A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.
In addition to her indie titles, Elle writes for various publishers, including Harlequin Enterprises, New American Library, Berkley, and Entangled. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
Rachel Moulden (RM): What made you decide to want to become a writer and how did you get started writing?
Elle Kennedy (EK): I always knew I wanted to write, from a very young age, and I never strayed from that course. I started writing short stories as a kid, and as I got older, the stories got longer, and eventually I was writing full-length novels. In my teens, I started submitting work to various publishers and agents.
RM: Many of your books feature strong heroines as the main character. In your opinion, what characteristics do you think makes a good heroine?
EK: I think inner strength is a big factor when I consider a heroine. It’s not that they’re not allowed to have weak moments (we all have them) but I like a heroine who has the strength to pick herself up again or do what needs to be done to survive.
RM: What is the biggest surprise that you experienced after becoming a writer?
EK: That readers actually liked my books! I was ecstatic when my books first started being published and when I saw them in bookstores, but the fans that came along with it really make you feel special. I hear every day from so many readers across the world—sometimes it’s hard to believe that my books have resonated with so many people.
RM: What are your thoughts on writing a book series versus a standalone novel? Is one easier to write than the other?
EK: Wow. They both have their pros and cons. Whether you’re starting a new series or a standalone, there’s always a massive creative process and you’re not just constructing the story of the main characters, but creating a mini-universe in a way. The nice thing about writing a series is you get to take that universe and link different people and story lines together and enhance said universe. When you write a standalone, you don’t have to track as much information or remember a bunch of little details, which definitely makes the writing process either. For example, whenever I write a Killer Instincts book, I have to refer to my ridiculously long series bible to try to remember certain details about characters. In a standalone, the process is much faster.
RM: Which literary character do you most resonate with on a personal level?
EK: Oh gosh! I have no idea. Maybe Claire from Outlander? Or rather, I just really admire her, because I don’t think I could survive as well as she does in the situations she finds herself in.
RM: Have you ever written a character vaguely based off a real life acquaintance and they found out when they weren’t meant to?
EK: Not really. Some of my books contain minor personality traits of friends, or I might use something they’ve done/said, but it’s not usually a “secret”—usually I’ll tell them that I’ve done that. Like with one friend, I based Hannah’s (The Deal) annoying cat meow ringtone on my friend’s ringtone.
RM: Ever learned anything from a negative review and incorporated it in your writing?
EK: I think reviews are incredibly important for a writer. I don’t know if I’ve ever purposely changed something about my writing because of a review, but I think it’s a good idea for any author to look at reviews to see what readers like/dislike.
RM: Which book would you want to see adapted for the silver screen? And who would you cast in the film?
EK: Are we talking about one of my own books? Because I don’t know! As much as I’d love it if one of my books was made into a film/TV show, I think most of my stuff would have to come with a strong NC-17 warning LOL. Maybe Paper Princess, from my YA series with Jen Frederick? I think that would be a really fun TV show. But I’ll leave the casting to the professionals.
RM: Do you aim to complete a set number of pages or words each day? How long does it usually take you to write one book?
EK: I try to set word goals for myself each day to stay on track, but I usually write until I’ve run out of words or hit a wall. Then I take a break, evaluate where I’m at, and either call it a day or come up with a new game plan. Writing a book can take anywhere from a month to three months, depending on what I have going on in real life, and how I’m feeling during the writing process.
RM: What is your motivation for writing more?
EK: Thankfully, I don’t need a lot of outside motivation. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be doing what I love for a living, and I have no plans to ever stop writing, even if eventually I’m only writing for myself. Also, I have some seriously amazing fans, and as long as they keep reading my books, I’ll keep writing for them!