We Knew You When: Catherine Joy Perkins
Greetings once again, Tumblr. It's time for another edition of We Knew You When. Life has settled down long enough for me to think, and now it's time to get back in the swing of things.
Today's author is Catherine Joy Perkins, also known as catherinekietsu here on Tumblr.
Q: What first got you interested in writing?
Catherine: I first became interested in writing by...writing. I was lucky to have teachers who encouraged me very early in life. In first grade, I was selected by the teacher to turn one of my short stories into an illustrated, laminated book. She assigned another student to help me, and this girl became my best friend. Even after that project, Amanda and I stayed together and collaborated on a small sci-fi novella outside of school. Then I wrote another story by myself. By the time I was 8 years old, I already knew that this was what I wanted to do with my life.
Q: What authors would you say have had the most influence on you over the years?
Catherine: Diana Wynne Jones. In early middle school, I discovered Howl's Moving Castle and fell in love with her writing. As an adult, I still read DWJ novels for pure enjoyment (though I can't deny that I've learned a lot about how to write for children from her). Other notable influences include Margaret Atwood, Robin McKinley, Elizabeth Peters, Robert Heinlein, Jeffrey Eugenides, Zadie Smith, Kazuo Ishiguro, and more.
Q: What is your favorite genre to read?
Catherine: Children's literature, sci-fi and fantasy, and literary fiction.
Q: What is your favorite genre to write?
Catherine: Conveniently, children's literature, sci-fi and fantasy, and literary fiction. :)
Q: Describe your most recent project in your own words.
Catherine: Currently, I'm working on a serial fantasy story which blends spoofy, self-aware humor with intense emotional cliffhangers. It is both epic fantasy and a parody of epic fantasy, but the story really shines through the fun, diverse cast of characters.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for this project?
Catherine: My brother approached me to ask if I'd be interested in writing serialized fiction for possible publication as a podcast. Keep an eye on http://www.radiopulp.com/ for further updates (or to pitch your own story).
I knew I wanted to write a (somewhat epic) fantasy story, and I knew something with wacky humor would appeal to him...it just made sense to open Scrivener, start a new project, and type: "Once upon a time, a brazen thief, a warrior-princess, a Buddhist nun, a genderqueer child, and a dragon walked into a bar..."
It snowballed from there.
Q: How long have you been working on this project?
Catherine: About a month.
Q: What is your favorite moment you’ve written so far?
Catherine: There have been a few. I love building up slowly to a climactic moment which then explodes into antics, where everyone is running around wildly trying to fix the fifteen different things that have suddenly gone wrong. But I also love writing little tender moments of connection between individuals that slip into the day-to-day events. And there are plenty of both in this story.
Q: What do you think is your biggest weakness in writing?
Catherine: Finishing a story is always hard, but harder than finishing is editing the final product. Usually it's such a jumble by that point that I get overwhelmed and it's hard to see the plot through all the garbage. Also, I write very linearly, which can be boring. I'm trying to fix that.
Q: Conversely, what is your biggest strength in writing?
Catherine: I like to think that I'm good at writing sympathetic characters, evocative settings, and that my plots aren't half-bad either.
Q: What are your long-term goals with writing? Are you hoping to make a living off of it, use it as supplemental income, or just a hobby?
Catherine: Absolutely hoping to make a living off it, though it'll function as supplemental income for now. I'm going to start copywriting work after I graduate this May, but fiction is my passion.
Q: What are some of your favorite non-writing hobbies?
Catherine: Ooh, I love this question. I used to think that I spread myself too thin with all my interests and hobbies, but now I recognize that they make me a well-rounded writer. People always say, "Write what you know..." and when you're passionate about so many things, you have a lot to write about! Major hobbies and interests include: world travel, music (violin, piano, and ukulele are my primary instruments although I used to take Japanese koto lessons and want to get back into it), swing-dancing, reading, playing board games, scrapbooking, Buddhism, language learning, journaling, and many more...
Q: Anything you’d like to add that I didn’t already ask?
Catherine: I also recently won a prize in a writing contest hosted by Transitions Abroad. My article about living as a student in Bhutan should get published on the site later this month: http://www.transitionsabroad.com/information/writers/expatriate_writing_contest.shtml
Oh, and if anyone needs a copywriter or wants to chat about writing, please contact me at catherine at catherinekietsu dot com.
Catherine Joy Perkins is a woman of many talents. She is musically-inclined, playing multiple instruments and dancing. She is a practicing Buddhist who also enjoys traveling the world and studying languages, among other hobbies. She has a Tumblr and a Twitter account and her own website, catherinekietsu.com. She has one book currently available on Amazon.