Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .

What drew you to the genre you write?
I’ve always liked reading mysteries. I like the puzzle aspect of it; figuring out the who did it and why. I also enjoy reading romance so romantic suspense was a natural fit for me both as a reader and a writer. I like having the ability to move between the mystery aspect and the romance aspect of a story.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
I can’t really think of any quirks in my characters. Most of them are in pretty dire straits during the novels but I may have to work on giving future characters a memorable quirk.

How did you come up with your pseudonym?
It’s a combination of my real name and my mother’s birth surname.

Tell us how you got into writing?
My mother was a high school English teacher and my father loved to read so we always had a bunch of books around. My first paying job was at the public library. I just remember one day reading a short story and thinking “I can do that and I want to do that.” That was pretty much all it took. I’ve been writing ever since.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
Well, I was a practicing attorney for nearly two decades before my husband and I moved our family to Toronto from Maryland. It was during that move that I wrote Pursuit of the Truth, the first book in the West Investigations series, and the series took off from there.

How many books do you have published?
There are ten books in the West Investigations series currently published with two more on the way. I also have an e-book out called Kill for You.

Where do you write?
It changes. I do have an office and I do a lot of my work there but I like to mix it up a bit so I don’t get bored so I move around my house and sometimes sit outside or even go to the library or a nearby coffee shop. But mostly in my home office.

What is your ideal time to write?
I write the best in the morning although now that I have multiple deadlines I can’t always write at optimal times.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
I love Nerds, only the grape and strawberry flavor, Junior Mints and pretzels. And I’m never without a bottle of Pepsi nearby.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
I really will read any genre. My favorite genre changes over time. Right now I’m really into romantic-fantasy or romantasy.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
People always seem surprised when I mention I was a cheerleader in high school. Lol. I’m not sure why. I’m pretty short, 4’11” so I was the ‘flyer’ the one they threw in the air.

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
I mentioned it earlier: Pepsi all day, every day.

Who is an author you admire?
There are so many Octavia Butler. Brenda Jackson. Ellen Raskin. Judy Blume. James Baldwin. There are too many to mention and I’m leaving off so many.

Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?
Keep writing. It’s hard. It’s hard to learn, it’s impossible to master, and the only thing that gets you anywhere is to keep at it. I love reference books. Love them, but I don’t think you can learn writing from just reading. You have to write, to try to put all the advice and guidance into practice and then shape and reshape it to fit your needs and talents. And like kids, as soon as you’ve finished the first book and you feel like you have a handle on things, the next book is completely different and nothing you’ve learned is applicable. Lol. That’s part of the fun though. Discovering each book a little at a time.

What are you reading now?
Castles in their Bones by Laura Sebastian

What is next for you?
I’m working on a new romantic suspense series and fleshing out a few other ideas as well. Stay tuned!

Where can we find you?
On my website at kdrichardsbooks.com, on Instagram at kdrichardsauthor, on Facebook at kdrichardsauthor, or on Bookbub.

Now to have some fun . . .

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Dinner as long as I don’t have to cook it!

Fruits or vegetables
Veggies.

Chocolate, vanilla, or another flavor
Vanilla

Sweet or salty snacks
Salty – my favorite snack (which I didn’t mention above because I sadly can’t get them in Toronto) is Utz Salt & Vinegar potato chips.

Ice cream or cake
Ice cream – orange sherbert

Cooking or baking
Neither! Love to eat, hate to cook at all.

Dining in or dining out
Dining in

City life or country living
City life

Beach or mountain
Beach

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall
Spring

Extrovert or introvert
Introvert

Early bird or night owl
Early bird. I’m an in bed by 9 kinda girl on a regular night

And even more fun . . .

What’s your favorite movie?
I’m not a huge movie person but I do like mystery-puzzle type movies like Knives Out and its sequel. Those are fun.

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
That is my idea of a nightmare but I’d have to say books, cell phone, and an internet connection cause I’m getting off that island!!

My bio:
Two-time Daphne du Maurier Award finalist, K.D. Richards writes pulse pounding romantic suspense and thrillers. K.D. was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs just outside of Washington, D.C. A writer since a young age, after college she earned a law degree and worked as an attorney and legal instructor for fifteen years in DC, but never stopped writing fiction. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband and two sons.