Introducing Kristina Gehring!!

Welcome back, today we will be saying hello to and meeting our amazing Editor and Fellow author Kristina Gehring.

She is who we turn to when we are lost with our words, and need expert advice. Please enjoy the interview and be on the look out for her works very soon.

1. How old were you when you realized that you had an interest in books/literature, and when did you know it was something you wanted to pursue as more than just a hobby?

I've always had an interest in books as far back as I can remember. I know that my mom said I started really reading at 3 years old, and I haven't stopped since. I remember being in elementary school and told my mom that I was going to "make books" someday. I never really lost that ideal/dream. As I grew older, I realized that I don't quite have the knack for creating a fantasy world like so many other wonderful authors do. I do however have the knack for helping those wonderful authors polish their pieces so they shine like gold. I knew for sure by the time I started high school that I wanted to turn my love for books into more of a hobby, it just took another decade or more before I was able to make that dream come true.

2. What is your biggest focus when editing a piece?

I don't have "one" sole focus. For me, each piece is unique - almost like a person is an individual. I take into consideration the genre, length, and purpose when editing. I look for the flow of the piece to be consistent, the rhythm moves accordingly to the scene, dialog sounds natural, and that the overall information doesn't conflict with itself at any time. I edit more for the reader than the author. The reader needs to be happy with the piece or he/she may not continue reading it, or be interested in any future pieces. I want that reader to be as happy about reading the piece as the author was about writing it.

3. If you could re-edit ANY book on the market currently, what book would it be, why, and what changes would you make?

I honestly would re-edit ANY book I've read before, even those by big names (i.e. Stephen King, Dan Brown, etc) because I've found errors in some best-selling books over the years. I've even found errors in text books when I was in college, so for me it is a matter of any piece I would be willing to re-edit if given the chance. I'm an "equal opportunity editor".

4. Tell us what a day in the life of Kristina Gehring is like.

I work a regular day job, that I love, of about ten hours a day, 6 days a week. When I come home, I have two children and a husband that I try to spend some time with, then I spend the rest of my evening working on editing. I try to fit in a little crocheting before bed, and then I wake up the next day and do it all over again.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve that other authors do?

Use of parenthesis! In a technical piece for citation, fine, but when I'm reading a fiction piece, I feel that the use of parenthesis is a cop out to being able to finish their thought. I know this sounds harsh, but I don't think in terms of parenthesis, and I certainly don't speak in terms of parenthesis, so I don't like to see them in written works because I think there is so much more the author can do to create that suspense, drama, pause, etc. in the writing.

6. What do you hope for when reading someone else's work?

I hope to be on the edge of my seat for the next piece of the story or puzzle they are creating. I want to be so into the story that when I reach the end, I'm sad it ended, but happy because I was able to experience it.

7. If you could write for just one genre, what would it be?

I think that I would like the paranormal/fantasy genre the best. I really enjoy the idea of creating a world from scratch, and perhaps someday I'll be able to make that dream a reality, *grin*.

8. What does your editing process consist of?

Annoying authors? Seriously though, I read it. That may sound like a "duh" moment, but it's true. I read through and look for inconsistencies, for instance, if at one point the author makes a character have an "accent", then the next time they talk it isn't there - that is inconsistent and it needs to be fixed.
If I feel that a sentence or paragraph doesn't flow well or the rhythm of it is just not right, I'll make a note that it needs fixed and leave it up to the author to change. I also make notes for the author when things in their story are either missing something, or if there is too much unnecessary information.
I want the author to be complete in getting their point across, but this shouldn't be like a story problem in math class where you have to sort through un-needed information.
There are some things that just need minor changes, like spelling, comma usage, hyphens, dashes, etc, and I note those changes for the author.
When I edit, I edit SOLELY for the reader, the author writes for the reader, so I should edit for the reader. I want to make sure that the reader can read the story from start to finish and not have any problems with consistency, flow, or anything else that might annoy or confuse them. I want the reader to have a seamless and perfect experience with the story so that they continue to come back for more.

9. When you're writing, what type of music helps you with your process?

It really all depends on my mood. I have everything on my playlist from the 1950's to today. Some songs I'll skip over because they aren't striking the right "chord", others I might hit repeat. There are songs I will listen to, every time, guaranteed. Those are mostly because I like the artists, not the specific genre in particular. I am very eclectic in everything I do, so it really is no surprise I feel the same about my music choices when writing. 









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