Indieview with Kelly Stone Gamble, author of They Call Me Crazy

In order to write a book like this, a lot of people have suggested that I have to be a little crazy myself. I’m actually fairly normal. Well, sometimes.

Kelly Stone Gamble – 1 February 2015

The Back Flap

Cass Adams is crazy, and everyone in Deacon, Kansas, knows it. But when her good-for-nothing husband, Roland, goes missing, no one suspects that Cass buried him in their unfinished koi pond. Too bad he doesn’t stay there for long. Cass gets arrested on the banks of the Spring River for dumping his corpse after heavy rain partially unearths it. The police chief wants a quick verdict—he’s running for sheriff and has no time for crazy talk. But like Roland’s corpse, secrets start to surface, and they bring more to light than anybody expected. Everyone in Cass’s life thinks they know her—her psychic grandmother, her promiscuous ex-best friend, her worm-farming brother-in-law, and maybe even her local ghost. But after years of separate silences, no one knows the whole truth. Except Roland. And he’s not talking.

About the book

What is the book about?

When Cass Adams, a woman from a small Midwestern town, is discovered trying to dump her husband’s body in the Spring River, the town tries to discover if there is a true motive for the murder or if she really is just crazy.

When did you start writing the book?

I began writing the book in January, 2012, the day I graduated with my MFA.

 How long did it take you to write it?

It took seventeen days to write the book, because I had the story in my mind, and it was just a matter of putting it on paper. However, editing it to the point that I was willing to show it to agents and publishers took almost a year.

 Where did you get the idea from?

I was in a bar watching a show on the television about building koi ponds. I told the bartender the unfinished ponds looked like graves to me, and he responded that they were too shallow, a good rain and the body would be exposed. I kept thinking about that, and Cass Adams was soon burying her husband in an unfinished koi pond.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

As Cass slowly gets ‘better’ after Roland’s death, Maryanne, the seemingly ‘normal’ one, spirals into a depression. I have two women going in different directions as the book progresses, and maintaining that was difficult. During editing, I would stay in one woman’s mind for weeks, and then flip to the other. There were times when I thought I could use a little medication!

What came easily?

Writing Daze Harper. I love my nutty fisherman. He was fun to write and his words came easily.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

They are fictitious, although bits and pieces I borrowed from people I have known. For example, Maryanne’s desire to have a friend that will clean out her ‘secret drawer’ before the Coroner arrives is something that one of my friends said to me several years ago. I think for most writers, borrowing from life is a very real component of any book.

 We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Marguerite Duras, because she wrote into her seventies, and I find that very inspiring. Scott Phillips, one of my favorite writers and people, writes the difficult scenes in such a raw, unapologetic way that I found myself rereading Cottonwood as I was editing They Call Me Crazy. Merle Drown taught me how to write great dialogue. Richard Carey, Craig Childs and Robert Begiebing all served as mentors as well, and each has brought something to my writing to make it stronger.

 Do you have a target reader?

Although I think this novel would appeal to anyone who wants a little fun, I also feel that women will particularly relate to the challenges that my protagonist faces.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

It’s difficult for me to define a process; it seems to change as often as the weather. I’m a very organized person, but I can’t say I stick to a particular process when writing, other than getting the words on paper and figuring it out at the end. That’s kind of been my process for life, it seems, too. 🙂

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I do outline, but not extensively.  A few chapters with a few sentences, particularly how the plot advances. With this book, I had a starting point and I knew how it would end, so it was a matter of moving from point A to point B without giving away the ending along the way.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I definitely edit when I’m finished. I have the story in my head and if I don’t get it down on paper, if I try to edit as I go, I tend to lose the original idea.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I hired a professional editor before I started querying, and then had another editor through my publishing company.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I can’t listen to anything while I work. I have to have silence. My fingers tapping the keyboard are my music. However, when I am trying to stay in one character’s head, I do find myself listening to ‘their’ music during the day. For Cass Adams, I listened to a lot of Eli Young Band. For Maryanne Spencer, old school rock and roll.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I had an agent, briefly, but we parted ways (on good terms). However, I submitted to several agents before I found her. I’ve often said writing the book is easier than the query process.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

There are pros and cons to every type of publishing, and after weighing these, I felt the smaller, medium sized press would be a good fit for me and for this particular novel. 

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did it you do it yourself?

My publisher handled the book cover design. And it rocks!

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I am an organization freak. I have had a marketing plan for over a year, I’ve been tweaking as I go, but the basics are still in place. We’ll see how it goes.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

To any author, I would say develop a thick skin and try to be patient. Also, use editors! They are valuable to the process, and should not be overlooked. I think we all want our work to be the best it can be, so invest in it.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up all over the Midwest, but I call Baxter Springs, Kansas, my home. Deacon, Kansas, the setting for They Call Me Crazy, is loosely based on Baxter Springs.

Where do you live now?

I currently live at the Salt Creek Lodge in Idabel, Oklahoma. Yes, I live in a hunting lodge, which is a story in itself, but a great inspirational setting for future works.

What would you like readers to know about you?

In order to write a book like this, a lot of people have suggested that I have to be a little crazy myself. I’m actually fairly normal. Well, sometimes.

What are you working on now?

I am working on another book that is set in Deacon, Kansas, that has some of the same characters from They Call Me Crazy. It is tentatively titled They Call Me Chief, and revolves around Chief Benny Cloud and his election bid for county sheriff.  Another fun ride through small town Kansas.

End of Interview:

For more from Kelly Stone Gamble, visit her website, follow her on Twitter, or like her Facebook page.

Get your copy of They Call Me Crazy from Amazon US (paper or ebook), Amazon UK (paper or ebook), or Barnes & Noble.
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