtaining the requisite security clearance and approvals, I had the pleasure of spending a considerable amount of time with PC Jim Hilton of Ontario’s York Regional Police. PC Hilton is a K-9 expert and trainer, and is partnered with explosives detection dog, Max. PC Hilton was extremely generous with his time, knowledge and expertise, and I loved meeting Max.
 
5. Where is your favorite place to write?
 Where I write is partially weather dependent. I enjoy the outdoors, thus if Mother Nature is cooperating, I will take my laptop outside. One of my favorite spots to write is the gazebo in the backyard of our house. Often my “critique team,” black Labs Harley and Logan, join me, as they did when this picture was taken.

​In the winter, I like to write in my office. Especially with snow falling outside, I love to curl up in a comfortable recliner facing the fireplace with my laptop actually on my lap. As you can see in this picture, my trusted critique team is again close by, even if they’re less engaged! 

 6. What other hobbies do you enjoy when you are not writing?
When not writing or doing other work, I love spending time outdoors with our dogs, hiking, bicycling or working in our gardens. When I’m not working or outside, I love to read. I also paint, although I haven’t done much of it over the last few years.

Check out my review for WHEN THE RIGHT ONE COMES ALONG.