Tell us about yourself.:
W.D. Kilpack III is an award-winning and critically acclaimed internationally published writer, with works appearing in print, online, radio and television, starting with his first publication credit at the age of nine, when he wrote an award-winning poem. As an adult, he received special recognition from L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. He has been editor and/or publisher of nineteen news and literary publications, both online and in print, with circulations as high as 770,000. He is an accomplished cook and has two claims he thinks few can match: cooking nearly every type of food on a grill; and nearly being knocked flat when his grill exploded.
He received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Westminster College of Salt Lake City. As an undergrad, he double-majored in communication and philosophy, while completing the Honors Program. As a graduate student, he earned a master of professional communication with a writing emphasis. He was also a high-performing athlete, qualifying for international competition in Greco-Roman wrestling.
He is a communication professor and a nationally recognized wrestling coach. He is happily married to his high-school sweetheart and is father to five children, as well as helping to raise five step-children. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he continues to live, coach and teach.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I grew up in West Jordan, Utah. I had several teachers who really influenced my writing, starting with Miss Adams who taught Gifted & Talented in 4th grade and helped me get my first publication credit by entering one of my poems in a contest through the local newspaper. In 6th & 7th grades, Mrs. Ferrin was a great influence, teaching my Language Arts and Gifted & Talented classes. My first novel was written over a span of writing assignments for her class., where she let me write chapters for my book, rather than having to comply with the proscribed assignment requirements. In 8th grade, my Computer Science teacher, Mrs. Demond, was incredibly supportive. She read my hand-written manuscripts and letting me take time in her classroom before and after school to type them. In high school, Mrs. McKinnon was super supportive of my writing, often reading my sci-fi and fantasy short stories to my 9th grade Honors English class, even though that wasn't very cool at the time. Throughout the rest of my high-school experience, Mrs. Sawaya was like a second mother, really taking an interest in my writing and me as a person, teaching my Journalism classes and as the advisor for the newspaper and the literary magazine. All were hugely supportive of my writing and I wouldn't have been exposed to any of them had I not grown up in West Jordan.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don't know if it's unusual, but my wife loves her bedtime stories. I read her my work and she sometimes tells me if she thinks this character wouldn't do something or say something. She provides a little bit of a reality check for me.
What authors have influenced you?
I grew up in West Jordan, Utah. I had several teachers who really influenced my writing, starting with Miss Adams who taught Gifted & Talented in 4th grade and helped me get my first publication credit by entering one of my poems in a contest through the local newspaper. In 6th & 7th grades, Mrs. Ferrin was a great influence, teaching my Language Arts and Gifted & Talented classes. My first novel was written over a span of writing assignments for her class., where she let me write chapters for my book, rather than having to comply with the proscribed assignment requirements. In 8th grade, my Computer Science teacher, Mrs. Demond, was incredibly supportive. She read my hand-written manuscripts and letting me take time in her classroom before and after school to type them. In high school, Mrs. McKinnon was super supportive of my writing, often reading my sci-fi and fantasy short stories to my 9th grade Honors English class, even though that wasn't very cool at the time. Throughout the rest of my high-school experience, Mrs. Sawaya was like a second mother, really taking an interest in my writing and me as a person, teaching my Journalism classes and as the advisor for the newspaper and the literary magazine. All were hugely supportive of my writing and I wouldn't have been exposed to any of them had I not grown up in West Jordan.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you love and become a true student of your passions. If you write sci-fi and fantasy, no one in the room should ever be more of an expert on sci-fi and fantasy than you are.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
I read an interview with Louis L'Amour in an in-flight magazine when I was 14. It was in Q&A format. The first question was half a column, listing all his accomplishments with his books, TV and movies based on his books. The last line of the question was, "How did you do it?" His answer was two words, and it had a profound impact on every aspect of my life. He said, "I started."
What are you reading now?
Reading Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring for the seventh time.
What’s your biggest weakness?
Time. There's never enough of it.
What is your favorite book of all time?
I don't know if I could name a single book as my favorite. I've read Eric Van Lustbader's Sunset Warrior more times than any other single novel, so I have to really like it; Tolkien's Hobbit is one reading behind it. That probably says enough.
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
Reading, teaching college students, coaching wrestling.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The first book I ever read was Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I bawled my eyes out. It led to me reading all the dog books in my elementary-school library by Jim Kjelgaard and Jack London.
What has inspired you and your writing style?
I love science fiction and fantasy. I would describe my style as "realistic fantasy." Magic is more subtle. without overshadowing the characters themselves. The characters have doubts and everyday concerns, on top of the more traditional plot elements. I am often inspired by dreams I have (I call them "adventure-film dreams") or I might see or hear something that just strikes a nerve and sticks with me. Often, that little thing can become the kernel of an idea that had a book (or series of books) written around it.
What are you working on now?
Making revisions to Rilari: Book Four of new Blood.
What is your favorite method for promoting your work?
In person, but since the pandemic, I have acquired a new appreciation for social media like Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue promoting my work and fleshing out the rest of the books in the New Blood series, then expanding into my other novels.
How well do you work under pressure?
I thrive with deadlines. I have a journalism background, which is nothing if not deadline driven. I also wrestled at a very high level. There's no more pressure than walking out on the mat, one on one, and knowing that only one of you is going to win. There's nothing else like it.
How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
Tone is based in the environment in which the story takes place. The New Blood series has a foundation in Celtic culture. I have another series I'm working on that is based in Viking culture. I have a sci-fi novel that is based in a post-apocalyptic culture. We, as people, are a product of our environment. I do the same with my writing.
If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
If you like my work, tell your friends. Share it. I've been yearning for this dream since I was a child. Let's make the most of it together!
W.D. Kilpack III’s Author Websites and Profiles
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