Interview with an Author: Kit Aldridge

I first met Kit Aldridge when she hired me to read Unraveled as a developmental edit, and let me tell you, I fell in love with her writing. Kit is such a kind and passionate author. It's been such a pleasure getting to see the progression of her story (and also watching her get picked up by a publisher!).

Friends and foes, Kit Aldridge.

1) Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and Unraveled?

There’s a lot of backstory here, but I’ll try to be concise! I was born under China’s one-child policy and adopted at 13 months old by a single white American woman. I grew up with an older sister in the DFW area, until I moved to Lubbock, TX, where I graduated with a degree in creative writing from Texas Tech University in 2021.

The idea for Unraveled came to me in early 2019, right after I’d gone to see the final installment in the How To Train Your Dragon franchise with some friends. I wrote the first draft that summer, but when school resumed in the fall, my writing took a backseat so I could focus on finishing my degree. It wasn’t until after I graduated that I was able to return to the book, and with each subsequent draft, the story underwent heavy reconstruction: complete rewrites, new characters, old ones taken out. What you have now is the product of about four to five years’ worth of labor, and I’m actually quite proud with how it turned out!

2) How did you first get started writing?

I can’t remember a definite moment where I thought to myself, “I’m going to be a writer.” It was always just a quiet little hobby of mine – one that I didn’t even keep up with consistently. I was in the second or third grade when I entered a UIL contest for creative writing; I suppose that’s the earliest indication that writing was something I enjoyed.

Whether it was fiction or a personal diary I’d write in sporadically, writing was always an outlet for me. I never drew attention to it because I didn’t see it as something that could potentially grow into a career. I think what I admired most was the feel of it – the way I could just let the ink flow from my pen and physically feel the weight of my words landing on the page. Now, of course, I write my stories with a processor like Scrivener, but I still keep up with the handwritten journals.

3) What's the most unique part of your writing process?

When I talk about my writing process, people are almost unanimously surprised to hear that the endings of my stories come to me first – and that’s been true for every single idea I’ve had. For instance, the first thing I ever wrote for my Stormbringer Saga is an epilogue for the last book. Obviously, the other books in the series don’t even exist yet, but right from the start, I could see where it all ends as if it were a series of films I’ve already watched and memorized by heart.

It’s the same for my current project. I have an image in my head of how it’ll all go down, and that’s sort of the “light at the end of the tunnel” that helps guide the rest of the plot. Once I know where I’m going, the beginning and middle sort of fall into line. This also helps me plant all those foreshadowing seeds that’ll come to fruition by the end.

4) Do you have any favourite craft books or resources?

I probably should! I’m sure it would have helped the development of Unraveled immensely. I do have an eBook copy of The Emotion Thesaurus, the second edition, by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, but, to be honest, I don’t use craft books very often, if at all. At least not currently. I appreciate the value in what they offer, especially when you’re just starting out as a writer. There’s a lot of helpful information from seasoned authors that I’d probably benefit from. I’m just at a point where I feel comfortable enough in my own craft not to seek guidance from others – but that could change at any given moment.

5) What made you choose to seek a publisher for Unraveled after planning to self-publish?

It started as a concern for finances and marketing, but after meeting virtually with MK and Ky at Azala Press, I realized that the perfect opportunity had fallen into my lap. Not only could they provide the exact services I was hurting for – marketing to larger audiences, distribution costs, etc. – but they also proved to be 100% committed to the author’s creative autonomy. Every choice, from the final edits to the interior and exterior formatting and everything in between, is run by the author before any of it is solidified. That is rare, especially from a traditional publisher.

I sought a publisher because I wanted Unraveled to be the best it could be, and I knew I couldn’t let pride get in the way of achieving that goal. And publishing with Azala Press has brought me into a beautiful community of incredibly talented authors and all-around good people. It really did feel like the stars had aligned when I found my way to them.

6) What drew you to fantasy? Do you think you'll ever branch outside of that genre?

It’s always been the escapism aspect for me. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved diving into a new world that looks wholly different to our own. I find complex magic systems and mystical creatures that roam the untamed wilds of vast kingdoms to be infinitely fascinating. Dragon Age: Inquisition from BioWare was my first dive into high fantasy, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I just never really felt like I belonged anywhere in this world, and a small, childish part of me still wishes I could just wake up one morning and find myself transported to another one.

It’s funny that you should mention branching out! I recently announced on Instagram that I have a sci-fi short story coming out this June. I wrote this story in February 2024, so it’s not a project I’m currently working on, but it is one that I enjoyed.

When it comes to sci-fi versus fantasy, I find that they’re essentially two sides of the same coin. Sci-fi often utilizes advanced technology to explain superhuman-like qualities or highly enhanced societies; fantasy utilizes magic to achieve similar goals. Obviously, there are more nuanced details at hand, but looking at it this way helps you see that the choice between writing sci-fi or fantasy comes down to a preference of aesthetics. I just prefer a medieval ruggedness as opposed to crisp, futuristic styles.

As far as future projects are concerned, I doubt I’ll branch too far out from speculative fiction. Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve never felt quite at home in this world, so I suspect my writing will continue to take place in other realities that I dream up.

7) What's your favourite part of writing and exploring themes like belonging and the lengths we'll go to get what we want?

Oh, there’s definitely a level of self-indulgence that comes with exploring these themes. I think one of my favorite parts, though, is pushing the limits of my characters. Oftentimes, when a character feels out of place or down on their luck for too long, they become desperate to grasp some shred of contentment or happiness. Even the kindest and most empathetic characters may err toward wrongdoings for what they perceive as the right reasons. These are the sort of complexities that make a fictional character feel like a real person–someone who can’t be boxed in as a hero or a villain–and that’s what I aim to achieve in my writing. If my readers can’t agree on whether a certain character is right or wrong, good or evil, then I consider my job well done.

8) What were your publishing expectations? How did they differ from your experience?

I think I expected things to move much faster, which, in hindsight, is pretty naive. I envisioned that once Unraveled was published, there would be nonstop talk about it, widespread readership – everything a new author dreams of.

In reality, just like the writing process, it’s much a much slower build than that. Writing and publishing may walk hand-in-hand, but they’re two different journeys. As a new author, no one has heard of me, and it takes time to build rapport among the literary community. It takes confidence and belief in my own story, too, to bring in new readers. That’s something I’m still having to practice and grow comfortable in: talking about my own book, hyping it up. I think I avoid it because I fear being perceived as self-congratulatory, but I have to remember that publishing a book is a massive accomplishment. Just five years ago, it was all I dreamed of. Now that I’ve done it, why shouldn’t I talk about it?

9) What advice would you give to those just starting out with the goal of publishing?

Do not rush it. The fresh excitement that comes with a new idea is addictive, and it’s all too easy to get caught up in visions of the future, where you have loyal and enthusiastic readers and the book community is buzzing about your book. But like I said before, all of that takes time. It’s a slow build, but one that will be that much more gratifying because you had to work and wait for it.

We live in a world where instant gratification is all that anyone seeks, especially when it comes to entertainment. There’s a lot of pressure on creatives to churn out new content at virtually inhuman rates, but I’m a firm believer in taking the necessary time to ensure that you have a strong story – that you, first and foremost, are proud of – rather than half-assing a book just because readers anticipation and patience is wearing thin.

10) (Without spoilers) What has been your hardest scene to write?

The opening scene of Unraveled. That fast-paced, action-packed opening didn’t come to me until about five or six drafts into the process. There were just so many avenues through which my characters could begin their story, and I knew this first chapter needed to set the right tone, otherwise the rest of the book would feel off.

As I wrote and rewrote the first chapter, I had to consider all the details I needed to include to help my readers feel hooked by the story and grounded in the world: What time period are we in? What’s the location setting? Who are the main characters, and what are their motives? What’s the main conflict, and how can I introduce it without bogging down the readers with paragraphs of exposition? How do I make my readers care about any of this from one chapter alone?

Not every question needed to be addressed in great detail – in fact, some needed to be left unanswered, otherwise there’d be no reason for the reader to continue. Still, it was a tricky balance to find, but from the feedback I’ve received so far, I did alright!

11) How do you balance writing, marketing, etc. with other life stuff?

I’m not nearly as organized as I probably should be. I keep a planner so I can see which days I have work and which days are open for writing or marketing, but I don’t allocate specific days to one task or another.

I follow a more intuitive flow that I think some people might find a bit too loose and undisciplined, but all I mean is that if I sense myself burning out on something–be it writing, marketing, or otherwise – I shift my focus to something else for a while. Listening to my body helps a lot in this endeavor: If I find myself growing tired and unfocused while staring at a blank page, it’s probably time to step away from writing for a little bit. If I’m getting trapped in a cycle of doom-scrolling on my phone, then it’s an indicator that I’m feeling restless and need to take a walk or do something else to get my body moving again.

I try not to cage myself into rigid routines, otherwise I’ll get overwhelmed by the feeling of monotony and disengage entirely.

12) What do you do for work outside writing? (Or what would you be doing if not writing if your writing now supports you full-time?)

I’m a barista and coffee roaster at a locally-owned shop! I’ve been pouring lattes for about five and half years now, and while I certainly didn’t anticipate staying in this field of work for as long as I have, I can’t deny that it’s brought good things my way. I’ve met some really cool people in all the locations I’ve worked at, and there’s an innate sense of community that comes with getting to know the regulars.

13) What would your author mascot be?

My little girl, my grey tabby cat, Winter! I post her occasionally on my Instagram stories. I adopted her in December 2020, and she’s been such a joy. She’s a little chaotic at times, but she’s mellowed out as she’s grown and has her moments of cuddly affection.

Fun fact: I named her Winter so I could nickname her Winnie, but after getting to know her, I’ve literally never called her that. Her running nickname is Squint!

Bio

A lifelong lover of fantasy worlds and complex characters, Kit Aldridge weaves relatable human experiences into imaginative worlds to create her stories. She draws inspiration from film and video game scores, often losing herself in the daydream of a scene rather than putting it down into words. When she is writing, however, you’ll find a half-drunk mug of coffee gone cold sitting beside her–or maybe her cat nestled under her chair.

For more information and updates on Kit’s writing endeavors, follow her on Instagram @authorkitaldridge or check out her website at www.authorkitaldridge.com.