Dragon Soul Press took the chance to interview K.M. Hasling, an author featured in A Winter Promise!

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1) Introduce yourself!

Hello. I’m K.M. Hasling, or Krista. I write as a hobby and mostly sci-fi. I’m an engineer and I like
the “real” stuff. I self-published my first novel, Mars and Mayhem, in 2020 and have other short
stories and interactive fiction published.

2) What prompted you to begin writing?

Once a writer, always a writer. Like most, I enjoyed writing as a kid and loved dragon stories
and poetry. The first “book” I remember illustrating and binding was about a pencil box where
the pencil and scissors didn’t get along. As an adult, I finished my first novel with NaNoWriMo
and then joined some online communities that have helped me perfect the craft.

3) Do you have a favorite story or poem you’ve written? What’s it about?

I love rereading The Magic of the Second Backyard that is a Middle Grade fantasy released this
year. It’s a “feel good” comfort read of Alice in Wonderland meets Secret Garden and is fun to
read aloud.

4) How many projects do you have planned over the next few years? Tell us about one.

My loving dog, Rubix, passed away this year at 14.5 and I want to write a memorial short story
for her. True stories are a good way for me to get better at writing characters above plot.

5) What is your writing process like?

No matter how much plotting I try to do, I am an underwriter, which means I have to go back
and add detail. Editing is essential, having beta readers too. I usually end up doubling the length
of my works before it’s ready.

6) Who is your favorite author / what is your favorite book?

I like reading modern fiction, historical fiction, and science fiction. I also love to swap with other
indie writers, and I recently started reading more anthologies to find good authors. My favorite
book currently is A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and recently loved The Once and Future
Witches.

7) What is one goal you have for your writing future?

I love learning new techniques from other genres or styles (Interactive Fiction for example) and
then going back to my love of classic sci-fi novels. I want to write the approachable science
fiction for non-science fiction readers and have a fun AI robot romcom in space that will be my
next novel.

8) What do you hope readers enjoy most from your work?

I want my readers to cozy up with a cat, a blanket and too many pillows because I want to give
that feeling inside and outside. I hope readers find it relatable but also enjoyable without the
dramatic edge that most entertainment has today.

9) Where can readers learn more about you?

On my website, Facebook, X, Instagram, Goodreads, All Author, Amazon, and Pinterest.