Meet The Author: KT Dady
A bit about KT Dady…
K.T. Dady is the bestselling author of the Pepper Bay series.
She’s also a chocolate lover, mum to a grown-up daughter, and a huge fan of HEA.
She was born and raised in the East End of London and has been happily writing stories since she was a little girl.
When she’s not writing, she’s mostly reading, baking cakes, or pottering around in her little garden in Essex, trying hard not to kill the flowers.
Q – What inspired you to become a writer?
A – Nothing. It’s just always been a part of me. Even as a child I would write stories, poems, songs. I can’t help it. It happens all by itself. When you create something, you often want to share it with others, so I guess that’s why I finally decided to publish my work, but even without that, I would never stop writing. I couldn’t if I tried.
Q -Who are your biggest literary influences?
A – I like Roald Dahl’s imagination. All the made-up words and dark twists he threw in to his stories. But mostly, my dad is my story hero. He told the best bedtime stories, filled with the weird and wonderful, teaching me to have an open mind and a wide imagination. I wish all children had books or someone to tell them stories.
Q – How do you handle negative reviews or criticism of your work?
A – Mostly, I find that the negative reviews aren’t written by what you might call a professional reader. They don’t seem to know the genre, they don’t give info that would be helpful to potential readers, and they’re often just ranting. I can see how these reviews can mess with an author’s mental health, and I know a lot of writers won’t read their reviews because of this. Personally, I ignore it. It’s not worth my energy. I prefer to focus on the positive side of life. If someone doesn’t like my book, so be it.
Q – What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
A – Somebody told me this, now I tell others: You are not just a writer, you are a business. It’s good advice. We often forget that part. I see so many apologising for advertising their books, but if they worked down the market, selling apples and pears, they wouldn’t say sorry each time they told their customers the bananas were on offer. Writers need to get in the game. And stop being afraid to champion yourself. Women seem to have a hard time with this, seeing self-promoting as almost uncouth. It’s basic psychology. Women have been fighting to have a voice for many years, so it’s part of our setup to shut up. So, if you’re a female author, stop with the shame and go sell your wares. And don’t apologise for doing so.
Q – What do you hope readers take away from your writing?
A – Happiness. I read and write to escape. It’s always saved me from any nightmares in my life. So, hopefully, I can bring more love into the world through my stories, as, let’s face it, the world certainly needs more of the stuff.
