KIRSTEN MACKENZIE
"Great Authors know their stories best. Some of them lived a part of it. Add that with their creative imaginations and you wouldn't even be able to tell the difference. Main characters are described to perfection in a way that you find yourself rooting for them as the pages are turned. The story puts a blanket over the realities of the real world and the only thing that exists to you is the book in front of you. While you are at work you can't wait till your lunch break so you can dive into another chapter. That's the power of words put together in a great book. Kirsten Mackenzie is one of those great Authors. She let us know what motivated her."
Jason. E. Foss
Jason: "What motivated you to write Painted?"
Kirsten:
"They say write what you know. Easy, I know antiques, I know old frames, and I know old homes filled with collections assembled over a lifetime. In the case of Painted, I began with a collection of old portraits and worked from there writing about an auction house cataloguing the deceased owner’s collection of art and antiquities, weaving in some of my own darkest fears."
"Years ago, on a holiday in Egypt, I was woken in the night by a man appearing in my room. I first thought there was a fire and he’d come to wake me. Alas no, he was there to tell me how much I reminded him of his girlfriend. The stench of alcohol wafted from him but instead of screaming I pulled my sheets up higher and we spoke. He sat in the room talking for a while, before leaving. I was too paralysed with fear to do anything sensible at the time."
"As horrifying as the experience was, writing a fictionalised version of it as part of the plot for Painted was cathartic, and the recurring nightmares I used to get have all but disappeared. Whether that particular passage in my book conveys the precise level of fear I was aiming for is for the reader to decide."
Jason: "Which character can you relate to the most and why?"
Kirsten:
"I would say that I relate most to ‘Anita’, the lead protagonist in Painted. A young woman (I was once one too…), focussing on her career in art appraisal and antiques. After my father died suddenly, my brother and I quit our jobs to run the family antiques store. I’d always loved antiques, but working in the shop enhanced that passion, and I see that passion in ‘Anita’."
Jason: "For your fans and book lovers briefly describe Painted."
Kirsten:
"Painted has been described as ‘Caravaggio meets Poltergeist’, and I couldn’t have described it better! It’s not a book filled with gore or extraneous violence, it’s more a gothic horror where the fear creeps up upon you, shadowing you in the hallways in the darkest part of night."
"It tells the story of Anita’s return to work after a terrifying personal experience, and what happens in the house full of art she’s sent to appraise. The lawyer for the dead artist didn’t bother giving Anita the instructions the artist left behind about how to handle the art. Instructions which were designed to keep her safe… safe from the art."
Jason: "Are you working on another book and if so what can you tell us about it?"
Kirsten:
"I am halfway through my next thriller titled The Ruination of Art. Set in 1966 Florence, during their devastating floods, this novel also delves into the art world, and the tricky subject of forgeries and fraud. Although I’m already 60,000 words into it, I’m starting to feel a link to Painted coming through, so it will be interesting to see how that pans out!"
"And just to really keep me on my toes, I’ve started a YA time slip series - Ithaca Bound. It’s early days yet, only 20,000 words in. I have an excellent beta reading group on my Facebook page who are reading and commenting on each chapter as I produce it!"
Jason: "For those that want to read your book what is the easiest way to buy "Painted"?"
Kirsten:
Painted is available across all digital platforms, and paperback copies can be ordered through any good independent bookshop. Your local library can also source it for you. Translated versions are available on Amazon in Italian, and in Brazilian Portuguese.
Purchase links for Painted are here: https://books2read.com/Painted
Links to my social media accounts: https://linktr.ee/kiwimrsmac
CLOSING
"Kirsten Mackenzie was motivated by the saying "write what you know" and she knows antiques very well. Mix that with what happened to her in Egypt and you have something that will get pages turning at a steady pace. What I admire most about Kirsten is to see how she transforms a horrible moment in her life into a book that would create a chilling and thrilling story for book lovers everywhere. Her bravery back then and the way she didn't panic is not an easy task for anyone to endure. Thankfully she is here and uses her creative talents to give us a book that will satisfy our love for an original horror story. Click on the link above and buy "Painted".
Jason E. Foss
Empowered-individuals.blogspot.com
954 743 8670
954 743 8670
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