This Week’s Feature Author Interview with
David Kummer
Hi David Kummer, welcome to the Indie Publishing Group website. Introduce yourself to us. Tell everyone who you are, where you’re from, what do you enjoy doing, hobbies and interests.
My name is David Kummer, and I’m from a small river town called Hanover in Indiana. I’ve used it as the basis for many of my books. I like to play basketball and run in my free time, as well as stay in shape. And of course, I love hanging out with my girlfriend and with my family! Besides that, I do a lot of writing and time-wasting.
When did you start writing and why?
I started writing at a young age, dabbling in it from about 5 or 6. My first published book was at age 14. To be honest, I write books because I like to be in control of the story, and I like to decide what happens. So whereas some kids played with action figures, I created them (in my mind, anyways). That’s what I tell myself. Maybe I’m just peculiar.
Which is your favorite book you have written and what gave you the idea for it?
One of my favorite books I wrote is called She: A Horror Novel, and that’s what I’ll be talking about today. It’s my first full-length novel, my first book to really sell well, and also to get some outstanding reviews. I came up with the idea while looking through my bedroom window one night and thinking to myself, “What if I saw a lady out there watching me? And what if I wasn’t the first victim?” Of course, things get much worse than that, and while the book is scary, I promise that’s not the main goal, so don’t let the “Horror” label put you off.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
I was reading Stephen King’s It at the time, and I thought, “What if there was an It, a He, and a She?” Soon after that, I came up with the story concept, and She stuck in my mind, so I decided to use it. Seems like a great choice, so far!
Who helped you with the cover? Or did your design it yourself? What was your inspiration for your cover design?
My dad helped me with the cover, and we tried to convey a sense of something that was once beautiful and captivating fallen into disrepair. I’ve already created the cover for the sequel, and the cover is even better according to people’s reactions!
What are some of the themes of your story?
Friendship is a big one, as the story itself centers around four teenagers. Besides that, there is the fear of growing up, and the trouble of trusting authority. If you think it sounds like these only relate to teens and young people, think again! There are bigger concepts, like facing your fears and owning your mistakes.
What’s your process when you sit down and decide to start writing a book? What is your process and do you have a system?
I normally sit down and plan the story first, taking about two or three pages. I also make charts with my character names, their descriptions, and some other important information. Then I set about writing, and a lot of the story discovers itself as I go along!
Who are some of your favorite characters and why?
In She: A Horror Novel, Michael is my favorite, as he is the leader of the four friends. Also, his sister Lily is a cute redhead, who I imagined as the girl from We Bought A Zoo. These two are at the top, with Detective Daniel Smith a little below them.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Theresa Jacobs, a great friend of mine, is definitely one. She writes some great stories. Also, Amy Cross is a good horror writer. Besides them, there’s Christoper Paolini, J.K. Rowling, and C.S. Lewis, who really was the first author I read.
Have you got anything you’re working on now?
At the moment, I’m finishing the second draft of She Watches, which is the sequel to the book I’ve been talking about. It’s flying along, and I’m super pumped for the release date sometime in November!
If you could have any super powers what would they be?
I would like to never have to sleep, and I would like to be instantly dry when I got out of the shower. Those are weird, yes, but I find them both very trivial things to do.
If you could travel to any location in the world where would you go?
Probably England. I really love the culture and the history.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years’ time?
Hopefully, I’ll be about to graduate college, still with my girlfriend, and have a bigger base of amazing fans 🙂
Thanks so much for taking the time to do an author interview. Take a minute and check David Kummer out on the links below!