Interviewing Author Debbie Kupfe

 

Interviewing Author  Debbie Kupfe

Tell me about yourself?

I grew up in London but somehow ended up in St. Louis, where I work as a writer, editor, and freelance puzzle constructor of word puzzles and logic problems. I live with family including two very opinionated felines, Miri and Whiskey. I’m the author of the YA fantasy saga, P.A.W.S., and several children’s picture books. I believe that with enough tea and dark chocolate you can achieve anything!

What are your favorite books to read?

Absolute favorite is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, but I also adore Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Michelle Proulx, Jen Ponce, R.R. Virdi, and E.A. Copen.

When did you decide you were going to write a book?

I decided to write a book first when I was about nine-years-old. Actually, I wrote four books, little school stories about the stuff that went on in the playground. During the years that followed, I started many novels but never finished anything. Then in 2011, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I went through treatment and thankfully today I’m cancer-free but my brush with mortality made me realize that if I actually wanted to write a book, I needed to do it. So in November 2012, I decided to try NaNoWriMo. I sat down and wrote the first draft of P.A.W.S. that month. It was messy and would take many rounds of edits to be ready for publication but I’d succeeded in actually finishing something. 

How did you come up with the name of your book?

P.A.W.S. is an acronym: The Partnership of Animagi, Werewolves, and Shapeshifters. 

What are you working on for 2021

Currently working on book 7 of my P.A.W.S. Saga: Manus Wu. Hopefully, the book will be out in early 2021. 

How long have you been writing?

Since I was small. My first story was about a little girl who turned into a ladybug. I sent that story to the Puffin Post and was really excited when I got a mention in the magazine.

What advice would you give other authors?

Try NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). It’s all online this year because of COVID, but that’s all the more time to write!

Where can people find you online?

Paws4Thought: http://debbiemanberkupfer.wordpress.com/

Paws4Puzzles: http://paws4puzzles.wordpress.com/

Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/DebbieManberKupferAuthor 

Twitter: @CiciCat42

Amazon: http://author.to/DebbieManberKupfer

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What is your favorite coffee drink?

While I do enjoy the occasional latte, I mainly get through my days by drinking a copious amount of tea – hot, strong British tea with milk.

What is your favorite coffee shop?

Sigh – COVID has made it that I haven’t been out anywhere to just hanging out for a long time. I love the idea of a quiet socially distant coffee shop, maybe in the shade outside, but sadly there isn’t really anywhere like that around here. So for now I’ll stick with my mug of tea at home.

Do you plan on making a new book in the future?

For now, I’m just working on completing my P.A.W.S. Saga. I have some other book ideas on the backburner but know that if I took time off from my main series I would just distract myself.

How many books have you written?

Seven novels (six published), five children’s picture books, four short story collections, one short memoir, and two puzzle books. 

Did you go to college to be a writer?

I went to college, but not specifically to be a writer. Writing is just something I’ve always done.

Thank you so much for this opportunity