Donna K. Fitch is a professional illuminator of alternate realities, a writer of the fantastic for the amusement of herself and others since junior high. During her late career as an academic librarian, she published several scholarly articles in peer-reviewed journals, and edited her late stepfather’s The Thematic Catalogue of the Musical Works of Johann Pachelbel (Scarecrow Press). She now spends her working days as a web designer and her Sundays as a worship leader for a small congregation. She spends her spare time (what little of it she has) writing paranormal fiction. Donna recently published Second Death, a paranormal thriller, a short story "Quantum Critique," and a novella, The Color of Darkness. An avid pen-and-paper roleplaying gamer, Donna has published several gaming supplements, including Imperial Age: Faeries for Adamant Publishing, co-written with Scott Carter. Donna lives in suburban Alabama with her husband Thomas and three cats: Nala, Alice and Sophie.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I
like to refer to myself as an “illuminator of alternate worlds.” I write
fiction that always has a paranormal—usually magical—element, and I’m extremely
hard on my protagonists. They go through all sorts of terrible (but
interesting!) experiences. I’m a web designer for a university in my day job,
and on Sundays I’m a music leader for a tiny rural church. I have a B.A. in
Art, a Master’s in Library Science, and was an academic librarian for ten years
before switching careers. I’ve also written roleplaying game supplements
(Dungeons and Dragons is still one of my favorite spare-time activities), and
edited ‘A Thematic Catalogue of the Musical Works of Johann Pachelbel,’ written
by my late stepfather and published by Scarecrow Press. My husband and I work
to maintain the lifestyle to which our three cats have become accustomed.
Describe your book ‘Second Death’ in 30 words or less.
Second Death is the story of a man struggling to
stop a family curse he doesn’t believe in before it kills him.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Wrestling the plot into submission. I had various
elements, but I went through 12 drafts before I was reasonably sure of the
direction. After that it took another 10 drafts to finish it up in a way I was
happy with.
What books have had the greatest influence on you?
The
books of Tim Powers, particularly ‘Last Call’; he taught me how to torture
protagonists. The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher; he’s a great storyteller
with exciting pacing. My earliest influence was Dr. Seuss; his books taught me
a love of the fantastic and the absurd. The works of H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar
Allan Poe have also inspired me.
Briefly share with us what you do to market your
book?
I maintain a website (www.donnakfitch.com), a
Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DonnaKFitch.Author) and a Twitter presence
(twitter.com/donnakfitch).
BookBuzzr especially helps me with Twitter. I blog at AetherExcursions.com.
How do you spend your time when you are not
writing?
I’m either
reading or playing Lord of the Rings Online with my husband. We also enjoy
exploring rural cemeteries. On weekends, as time permits, I play role playing
games with friends, particularly Pathfinder and Call of Cthulhu.
What are you working on next?
My steam-pulp novel ‘The Source of Lightning’ is
currently being edited, with a projected release date of late October. I’m
writing the first book of an 8-book series, a steampunk novel set in a fantasy
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