Author Interview: Kristin Procter
JC – How has living in different countries helped you as a writer?
KP - Living in different countries has been a great way to increase my awareness of the details around me. Even in the same country there is diversity of vocabulary and phrases, of scents in the environment, of animals, of sounds, of fashion and communal worries. It is easier to see, hear and smell these quirks when you have had some separation and returned, or when you arrive in a new place. Peppering these details into a story can bring a character or setting to life.
JC – What are some other hobbies or interests you enjoy outside of writing?
KP - I have a knack for knitting unusual hats, like a largemouth bass balaclava. For exercise, I swim and play soccer. I get excited about a new batch of my favourite loose leaf tea, a vanilla-infused gypsy caravan black tea called Dr. Zhivago. Perhaps my greatest passion though, is a well executed charcuterie board paired with a killer cocktail.
JC – When you want to write a story, do you write an outline or just start writing? Do you have a routine or write whenever and wherever you happen to be at the time?
KP - I am a parent, so writing whenever I can squeeze in a minute is essential. I have little writing pads tucked everywhere. Graphic organisers, like mind maps or lists have helped me brainstorm, but I have never drafted a full outline. Instead, I tend to grab some source of inspiration - a character or problem or even a specific setting and then start writing into it and through it and around it to see what I can discover.
JC – What books, stories, and authors inspire you?
KP - Margaret Atwood. Her poetry, her novels, her short stories, even her children's books inspire me to be a better reader as well as a better writer. I just finished reading Stone Mattress, from her new collection of short stories by the same name, and would highly recommend it. Oryx and Crake, is another great read by Atwood, that left me a little terrified of what the future could hold.
JC – Your story, “The Necessities of Life,” tackles some serious social issues. Where did you get the ideas for it?
KP - There were a few news stories that were floating around my head when I started writing this piece. The first story was about a woman who was fighting to legally end her life. Another article was about human-made sustainable ecosystems. The third was actually a series of articles about an actual program hoping to colonise Mars, which both intrigued and shocked me. With these as the backdrop, I considered problems that would have a significant impact on my life right now. One potential conflict, an unplanned/unwanted pregnancy, seemed likely to be a serious problem in a new Mars-based settlement as well. Then I had to find the right characters to weather that storm.
JC – Do you have any advice for writers wanting to get published?
KP - Read a lot. Write a lot. Carry a pen and paper with you everywhere. Find a group of writers who will believe in you at the same time as they push you towards better writing. Also, never lose enjoyment of the rush that comes from words finally finding their place on the page after a long pursuit.
JC - Do you have a group of writers that you work with?
I am an active member of the Writing Mothers' Workshop and MOM - Mothers' Open Mic. I appreciate their willingness to entertain my strange ideas and help with various stages of . If you know any motherwriters living North Shore Massachusetts, we would love to connect with them. Find us on Facebook.
Kristin Procter grew up in Canada, partnered with a Brit, then birthed Australian babies. She currently lives in Massachusetts, where she collaborates on workshops and open mics for motherwriters. Her writing has been published in journals such as The Mom Egg Review, 3Elements, and Zest, as well as in collections.
