Our Questions for Kim

[Bill_T]

Here's where you can post specific questions for Kim Harrison, about the events of For a Few Demons More, any of the previous books in the series, or about her work and methods as a writer.

One word of caution: in the first week of our discussion, let's try to keep this thread free of spoilers, so that those of us who haven't finished reading For a Few Demons More have a chance to catch up!

[Vampyre]

It looks like I may be the first poster here. To get things rolling, I'll as about Rex the kitten. Things aren't always what they seem in the Hollows. Is there more to the little fur ball than meets the eye? If you can't say yes, then a simple wink wink nudge nudge will do.

I know the forum format is new to you. I hope you like it well enough to implement one into your web site.

Thank you so much for bringing the Hollows to us.

V^^^^V

[DWM]

This question has nothing to do with storylines, but is just out of curiosity...

The author photos on the paperbacks I bought never really showed your face; however, on the latest book, For a Few Demons More, we finally get to see your face. Was it clever marketing strategy or what? I know, in the grand scheme of things it's not deadfully important, but I was just curious.

Thanks,
Deb

[KimHarrison]

Hi Vampyre,
Hey, good to see you here! You asked about Rex. You know, when I first introduced Rex, she was going to be just a cat. She still is just a cat, but cats are perceptive critters, and it wouldn't surprise me if she isn't a character you want to watch. ;-)

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Vampyre wrote:
It looks like I may be the first poster here. To get things rolling, I'll as about Rex the kitten. Things aren't always what they seem in the Hollows. Is there more to the little fur ball than meets the eye?[...]

V^^^^V

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[KimHarrison]

Hi DWM
Ahh, the photos. Actually, when we started, my editor wanted pictures that weren't me to help preserve the sense of mystery. (I think that first one is a hobbit. Look at those feet on the back of DWW!) I was more than eager to go along with that as I value my privacy highly, but once I showed them a half-face photo, they thought a real photo wouldn't hurt . . . and then it kind of snowballed into what you see now. So I guess it was a mix of marketing and my desire to stay in the background.

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DWM wrote:
This question has nothing to do with storylines, but is just out of curiosity...

The author photos on the paperbacks I bought never really showed your face; however, on the latest book, For a Few Demons More, we finally get to see your face. Was it clever marketing strategy or what? I know, in the grand scheme of things it's not deadfully important, but I was just curious.

Thanks,
Deb

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[ak_chick03]

Hi Kim...
Someone asked about your pictures, so I thought I'd ask about the covers of each of your books. I love the design of them, only showing half of Rachel on each one. Is there going to ever be a cover that shows more of her, or is that the 'mystery' quality of each book? And who is the illustrator of the covers?
Krystal

[Vampyre]

Having 2 cats of my own and several in the past, as well as dogs, I know how smart they can be. Cat's can learn all kinds of interesting behaviors and are of course very territorial, just like the pixies.

I see a world of possibilities for Rex, most of them as a valuable ally to Jenks' clan. One of the problems they have is with aggressive birds like the Blue Jays. Problem solved with Rex on the case. Nasty fairies causing trouble? With Rex around, they will soon be kitty kibble.


She could also learn to play nice with the kids. They could ride her and teach her all kinds of things.

Of course she could OD on cat nip and try to eat them all to. That would of course be a bad thing. I'd rather see her saving them from thier enemies and other hazards a pixie would face in today's world.

Or she can just sit around waiting for Rachel to turn into a wolf again.

[drgnsdrem]

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Bill_T wrote:
Here's where you can post specific questions for Kim Harrison, about the events of For a Few Demons More, any of the previous books in the series, or about her work and methods as a writer.

One word of caution: in the first week of our discussion, let's try to keep this thread free of spoilers, so that those of us who haven't finished reading For a Few Demons More have a chance to catch up!

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Kim, I just wanted to say Thank you So Much. Your Books Are a Very white light in my world and I sit biting my nails till your next book is released! I loved your books from the minute I picked them up. A friend and I have started sharing them, shes as hooked as I am. So again. THANK YOU!!! And not to be pushy, But Write faster.
Have a Most Blessed day.

[mikefromatlanta]

Hi Kim,

Mike from Atlanta.

I also have a question about your covers (by the way, I bought the first book due to it's cover). How much input do you have on the design/subject of the cover?

Also, a second question. When do you pick a title for the book? Before writing the story, during or after?


Keep up the great work and can't wait for the next one.
Mike

[sarahn1080]

Anyone who has cats knows how mysterious they are. I just love the way Rex is described as acting towards Rachel. It certainly goes against the old stereotypes of witches and cats! I think that there are wonderful possibilities resting in kitty!

[sarahn1080]

Kim,
What is your inspiration behind these characters which you so vividly bring to life in your books? I just love them!! I might have already asked you this, but not in this forum...that I remember... The mind's going a bit blank since I am off for the summer Do you know people who you have modeled them after? Or are they completely fictional?

[KimHarrison]

Mmm, the covers. That's a long process, but it seems to go smoother now that the books have a "theme" to them. The next cover for OUTLAW DEMON WAILS shows a bit more of Rachel, which I think is cool. It's been a steady progression of showing more face, which I think correlates nicely to knowing more about Rachel. I don't know if we will ever get a clear shot at her face through Eos/Harper. The SFBC did two omnibuses, and they show her face.

As for the artists? Christian McGrath did the covers for the SFBC, JP Targete did the cover for DWW, and I don't know who did the rest. Up until the hard cover, they were listing them.
Kim

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ak_chick03 wrote:
Hi Kim...
Someone asked about your pictures, so I thought I'd ask about the covers of each of your books. I love the design of them, only showing half of Rachel on each one. Is there going to ever be a cover that shows more of her, or is that the 'mystery' quality of each book? And who is the illustrator of the covers?
Krystal

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[KimHarrison]

Thank you! I'm really pleased you're enjoing the Hollows so much. Trust me, I'm writing as fast as I can. I want to know what happens next, too!
Kim

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drgnsdrem wrote:
Kim, I just wanted to say Thank you So Much. Your Books Are a Very white light in my world and I sit biting my nails till your next book is released! I loved your books from the minute I picked them up. A friend and I have started sharing them, shes as hooked as I am. So again. THANK YOU!!! And not to be pushy, But Write faster.
Have a Most Blessed day.

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[KimHarrison]

Hi Mike.

I have no legal say in the title or what goes on the cover, but I've been blessed with an editor who likes my input and works hard to find something that we all like. (Which is only fair because I work hard to make the story something that we all like, too.) What has been the pattern so far is my editor, Diana Gill, will call me up, and we'll spend a half hour or so kicking around scenes in the book that might lend itself to the cover, talking about colors, moods, and sparklies. (My word for things marketing puts on there to tell you what the book is about. Knives, guns, sword, magic glow, that kind of thing.) Diana takes what we talked about, puts Rachel in a totally sexy outfit, and there's the cover.

The title is a bit more involved. It's been a long time since I got a title on the cover that I submitted it under, but I've always been happy with the end result, so NO complaints here. I have a title before I write the first outline, and I keep it until I submit the book. Then Marketing steps in and gives alternatives, and then I come back with my alternatives, and eventually we find someting we all like, but it's really Marketing that decides.
Kim

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mikefromatlanta wrote:
Hi Kim,

Mike from Atlanta.

I also have a question about your covers (by the way, I bought the first book due to it's cover). How much input do you have on the design/subject of the cover?

Also, a second question. When do you pick a title for the book? Before writing the story, during or after?


Keep up the great work and can't wait for the next one.
Mike

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[KimHarrison]

Hi Sarahn.

My inspiration behind the characters? I really don't know. I use music a lot to help me figure out what a character might do in any given stressful situation, but I've been working so long with these "people" that I don't know where the original inspiration came from. I think Ivy, Rachel, and Jenks were probably just three people who I'd like to pal around with. They still are, actually.

Kim

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sarahn1080 wrote:
Kim,
What is your inspiration behind these characters which you so vividly bring to life in your books? I just love them!! I might have already asked you this, but not in this forum...that I remember... The mind's going a bit blank since I am off for the summer Do you know people who you have modeled them after? Or are they completely fictional?

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[sarahn1080]

Knowing what I know about these character so far, I'd love to hang out with them too! I think of them as people too, not just characters in a book. Thanks for the answer!

[DestructoGirl]

Heyde Hey Ms. Kim,

I finally thought of a question! Now why couldn't I have thought of it in Chicago when I had the chance to ask in person?

Here goes.....Rachel says that when they enter the boat (FFDM) that there was a hint of unfamiliar vampiric incense that still lingered there. Does a vamp's scent change once they go from being a living vamp to an undead? Or does it have to do with which camarilla they belong to?

Mendi

[Stormy]

Kim, this is not really a question but a comment. UGH! you broke my heart at the end of Demons, I sobbed and cussed for the last 40 pages. Thanks, I really mean that I have become attached to your characters. And can't wait for the next book.

[KimHarrison]

Hi Mendi,

I've been giving that a lot of thought, and I think that a vamp's scent would change going from a living to a dead vamp, but I would expect that it would still be recognizable, kind of like we know what a bananna smells like, and we know what a rotten bananna smells like, both different, but clearly the same fruit. I would also imagine that a vamp's smell would change if they switched camarillas, but the base scent would stay the same.
Better?
--Kim

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DestructoGirl wrote:
[...]Does a vamp's scent change once they go from being a living vamp to an undead? Or does it have to do with which camarilla they belong to?

Mendi

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[KimHarrison]

Hi Stormy.

I cried too. I cried, and raged at a certain someone, and then I found peace of sorts, and started writing again to find Rachel's happy ending. ;-) Hang in there. I like happy endings.
--Kim

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Stormy wrote:
Kim, this is not really a question but a comment. UGH! you broke my heart at the end of Demons, I sobbed and cussed for the last 40 pages. Thanks, I really mean that I have become attached to your characters. And can't wait for the next book.

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