Free Time Diaries: K. R. S. McEntire
"If you have a story to tell, tell it."
Welcome back to Free Time Diaries, a series where I talk to people about how they spend their leisure time. You can find previous installments here.
I’m someone who loves reading fiction but can’t imagine crafting it myself. Never say never, I guess, but it doesn’t come naturally. Unsurprisingly, I love leaving my non-fiction bubble and discovering writers with imagination. Years ago, I connected with K. R. S. McEntire, an author who focuses on sci-fi, fantasy, and dystopian young adult books, and I was thrilled when she agreed to share more of her story with Free Time Diaries. Enjoy!
AYANA: Tell me how you discovered the thing you like to do in your spare time. How and when did you fall in love?
K. R. S.: I've been writing ever since I was a child. When I was nine, my dad gave me The Chronicles of Narnia, and after reading it, I wrote my first chaptered fantasy book in one of those black-and-white school journals. I never stopped writing. I wrote Saving Eden, my first published book, in high school and later published it as an adult.
One of my goals as a writer is to create stories that are accessible to preteens and teens while also being diverse and inclusive. For example, I have ADHD, and I recently wrote a coming-of-age fantasy romance featuring an 18-year-old female main character who also navigates life with ADHD.
AYANA: One of the biggest struggles I hear about hobbies (including from myself!) is that there aren't enough hours in the day. Can you share how you find the time and motivation?
K. R. S.: This is my biggest challenge! I work full-time as a public relations manager for a library system, and I'm also a mom to two toddler boys. I have author friends who publish multiple books a year—three or more—and it blows my mind! Right now, that's not possible for me. I may publish one book a year, and sometimes that book is a short story in an anthology with other authors.
With my limited time, I try to embrace writing slowly, fitting it in whenever I have a free moment. I don’t want to sacrifice quality just to write faster, but I do wish I had more time.
AYANA: What's one thing you love about your hobby? Feel free to share more than one if there are several!
K. R. S.: I love the fact that I have met some cool people who are passionate about writing as well. I've had the opportunity to travel to attend author events such as the Imaginarium Book Festival in Washington, D.C. I've joined a local writers meetup in my city and have connected with local bookstores. Little kid me writing books in my notebooks would never have guessed that my stories would be in bookstores and libraries, but they are.
AYANA: Do you monetize, or is it strictly for fun?
K. R. S.: I do sell my books! When I look at my Amazon Publishing Dashboard, it tells me that I have earned a little over $7,000 from my books on Amazon (I know I have more from in person sales that I'm horrible at tracking). But this is not all profit. I hire editors. I hire cover designers. When you're an indie author, you are a one-person show and you have to fund your team. And sometimes I buy silly things, like stickers or character art, because it sparks joy.
AYANA: Any words of advice for someone who wants to start?
K. R. S.: Find community. And also avoid scammers because there are a lot of people trying to take advantage of writers. And if you have a story to tell, tell it!
K. R. S. McEntire is from the generation that dashed through platform 9 ¾, fell in love with vegetarian vampires and motorcycle-riding werewolves, and took down a corrupt government during the Hunger Games. Her sorting hat placed her in Gryffinpuff (she’s convinced it’s a thing).
McEntire remembers how magical it felt to follow wardrobes into unimaginable worlds, and she hopes to bring that same joy to the next generation. Her earliest introduction to swords, dragons, and mythical kingdoms was playing RPG games alongside her father, and she’s glad that writing allows her to build her own epic worlds.
She runs the Facebook page Diverse Books With Magic, where she promotes diversity in speculative fiction. McEntire lives in Indianapolis with her husband and her two sons, Justus and Kaden. Visit her website here.
Have an interesting hobby you want to share? Shoot me a note at hello@ayanalage.com.
Fascinating! Thanks for the highlight, I’m joining her Facebook group right now!