Dragon Soul Press had a chance to interview Kelly Barker, an author featured in Fallen, The Hunt, Rogue Waves, Fairy Rites, and The Fear Doctor anthologies.

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My name is Kelly Barker, and I live in Oxfordshire with my
husband and rescue dog, Lana.

1. What prompted you to begin writing?
   • I have always been an avid reader and book collector, and I believe reading is the greatest form of escapism, especially if you’re
     feeling stressed or overwhelmed. However, in the past, I would sometimes lose the urge to read when I was feeling particularly low. That’s when I turned to journaling, and over time, my writing evolved from thoughts and feels to fiction.
2. Do you have a favorite story or poem you’ve written? What’s it about?
   • I have a soft spot for all my stories, but ‘Queen of the Seven Seas’ is by far my favourite. I saw the submission call for mermaid themed stories on the Dragon Soul Press website, and thought; there is absolutely no way I could write about such a legendary creature. But I wanted to challenge myself, so I set aside all my projects and researched. I discovered that mermaids and the gods had a rich history within mythology, and I combined both to write a story I’m very proud of.
3. How many projects do you have planned over the next few years? Tell us about one.
   • How many projects do you have planned over the next few years? Tell us about one. I have just finished a fae romantasy novel called Beneath the Bridge, about a woman struggling with her past and a troll who guards the fae realm. My plan is to turn it into a duology, but in the meantime, I will focus on short stories to give myself a breather.
4. What is your writing process like?
   • It’s all over the place—just half kidding. I wake up at six am to walk my dog, then start typing shortly after. If I’m writing a novel, I can write for twelve hours straight, which is something I need to change, because after a few weeks at that pace, I look like Gollum. The reason is I’m way too critical of my abilities because I have dyslexia, and I often edit what I have written that day, knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I didn’t. When I’m writing short stories, I’m far kinder to myself, and I need to implement that into my everyday routine. However, no matter what I’m writing, it all starts with research, doodles, and random handwritten dialogue.
5. Where do you draw inspiration from?
   • I want readers to resonate with my characters, so I draw inspiration from quotes, life-lessons, or passing comments made by people behind me in a queue or on the street. As for the paranormal and magical realism elements, that’s inspired by nature, old buildings and mythology.
6. Who is your favorite author / what is your favorite book?
   • I mostly read horror, fantasy, and paranormal romance, so my favourite authors range from James Herbert, Dean Koontz, to Kresley Cole and Sherrilyn Kenyon. However, my favourite book is Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton.
7. What is one goal you have for your writing future?
   • Not only do I set my goals too high, I get very stressed and start doubting myself, so instead, I just celebrate my story acceptances. And the only way to celebrate those is to keep on writing and submitting.
8. What do you hope readers enjoy most from your work?
   • Reading for me is therapy, and I only hope my readers can enjoy the same benefits from my books.
9. Where can readers learn more about you?
   • On my website and Facebook.