Frequently Asked Questions

K.R. Alexander Specific Questions

• Why do you write horror books? Do you like scaring kids?
  Hah! I honestly never thought I would get into writing horror books for children. I was a complete scaredy-cat growing up. My biggest fear—besides monsters under the bed and the dark—was dolls. (I still sometimes get freaked out by them.) But, looking back, I also loved reading scary stories and creeping myself out. I think reading scary books helps us face our fears in a safe, productive environment (after all, we know the book will end and the nightmare will be over!) which makes us into stronger adults.
  But also, hey—sometimes it’s just thrilling to be a little scared! Scary books are a lot of fun to write, and (hopefully!) just as fun to read.

• What books or movies scared you the most as a kid?
  Can I tell you a secret? I was terrified of the movie “Gremlins” as a kid. I still sometimes have nightmares about those big-eared critters. It took years for me to realize it was meant to be a comedy (now I love those movies). Truly, I was a scaredy-cat. Back in the days of video rental stores, I’d get scared of VHS covers for horror or alien movies. That said, I still watched shows like “Are you afraid of the dark?” and read all of the “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”… I guess a part of me liked being a little creeped out!

• Do you believe in ghosts?
  Yes. I’ve heard enough strange noises in the night and creepy shadows in the woods to know we’re not as alone as we think we are…

• Is there another author writing as K.R. Alexander?
  Yes. There is another author writing Paranormal Romance novels under the name K.R. Alexander. I personally do not write or publish these books. If you don’t see a book listed on this website, I most likely didn’t write it!

• How can I contact you?
  You can contact my assistant (ARKahlerAssist @gmail .com) for all business enquiries. If you’d like to send fan mail, I’d love to hear from you! I always respond with goodies. My address is: 6523 California Ave SW / Suite 124 / Seattle, WA 98136

• Do you offer signed copies?
  I do! Thanks to the awesome folks at Charlie’s Queer Books, I am able to offer signed and/or personalized books through their site. Just CLICK HERE to be taken to their website, and make sure you click you’d like a signed or personalized copy! (If you don’t see the book you are looking for on this page, they respond to emails very quickly!) Or, you can write to me at the address above for signed bookplates.

• Can you come to my school?
  Perhaps! Due to my day job I’m only able to schedule a few visits per year (for now). Please check out my Visits page for more info.

• Can you help me with a book report?
  I wish I could, but I’m unable to personally help with questions pertaining to book reports or school projects. If you’d like to learn more about me, please visit my bio.

• Do you have any writing advice?
  Of course! And you can find a detailed list of it here.

General Questions

• Where do you get your inspiration?
  This is such a tricky question! My inspiration comes from all over. Sometimes it’s from a conversation I’ve had or a place I’ve visited, sometimes a book I read or song I heard gets my brain going, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea, or one pops into my head before I fall asleep. Most of the time, my inspiration starts with a question: What if __? I love asking questions, and the more I ask, the more fun paths my writing takes.

• What’s your process?
  I just…write! Seriously. I don’t have any secret formulas. Usually I’ll just brew a cup of coffee or tea and sit down (often in silence) and open a Word document and just…write. I also spend a lot of time staring out the window or at the wall, thinking. Which means I don’t usually work in public because people think I’m staring at them. Some days it’s a lot harder than others, but the only way to write a book is to sit down and write it, one word at a time.

• What are your hobbies?
  I love being outside. I think in another life I’d like to work in a plant nursery, or in a National Park as a ranger. Going on walks is one of my favorite things. But since I live in Seattle where it rains a lot, I also love indoor activities like playing video games or making crafty things. I’m also a huge movie buff. Also, obviously, I love reading.

• Do you have any siblings?
  Yup! I have a brother who is four years younger than me.

• What is your favorite place in the world?
  That’s a tie between my comfy bed, or the misty moors of Scotland.

• I wrote a book/have an idea for one. Can you read it?
  I’m so honored that writers trust me enough to seek out my counsel. However, due to legal reasons, I am unable to read unpublished manuscripts unless it is in an editorial (paid) position.

• How do you pronounce your last name?
  My family pronounces “Kahler” as “Kay-luhr” but honestly I think we’re saying it wrong.

• What was your first published book?
  Okay, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Most people would think that my first published book was The Immortal Circus in 2012. However! My actual first published book was called Dinoville, and my parents had it published when I was eight, and they still have copies. Proof that I was a writer from a very early age!

• Are you gay?
  Yup!

• Are you on social media?
  I am no longer on any social media! If you want to get in touch, feel free to write me via snail mail. :)

• How do I get published? Can you help?
  Publishing is a difficult realm to break into; I appreciate that more than most. Having grown up in the Midwest, I didn’t have publishing contacts when starting out. I spent years researching the industry and how to get in. I sent out dozens/hundreds of queries for multiple projects, faced many, many rejections, and attended numerous local and distant conferences. When I finally did land an agent, my study helped me understand the industry and manage my expectations. Even then, that was just the beginning of my long journey to publication.
  This is all to say, I truly can’t help fledgling authors besides saying Keep Going. There are many paths you can take, from traditional (getting an agent) to self-pub, and what works for one won’t work for another. There’s no Golden Ticket to the front of the line, no quick path to getting published. I can’t connect you with my agent/editor/publisher save for pointing you to their main website and having you take the same route I did. Not the answer you wanted, perhaps, but it’s the route 99% of authors take, and it’s one that we all have to walk on our own. Thankfully, there are a great many resources out there to help you polish your query or connect you to local resources that can help support you along the way.

• Why did you pick _X_ cover for your book?
  I didn’t! Little known secret: authors have very little say (often, none) in their book covers. I’m lucky to have worked with some amazing artists and designers over the years, and sometimes we get to collaborate on ideas. But usually, the image is chosen by the publisher, and that’s that.

• Can you please make [hardcovers, paperbacks, specific edition/translation, movies] available?
  An author’s sole power in publishing is writing the book itself. Once it goes to print, we have absolutely zero say in what happens next—that’s all in our publisher’s hands. So I’m afraid I have no more power to influence what happens to those books than you, dear reader. In fact, you might have more say—publishers listen to buying trends and interest, so if sales are good in a certain area, they’ll likely continue pursuing it (many publishers are also available on social media!). As for movies, well… that’s every author’s dream, and sadly I have even less say in making that a reality.

• Do you offer signed copies?
  I do! Thanks to the awesome folks at Third Place Books, I am able to offer signed and/or personalized books through their site. Just CLICK HERE to be taken to their website, and make sure you click you’d like a signed or personalized copy! (If you don’t see the book you are looking for on this page, do search their website—it may be hiding!)

• I found an error in your book!
  After publication, authors have (literally) zero influence on the book. If you find an error in any of my works, you can reach out to the publisher of that work and they may take it into consideration. But generally speaking, what is on the page will stay on the page. Forever. dun dun dunnnn