Q&A with Author M.K. Collings
There is absolutely no greater joy for me than watching a brand new author hit her stride and take off on an incredible journey to bring their stories to readers. And these Q&As have been so freaking rich in information and joy, I’m loving how they’re bringing me even deeper into the author’s lives and love of words. I first met MK online through mutual reader groups, then got to meet her in person when she attended Charm City Romanticon 2024 as a reader. She instantly struck me as beautiful, bright ball of sunshine. Always smiling, and so eager to interact with everyone. Now, I’ve learned even more about MK from her spotlight, and I cannot wait to see her again at CCR2025, this time as a signing author!
Since M.K. is part of the Shades of Romance group on Facebook, I reached out to my Shader author, Charissa Gracyk, for a little intro for M.K.’s Spotlight:
“M.K. is one of the best people I know. We’ve been running the Shades of Romance reader’s group together for years and I finally met her in person last year at CCR. She’s so much fun, but she’s also a good friend. If you need help, she’s the first to offer---whether it’s with a graphic or swag (because she’s so crazy creative) or just an ear because you need to vent. I admire the way she steps up and doesn’t hesitate to be a leader. She has a mama bear heart and will defend her tribe with everything she’s got. M.K. is a helper in all things and I’m so lucky to call her a friend.” - Author Charissa Gracyk
I hope you have as much fun reading M.K.’s Spotlight Q&A as I did!
How did you get started writing?
I’ve always been a storyteller. Embarrassingly enough, my parents have the proof with home videos. Eek!
The stories didn’t stop as a little girl though. When I was a teen, my best friend and I, who loved horror, wrote a few of our own stories to entertain ourselves. We struggled in English class but with no one grading or judging us, we had the freedom to give into our imaginative minds and push outside any limit.
How was I to know that one day I would publish one of my own stories?
One Winter night, while a couple of my Australian friends were bored and overheated from their Summer, they craved to be entertained. What started with a simple question for them, ended up requiring me to spin it into an elaborate story. With one friend who lives for angst, my character eventually got herself into a deadly situation.
Fate opened the door of my imagination that night and unleashed a whole new world. A world with characters who refused to allow me to sleep until their story was told.
A small ember instantly sparked into an uncontrollable wildfire. A fire that is continuously fed with a flame that I refuse to let burn out.
Where do you recommend a new reader start in your backlist?
My debut, Light Angel, of course. It may be my only published book at this time, but I have many more in the works and it’s a big baby. Coming in at a whopping 652 pages! I’m one proud book mama.
Light Angel is a supernatural romantic suspense you can immerse yourself in. My readers have not wanted Anya and Hunter’s story to end and neither have I.
Once you finish Light Angel, make sure you sign up for my newsletter for bonus content coming soon. Or don’t wait, just sign up now so you don’t miss a thing.
Do you have a favorite/most memorable scene/part in a novel you've written?
Anya’s story played out like it was happening in real life and I was remote viewing, documenting what transpired. There were so many moments where my jaw dropped, I gasped, my heart swooned, and I cried. How do I pick a favorite or most memorable?
If I really had to pick, it would be when Hunter helped Anya remember.
Remember what, you may ask? Well, I guess you need to read Light Angel to find out.
Is there a part of your career as an author you thought was going to be difficult but has wound up being really wonderful?
Getting to know other authors. As a book reviewer and bookstagrammer, I had already created friendships, but becoming a new author on the other side of the book world was a different story. To some, they see you as a competitor, not an ally and all I wanted was to find others to talk about our mutual loves, storytelling and following dreams.
Little did I know, a former Charm City Romanticon author, Blye Donovan, placed her blind trust in me. Back in 2021, she asked me to join a new group called Shades of Romance Reader Group. A group of debut authors all working on the same goal, to create original stories and a safe space for all shades of romance. To bridge a gap and work to resolve common misunderstandings when it comes to different romance genres. It helped me meet more current and former Charm authors such as Charissa Gracyk, Nina Bloom, Angela Taylor, Koko Heart, and so many more. This writing community took me in with open arms and now holds me hostage. And I’m not complaining.
Does this mean I have Stockholm syndrome?
Are there specific themes, tropes, or subgenres you’re more drawn to as an author, reader, or listener?
Happily Ever Afters are a must in anything I read, listen to, or write. I do tend to lean toward the mix of comedy, mystery, and suspense as well. I want stories that keep me guessing, constantly challenging my brain and ones that set my heart rate at a cadence where I’m excited to turn the next page to see what happens.
What is your favorite part about being an author?
Writing is my happy place. It is a form of therapy for me. It’s true that many authors pour a bit of themselves into their words and I am no different. Each character holds a piece of me inside them and some more than others. When I write, my demons, my pain, my passions all pour onto the page and are better than any other outlet for me. It places me in a state of mind where the world and its chaos are no longer there and it’s only me and my fantasy world.
It’s a bonus when my readers find not only entertainment, but healing in my stories.
What do you like to read/listen to? Any favorite authors you want to send a shout-out to?
What don’t I like to read or listen to may be easier to answer. LOL. I am a mood reader so I jump around. I guess it may be better to list a few. They range from Rom-Com, Contemporary, Sports Romances, Mafia, Romantic Suspense, Paranormal/Urban Fantasy/Fantasy, and I don’t stop at romances. I enjoy diving into Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense novels as well.
Authors to read: Kristy Marie, Meghan Quinn, Gail Haris, Jami Albright, Claire Kingsley, T. Gephart, Angela Taylor, JT Geissinger, Mariana Zapata, Blye Donovan, Nina Bloom, Charissa Gracyk, R.C. Reigh, Christopher Paolini, and so many more.
Narrators to listen to: Troy Duran, Heather Firth, Samantha Brentmoor, Callie Dalton, Jason Clarke, Brooke Daniels, PJ Freebourn, Connor Crais, Michell Sparks, Paige Reisenfeld, Rose Dioro, Michelle H. Lee, and again, so many more I’ve fallen in love with.
Is there someone(s) who’s been influential in your life as it relates to your career?
My friend, Author Gail Haris. Gail humored me and read my rough, and I mean rough, draft of Light Angel. I had no thoughts of ever trying to publish it. It was something to entertain friends with. After she read it, she told me that it could be epic. She convinced me to publish and I thought, well, why not? Why not try instead of living the rest of my life in regret, thinking about the ‘what ifs’. To this day, I can’t thank the woman enough for the faith she had in me and the persistence of pushing me in the right direction. A path I was meant to be on.
How have your life experiences influenced your career as an author?
I’ve been chronically ill all my life. It’s been a constant battle with my body fighting itself. With my experiences, I’ve been able to persevere and push through—to find hope and light in my darkest times. Every life lesson, every path I’ve been led on, have all brought me here as an author. To show others that even one light can illuminate a dark room. I want others to not only escape their worries by diving into my stories, but I want them to see that even when the characters feel like they won’t survive, they never give up and they find their happily ever after.
This or That: 7 random questions that may or may not be book related:
Kindle or Paperback? Kindle
Beach or Mountain Vacation? Mountain Vacation
Dogs or Cats? Dog
Ice Cream or Cake? Cake
Action Flick or Rom-Com? Rom-Com
Tea or Coffee? Tea
Road Trip or Air Travel? Road Trip
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