Hello Kissa and welcome to FAR. Pull up a chair and let the readers get to know more about the talented Kissa Starling.

I believe you live in southern Georgia, and love music, yoga and meditation. To start, why not tell us a little bit more about Kissa and how her day begins?

If I'm lucky it begins with sleeping in. I am such a night owl. Fruit, fresh air, and fun are the main ingredients of a good wakening for me.

Celtic Destiny comes out in April. I read it has some ghosts and the heroine travels to Scotland. Why not tell us about your upcoming release?

This is my first ghost story and my first sweet romantic novella as well. I wanted to write a ghost story and I absolutely love the thought of a setting as beautiful as Scotland. I'd love to travel there one day. Castles are just naturally romantic. When you combine them with old family legend and a fresh-faced American you get- love of course!

Would you say your stories come to you easy or is it often hard to come up with just the right characters to begin your book?

Story ideas and characters abound inside this head of mine. The only difficulty I have is having time to write them all down. I'm a self-admitted people watcher. I love to observe people everywhere I go. I use their mannerisms, their accents, their habits and even their physical characteristics at times to create believable and fun characters.

Which book took you the longest to compose?

Celtic Destiny is the longest one I've published so far but Geisha Girl is the one I spent the most time on. I researched the Japanese culture for weeks on end and learned so much about their culture. If you add that to the actual writing time it took months and I usually write fairly quickly.

Do you feel as if the characters live with you as you write? Do they haunt your dreams?

Hmm, I wouldn't say they haunt my dreams unless I do something totally wrong for them. I initially wrote one sex scene in Sweet Tea Maggie and the two main characters revolted. It took a few weeks but I finally realized that these two characters would never have had sex for all the world to see. They are both conservative, sweet and innocent to boot. I removed the sex and tweaked the story a bit and my sweet romance writing began. I decided to use the name K. Starling so that readers would know it was me and they would also know that K. stands for klean= no sex. Now I do dream whole stories sometimes and when that happens I wake up and furiously write until the idea gets out of my head.

Do you have any special rituals to help you get in the mood to write?

I don't really have a ritual but I do write alone with my laptop or a spiral notebook. Once I get in the zone I write away. (I do have to turn yahoo messenger off because I get distracted easily)

I read you write stories in your diary and set time to write your stories. You are a very prolific writer, with a wide range of different genres. Do your ideas come to you easily?

I use livejournal as a sort of online diary and that's where I keep up with my writing goals, deadlines, and accomplishments. Submission calls spur ideas in me and I usually want to work on them right away no matter what else I have to do. The ideas come easily- the time to write them, not so much!

You, also review books. You are a busy person. How important is it to you to receive a review on your books?

Reviews aren't as important to me as reader emails. I love hearing from anyone who has read my writing and reviewers are certainly readers too. A personal note from a reviewer is better than the review at times. As a side note- I began reviewing because I started spending so much time writing that I quit reading. I went from a book every week to two weeks to once in a blue moon and that distressed me. Reviewing forced me to take time to read. It also helped me condense a whole book into a paragraph, a skill which is always helpful to an author. I've come to a better balance these days.

What you would classify as the three most essential ingredients of an excellent novel?

#1- take me to another time and place, if only for a few moments

#2- show me the relationship between the characters

#3- good grammar/editing

How do you relax when your are not writing?

I love to listen to music, watch old movies, and go four-wheeling on wet, muddy, dirt roads. I also enjoy boxing for stress relief.

Your editor decides just when your book is about to go into e-book and print that she/he wants you to immediately change the characters and the storyline and you have one day to get it done. Do you change your manuscript to please your editor or do you stand your ground and insist it be left the way it was originally contracted?

I have wonderful editors and I can't imagine that happening but... I'd absolutely listen to their reasoning and then think it out. Nothing happens fast in e-publishing or print and my answer wouldn't be quick either. Ultimately I live my life by standards that I've set for myself and I always do what I believe to be right. If the changes weren't right for me or my book I would definitely stick to my guns and duke it out.

If you could go anywhere in the world for a romantic getaway for two, for two wonderful weeks, where would you choose to go?

I would take my husband on a European tour staying overnight in bed and breakfast castles along the way. We'd start in Scotland (where his family castle still stands, though not owned by the family) and make our way to Ireland. Time means nothing so we'd have to travel to Sweden and Germany so that I could research my family tree.

Is there a secret indulgence that you have that you would like to share with your readers?

Candles- there I said it. I love candles. There is nothing better than walking into a room where a scented candle is burning. Did I mention I like to eat Rocky Road ice-cream while I'm in the room with the candle? Blue Bell please! : )

I love your friend list page. Can you share with us your website, myspace, blog, or any loops?

Sure! I'd love to.
My website
Kissa's Karma Korner
My Livejournal
Myspace: www.myspace.com/kissastarling
I moderate at Midnight Seductions. A great place to be exposed to several different authors at one time!

What is your favorite pizza with all the toppings?

I love veggie pizza with lots of red onion!!!

Thank you so much for sharing time with us today, Kissa.

Please check out Kissa’s website to read more about her releases.

Interviewed by: Linda L.