Author Kim Cormack : The Awesome Elle Klass

Get to know the Awesome Author Elle Klass. Let's start with a few wacky questions.

1. Have you ever gone out in public with your shirt on backward, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said, screw it?

Worse, I went to work in my slippers one day. They were comfy and I was in a hurry, forgot I was wearing them until I got to work. Lucky for me they have shoe-like soles so nobody noticed or said anything. A couple weeks later I wore them out with my boyfriend. We met up with a few friends, one asked, “Why are you wearing house shoes?”

I responded, “They’re comfortable.”

2. Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?

I sleep better and love my bed messy; pillows and blankets everywhere! Sometimes I fall asleep with my tablet or the remote control in my bed too. My bed is a comfy place filled with mystery items.

3. What household items do you kill spiders with?

A shoe. It’s a very effective way of killing them. I once killed a wolf spider in my kitchen. Wolf spiders carry their young on their backs. I didn’t it that until I killed the spider and bunches of babies scattered across my kitchen floor!

4. Are you someone with complaints or someone that goes with the flow?

Neither, if I don’t like something I change it for myself. I’ve quit multitudes of jobs, gotten divorced and made the brave decision to self-publish. My path in life is mine to forge.

5. Any strange talents the world should know about?

I’m not sure if it’s a talent, but I tell it like I see it. If a booger is teetering on the edge of your nostril waiting for you to laugh hard enough it flies across the room, I’ll tell you. I’ve been accused of not filtering my words, but that’s not true. I filter and say it anyways sometimes, but only when asked my opinion or if someone has done something to offend or hurt someone I care about.

Now, let's be deep and serious for a minute.

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a free spirited person who may take off on a whim and travel. I love horror and thrillers and rarely watch a movie that isn’t deemed scary or at least suspenseful. One of my goals in life is to visit as many beaches as possible. I love the beach! I’m the middle child and have an older and younger sister. I grew up entertaining both of them to keep the peace and I still love entertaining.

2. What genre do you write?

I write various genres. My first release As Snow Falls is a woman’s contemporary romance. Baby Girl is a YA/NA adventure series with a touch of romance and suspense. For my last release, I dug into my horror/ thriller roots and created a paranormal suspense novel Eye of the Storm Eilida’s Tragedy. It’s the first in the Ruthless Storm Trilogy. Most of my drafts are thrillers and paranormal so readers should expect more edge of the seat fiction with unfathomable twists and turns from future publications.

3. What kind of readers will it appeal to?

My books appeal to various groups. Eye of the Storm Eilida’s Tragedy is my latest release so I’ll stick with that in this answer. The audience so far is internationally diverse, love that, and mostly early twenties and up. It seems most readers love suspense and the unexpected in a book. One reader told me she had to quit reading it before bed and started reading in the mornings because it scared her. She loved the story!

4. Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Writer’s block means one of three things to me. 1. I’m tired and need sleep. 2. Get off the computer and take a walk or watch a scary movie because my brain needs a mental break. 3. I’m not listening to my characters (happens when I’m sleepy) and need to erase and go back. Occasionally I cut the parts I erase. They come in handy later. In Baby Girl series City by the Bay I wrote an entire chapter, it flowed then I realized it wasn’t the right spot for it. Later it became part of Baby Girl Bite the Big Apple.

5. Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I free write after months, years of contemplating a story. I say I free write but the outline is in my head. I hate to be too structured as my characters have ideas different than mine. No story goes as my brain plans. Eye of the Storm had a completely different ending than the one Eilida, Sunshine, and Evan decided on. A novel meant as a stand-alone book is now a trilogy.

6. Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

I first set out to publish traditionally. I sent my book out to a few literary agents who did get back to me even though they turned me down. I get that they want the next best seller so they get their cut. I did get one offer but didn’t like it and decided I’d do it on my own. And so I did. Today if a publisher offered me a deal it’d have to be real sweet and not impinge on my creativity or rights for me to accept.

7. Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

I’m currently working on a surprise. But the time is drawing near so I’ll give a hint. It’s the Baby Girl book its readers have been asking for, to be released in June or July. Then my attention will take a 180 as I finish Calm Before the Storm Evan’s Sins Volume 2 Ruthless Storm Trilogy. It’s a prequel so hold on tight to your hats and be prepared to linger on the edge of insanity and fear.

8. What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

That’s a tough question. I enjoyed writing all my books. Baby Girl City by the Bay was maybe the most fun as I placed her in the land of my impressionable childhood and teen years. Through Cleo I relived learning to drive. La Tige made her drive through hilly San Francisco and over the Bay Bridge in his beast-vehicle. As a teen I drove a stick shift and remember clearly my first stoplight on a hill. Sweat dripped from my forehead as I planned exactly how I’d get the vehicle going without rolling backward into the car behind me. In no time, I was a stick shift pro.

9. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

Depends on the criticism. Good criticism I respect. Bad criticism I shrug and move on. My first book As Snow Falls I didn’t have any connections so I muddled my way through publishing and marketing. I’m thankful for the criticism and support I received. If I had to choose one negative criticism about any of my books is most people miss the character’s name in ASF. It’s mentioned only once. I accept that as it was meant to be that way. The best compliment is Eye of the Storm being compared three times by three unique individuals as Hitchcockian. Wow! Huge compliment as Hitchcock was a master at suspense.

10. Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Don’t give up! Seems simple but I’ve met authors who were ready to throw in the towel because of slow going book sales. It takes time to build an audience and learn the business. My first year I had no plan other than observe and experiment. This year started with a strong marketing plan and more and more readers are discovering my books. I’m not a billionaire yet but my books have a growing following and I make steady sales.

11. Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

I have big surprises coming soon to the Baby Girl series. I want to spill everything right her, right now. However I will stay tight-lipped. I’m excited!

12. Do you have a website or blog where we can keep up with your work?

I sure do. My website is http://elleklass.weebly.com and my blog is http://thetroubledoyster.blogspot.com. And you can get to know my characters through their Pinterest boards, Cleo, Eilida, and Sunshine have boards here https://www.pinterest.com/elleklass/.

A childhood overcome with unimaginable tragedy. The scars that linger after the storm. I've been sitting here trying to figure out how I'm going to write this review without giving away any of the incredibly cool plot twists in this book. Elle Klass has a gift. She can set up a spine-tingling scene. I become absolutely giddy when a storyline surprises me I always try to guess what's going to happen next. I'm proud to say...Elle Klass totally got me. I finished this book feeling both disturbed and excited to find what happens next. Bravo!!! I'm giving Elle a cheer followed by a long gratuitous slow clap. Eye of the Storm is, an intense, twisted awesome read!!!" Love the surprise plot twists. I want to go on about each one, but it'll let the cat out of the bag. I want my blog readers to get the full experience. So cool.... Great Work Elle Klass. 5 Stars for this twisty intense read. I can't wait to read your next book!!!

An example of this author's descriptive ability to keep you with her... in the moment….

An unnatural, eerie silence fell upon the garage creating a vacuum; the only sound that she

could hear was the thumping of her heartbeat. A creepy feeling swept over her while fear mixed

with familiarity wrenched at her internal organs, causing shallow breaths to escape her mouth, and a

quickening of her pulse. She cautiously lifted her eyes upwards to see the mysterious stranger; to her

surprise, not a soul was standing there, and the muddy shoes had disappeared. She twirled herself

around, but nobody was in sight.

She plucked her lipstick off the garage floor and beeped her car. Her heart beat wildly in her

chest, knocking to get free of her body, thump, thump, thump. Wasting no time, she ran the few feet

left to her car, jumped inside, and locked the doors. Her deep blue eyes scanned the garage, looking

for the perpetrator. She gathered herself together, taking a deep breath, knowing she still had to

check the seat behind her. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and gradually turned her head to

peer at the seat behind her. She fully expected to see a maniacal killer raising his arms with a plastic

bag in his hands to suffocate her. Finding the back seat empty, Sunshine placed her palm over her

heart, and a flood of air emerged from her lips as she released her breath.

She cranked the engine, and the tires chirped as her vehicle leapt from its parking spot. An

isolated rumble of thunder let loose as she made a right turn out of the garage, a single dark cloud,

hung in the sky, following her home.

Elle Klass Bio:

Elle was born into this world in Redwood City, California and spent her childhood growing in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. She graduated from the University of North Florida with a bachelor’s degree in education. For fun she reads, spends time at the beach, travels, and enjoys time with her favorite friends, and family. She is a night-owl known to be a hermit during rainy days, as she has a love for sun, and is mostly found poolside over the hot, humid summer months.

Eye of The Storm: Eilida’s Tragedy (Book 1 in the Ruthless Storm Trilogy) Blurb

A disturbance at her neighbor's house piques Eilida’s curiosity. What she discovers is so shocking it sends her running through the mountainous woods during a thunderstorm. She slips on the wet ground, plummets down Mount Wilde, and slams into a large boulder beside River Freedom. Eilida is transported to Lyden, where Sunshine, a receptionist at the local paper becomes engrossed in her story. The further Sunshine delves into Eilida’s life the more entangled their lives become. Paranormal events, frightening dreams, and terror filled memories draw the women together into an unthinkable web of horror.

Youtube Review:

https://youtu.be/nEKTKJHMwQI

“It is a well written and compelling tale with an amazing concept that is worth the read. Great for young adults and adults as well.”

Michelle Randall for Readers' Favorite

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/eye-of-the-storm