TALKIN' TUESDAY with Kathy McKenzie

Welcome to the first in installment of Talkin' Tuesday!! 

 It's so exciting to start something new and I'm happy to have my Aussie friend, Kathy McKenzie, in the hot seat. She's an avid reader and as crazy as I am. I realize most interviewers talk to authors, and I have a some really great ones lined up for all of you, but we can't forget our readers. They are what makes us authors know that slaving over a keyboard, ignoring our families, and talking to ourselves (out loud), is worth people thinking we're slightly tweaked! Just ask my husband and kids. (which I will be doing in another interview next month) :) 


So, *confetti falling from the ceiling, banners waving and party music turned up* please welcome Kathy McKenzie to my wild world Where Fun and Romance Play!

-Paperback, hard cover, or ebook? (If ebook was reading device do you have and how do you like it?)

 My favorite and most comfortable is medium sized paperback, how ever if the book is special I have to have it in hardcover as well.

I do have a Kindle, I purchased it about 6 months ago as there are now so many books coming out only in eBook form, Thank you Rebecca, you were the start

with Divine Redemption. With about 60 something (ssh don't tell anyone) books on there I've only read a couple, it just doesn't feel right and I keep turning pages accidentally,

Kinda  p*sses me off ( can I say that ?)

LoL Yes, you can say that. And, *blushes* I'm so happy Divine Redemption made that kind of impact on you. I can't express what it feels as an author to hear that.

-What's your favorite genre?

 Well, I have to be honest, it's paranormal / urban fantasy, oh and I love the historical timing travel stuff, don't know the proper terminology.

But I have really enjoyed straight romance/drama books (I just mean straight as in, you know not gay, straight as in general way of life), especially adult one's.

I tried a few based on true story's books as I really enjoy watching movies of

such, but found the books, as they do, have a lot more detail, which in turn I have found to be too emotional, eg is The Lovely Bones. I just couldn't get past the man taking

her down to his 'cubby house', those things unfortunately happen, so I want to escape the madness when I open a book!
I'm with you, Kathy. I end up grinding my teeth! 

-What's the novel which got you to start reading so avidly?

 WELL . . . .  I'm not at all embarrassed  to say it was "Twilight"! The movie was on pay TV for the last time and no one was home, so I thought I'd find out what this Edward and Bella thing was all about.  WELL 3 and 1/2 times later (the bloody family came home, didn't they?) I was hooked. The next day I couldn't wait to tell my friend about it, and the time also a none reader, she had just been on holidays and her friend had convinced her to read the books, she in turn convinced me, a week later and 4 1/2 books later, I was Soooo what's next?

That was about 2 years and at least 250 books ago, I repeat at least 250, I would have to go check.

Damn, girl!

-How do you find the time to read with all the chaos going on in your home? And do you hide from anyone and where?

How do I find the time, hmmm, not sure I should tell, never know who's gonna read this :-}

Well, I hardly watch TV anymore. There was a time when I would just sit and sew and sew and sew. Now, I sit and read and read, yep and read some more. My favourite time is when the rest of the family has gone to bed, although that can be dangerous coz you don't notice the time.

Do I hide to read, who me, no of cause not, what are you thinking!!!!

OK, around the side of the garage there are some upturned pots, that are really rather comfy and it took them about 12 months before they found me there, then there's the other side of the house under a bush well hidden, bum gets a bit sore on the ground though. We live about 20 minutes out of town, well lets just say it used to be 20 minutes, now on my way home it could take at least an hour (bloody traffic I say) . Oh wait, there's also this playing field up the road that has a lot of trees that you can hide in, they haven't discovered that yet, so PLEASE you must'in tell OK  :-}

My lips are sealed along with everyone else's! My my you sure have a lot of hiding spots. :)

-What irks you the most when reading a story? Grammar errors, lagging middle, disappointing ending?

Grammar errors, pft, as if I'd notice, can't spell to save myself!

Repetitive phrases, there is a series I love but sometimes I just wanna throw the book, 'molten lava', 'white hot heat' grrrrr, now & then yes explains that it's/ he's hot, but come on give it a rest.

Lagging middles, well not so much, sometimes things just have to slow down (not like my life, however).

Endings :- Now that can be strange, you know the ending is coming and you just wanna hurry and get there to find out, BUT you don't want it to end. Think I hate the " And they all lived Happily ever After" bla bla bla . . .  I want a clever ending, something your so not expecting, even if it's a "Oh no way" "you so can't do that", "yeah that's want",  even if it's frustrates me.

A lot of books that I have, and I'am reading are series's (is that a word?), so generally they can, not always, can leave you hanging.

Have to say out of all the books that I have read to date, 3/4 have been good, you know tears, laughter, love etc, etc, yes, yes, good, good, there is 1 that stands out in my mind, it was a OMG, that's excellent! ! ! !

For Fun:-Coffee or tea?

When you sit up 1/2 the night (reading, what else) and get up early, you so have to have the caffeine, I'am mean, geez Louise how else can you cope. But I do love a hot cuppa!

Love my coffee!

-Favorite color?

Isn't 'Pink' the only colour??????

-cat or dog

Nothing like a cool night, comfy quilt and the cat on your lap while your reading, so long as he leaves you a bit of room to turn the pages!

My cat 'Jack' named after Arnold Schwarzenegger (I just searched the spelling, not that clever) from the movie, Last action hero, we didn't know if he was a male or female.

He's 18yrs old and we've had him since he was about 3 weeks old, he was found in an air conditioning unit. Also have a new stray cat, Sheldon, yep after that Sheldon, you know, Knock Knock Penny !!! And, the dogs name is Elroy, fat blue cattle dog, that knows all my hiding places, follows me everywhere, dead give away sometimes :-/

LMAO You really are too funny! 

-Florida or California?

Florida or California you ask ?

Well, I've never been to either. Not even sure if I know where they are. Yes, yes, I know the USA, but besides that I'am globally dysfunctional. But have a Facebook friend in

Florida and she is always saying how lovely it is, so I'll go Florida!  California, although I LOVE that show, wait that's Californacation, you know with sexy Mulder from the X files,

ummm what was I saying? Oh yea, California just reminds me of that Beach Boy's song, thank you very much is now stuck in my head, I know a song that stuck in your head,

stuck in your head LOL Am I supposed to ramble like this, too bad, you asked!

Guess I should have asked about something on your side of the world. I'm globally dysfunctional, too! I thought New Zealand was part of Australia. LOL

-When your not reading, what are you doing?

Am I supposed to be doing something else? ?

Ok, I better just grab a cuppa for this, wait I'll be back . . . . .

Right I'am back now, sorry took so long, had to get the cloths off the line, start dinner, feed the animals, the cats and dog too, make a couple of phone calls, reply to some texts,

check Facebook status, wash up the dishes, solve a problem or 2, turn off quilting machine (won't be doing any more work tonight), put the rubbish out, check work schedule for tomorrow, boil the kettle for the 4th time to make the coffee I went to get and I forget what else. SO then, you want to know what I'am doing when I'am not reading? WELL, let me think. . . .  No, I don't want to bore you, just the usual boring mundane things a

mother/wife/Nan/full time long arm quilter has to do really.

-You work from home and are a quilter. My whole family quilts, what's the proudest thing you've ever made?

That's pretty tough to answer really. I have made 100's of quilts, bags, cushions etc, quilted even more. I really love it when someone picks up their quilt and sheds a little tear coz they are so very happy. But I would have to say, I used to organize a community quilt group (in my spare time), we made 'Blankets of Love' small quilts for the little ones that didn't make it, or for the hospitals palliative care, nursing homes, etc. And, when we take the quilts to the nursing homes and give to the patients, they are just so happy, they sing you songs and dance around like little children and yes they even fight over them like kids. To think that to sew a few pieces of fabric together can mean so much to so many is just heart warming. OH now I wanna go make a quilt.

That's a beautiful thing, Kathy. Some of my aunts do hats, gloves and scarves for the homeless. Unfortunately, I didn't get the sewing gene.

Back to work!
-Because of how much you read, have you ever thought of becoming a writer?

Gee you do ask funny questions! What the hell am I gonna right about "How to make the Aussie Quilt"? Been done!

How to make quick healthy meals? Been done!

How to referee  kids, cats and dogs? Pretty sure that's been done!

I got it, I got it, by George, I've got it "Quilter Extraordinaire/House Keeper by day Vampire Hunter by Night"

Chapter 1

Crap the the suns up, pushing several patchwork quilts off my tired weary body, time to get up, AGAIN. I just got up yesterday, do I really have to do it again today?

Oh well, life goes on. 1st on the agenda, that would be the bathroom, child birth and aging states that can't be put off. Next the kettle, and quickly. Downing a large glass of water while it boils, why does it have to take so damn long? Gotta get that caffeine in before the tribes ascend from their caves. Well, they are like bears with sore heads 1st thing.

Now sit quietly for a few short moments to try and ascertain what was really going on down at the Hotel Dreamtime. The bloody locals have been as rowdy as hell lately. Goin'  on about some strange buggers commin' in and suses them out. They really hate the outsiders and this motley crew were stranger then the average stranger. Got them all up in arms, they did.

Oh yeah, I just just see it, Aussie Quilter hit's World's Best Sellers list, good on'a mate, Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi
Dude! I'd sooo buy that! LOL

-Does your family ever get jealous of your reading hobby or insist that you do it too much?

Does a Bear Sh*t in the woods??

Does a fish drink water??

Flat out like a Lizard drinking!

Fair crack of the whip, is that not their job, I ask you?

 

-It's been said that us authors are a little nuts. I wonder, as an obsessive reader, do you think you are?

Think! Think you ask, too right we are!

Define Normal for me?

Show me a normal person and we will both be looking at a boring person!

Sarcasm is the Australian way of life. Give it a miss and hit the p*ss

LOL What? I love the way you talk but, "give it a miss and hit the p*ss."? What does that mean? Because I really think I'm going to use that!

-What's the latest story you're reading?

You want the truth? The current book is Bonded by Blood by Laurie London. Her 1st novel I put aside, The Dark Hunters,The Immortals after series. A couple of highlander series, Cat and Bones etc, and there are at least 6 books with marker's waiting for me to get back to them.

I might like to also add, I'am addicted to Audio books, when I'am working I can't hear much over the machine so it's great to stick the plugs in my ears and just enjoy.

I think I have almost as many audio books as paper books (lets not forget the eBooks).

Oh darn, I just have to take this time to tell you about what I just finished, you can just edit if you want BUT I finished the other day a new Author, Darynda Jones, First Grave on the Right. Oh My Flaming Goodness, it was hilarious. So so very funny and a great story as well.
I'll check it out for my review site. Thanks for the suggestion!
 

-Do you follow review sites or go to author chats to find out what's coming out next?

Oh PLEASE, as if I have time for that

I would need an extra page to list them all, s'all I'am saying!

-I totally creep Nora Roberts. What author do you creep?

 I meet this really funny lady, I don't really remember how or where, probably on a book blog site. Then I bought and read her books and blow me down with a feather she befriended me on Facebook. She doesn't really know me from Adam, but she accepted the friend request and I bet she's sorry now.

You may just know her, she goes by the name "Rebecca Rose"! Now that's a really cool name but one has to wonder if that's her real name or just something she picked out of a hat.

Other then that, of my 200 and something Facebook friends, about 1/8th family (it's my escape place so that's a lot), 3/8 friends and 4/8's Authors. I like fractions and numbers, did you notice?
OMG, I have a creeper! That's too cool!! I love my fans. Most are a little loony and fun, which makes them great to talk to. 
Yes, Rebecca is my real name. Rose was thought up by my sister-in-law, Doris. My real last name is so long that it'd probably wrap around the book cover. :)

This is Kathy's crazy son, Trav. :)





 
Thank you so much for being here, Kathy McKenzie! You were so much fun to interview. (And, you were worried you'd be boring! PLEASE) I hope you stick around and answer any comments and questions our visitors might have. I know I'll be around.

Everyone Have a Sparkling Day!
Rebecca Rose