Into the Mystic : K. Parr

Into the Mystic, Volume Three is a short story anthology featuring nine paranormal short stories that center on a lesbian/bisexual romance. I’m super excited about it, since I feel there is a lack of LGBT fantasy romance especially ones that focus on the ladies. Since I know a few of these authors, they let me interview them!

K. Parr

Home – A stray, an alpha, and a question: Where does she belong?

K.Parr is a writer of multiple genres, including young adult, romance, fantasy, paranormal, and humor, all of which contain LGBTQA elements. In her spare time, K reads and writes fan fiction, keeps up with way too many TV shows, and dances wildly in her apartment. She currently works as a youth services librarian in Rhode Island.

Favorite Authors:

Tamora Pierce
Tanith Lee
Rainbow Rowell
Laini Taylor
Kristin Cashore

As L.J. Longo runs away from L.J. Hamlin who has very scary teeth, she turns the corner and crashes into K. Parr, who’s paying more attention to her phone.

K. Parr: Oh hey, L.J. What’s up?

L.J.: Oh you know, running from a vampire chasing me. Nothing new. You?

As a taxi stops before the curb.

K. Parr: That was fast. Uh… I guess rescuing you.

L.J. scrambles into the taxi. K. Parr shrugs and gets in after, slamming the door just before the vampire leaps in.

L.J.: Great. Hey tell me about your Into the Mystic story while we go… where are we going?

K. Just heading to meet some friends for a monthly get together. I mean, I might not want to go. Maybe I’ll just lock myself up in the basement again.

L.J.: Say what?

K.: My story in Into the Mystic is called “Home.” It’s actually a combination of two short fan fics I wrote. I stole the plot and basic character elements to create this story! I was dying to write about werewolves, and I just LOVE when one character overworks themselves because they’re too proud to accept help. In romance, that allows for the other character to sweep them off their feet and convince them that they deserve help, and it’s okay to ask for it when needed.

L.J.: Aww, that sound so sweet.

K.: I really enjoy the sweet tenderness that happens between two girls in love. It can be very sensual, so alluring. I also believe there needs to be more published F/F romances out there, so I was happy to contribute my little story!

L.J.: So reclaimed fan fic, huh? Tell me about inspiration.

K. shows on phone.

K.: I have a pinterest! I based Joss the alpha on Gal Gadot, whom I adored in Wonder Woman. Oh man, her bedroom eyes.

K. fans herself.

K: Farah was inspired by the character Farah Black from the show Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.

L.J.: Any challenges in adapting these two very not paranormal fantasy characters into your story?

K. seems to have gotten lost in the pinterest. Scratches her ear.

L.J.: K.? Challenges writing fantasy romance?

K.: Oh! I’ve written fantasy and romance several times before, so I didn’t encounter many challenges in terms of genre. What I did have to work at was tighter language and a plot/character arc that ended within the frame of a short story. I have more experience with longer novels, so short stories can be tough for me. I really have to limit my typical scope and make sure all the loose ends tie up neatly.

L.J.: I feel you. Short stories are such a weird thing to write if you’re used to novels, especially for an antho call.

K.: This was the first time I actually wrote to the prompt rather than trying to sell pre-written work. It’s risky, because if the anthology doesn’t accept the story you’ve written specifically for it, you may have trouble selling it elsewhere. It could also pay off, though, and make you stand apart from other writers. My advice is to browse open calls and see if any pique your interest, then go from there.

The taxi has taken us out into what looks like a tree-lined highway at twilight. The moon hangs over the trees sharing the sky with the setting sun. K. seems a bit nervous about the view.

L.J.: I think that piquing the interest is the big takeaway. You can’t force it.

K.: Oh yeah! You have to write what you love! This is especially important when you’re starting out, because it’s easy to be swayed by other people’s opinions about what you should and shouldn’t be writing. You need to follow your passion so that the spark will carry you through the whole process from start to finish.

K. Parr fidgets in the seat and looks out at the thicker forest.

K.: Hey would it be weird if I asked you to put me in handcuffs, L.J.?

L.J.: You know that’s not where I thought my night was going, but I’m down to–uh, are you feeling okay?

K.: Dang it! I never time this right!

K. Parr opens the door to the taxi as coarse reddish hair starts to sprout under her suitably librarian attire. She rolls out of the moving car, leaving L.J. flabbergasted.

Soon a very red-headed wolf is loping off into the woods to meet her pack.

L.J.: Man I have the weirdest friends.