BOOKS

Author Crush Friday: E. Katherine Kottaras

Glitter girls, you have pressing questions for your favorite authors and we have their answers. Welcome to our  weekly segment, Author Crush Fridays.

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We love asking questions and we love the answers from some of our favorite authors. Today we’re talking to E. Katherine Kottaras, author of How to be Brave (November 3, 2015; St. Martin’s Griffin).  Thank you for talking to us today, E.! We’re honored!

How To Be Brave

GLITTER: Tell us five random facts about yourself.

  • I’m a Haunter. That means my family and I decorate for Halloween. And not just a little bit. A good half of our garage is dedicated to our Halloween decorations. It’s a year round hobby.
  • I like to build miniature fairy gardens.
  • I’ve seen Singing in the Rain about fifty times, maybe more.
  • I’ve seen R.E.M. in concert about twelve times. I still have faith that they will reunite someday.
  • I love to eat dandelions – yes, the same plant that grow as weeds in the grass. If you’re Greek, this will not seem random at all.

 

GLITTER: For those who haven’t read your book yet, how would you describe How to be Brave?

E: How to be Brave is about a girl who has lived her life in fear and who sets out to try new things, despite her insecurities. Before her death, her mom commanded Georgia to live differently—to try everything at least once and to never be ruled by fear.

 

GLITTER: Who was your favorite character to write in How to be Brave and why?

E: I loved writing Georgia. The book is written in first-person, and I really enjoyed writing her voice. She’s sometimes kind, sometimes snarky, sometimes scared, sometimes brave. One of the constant responses I’ve received from readers is that Georgia – even in her unlikeable moments – is real. That has been the best compliment. I love Georgia – I see that she makes mistakes but she is earnest in her desire to find her way to a better place. I kind of think of her as a second daughter. It’s been fun letting her go into the world.

 

GLITTER: How much of your real-life went into writing this book?

E: Georgia and I certainly share similarities: we both grew up in Chicago, we’re both Greek (though I’m half), and we both carry fear and insecurities. I was seventeen when my father died and thirty when my mother died, and the book began as a thought experiment to see what my relationship with my father would have been like had my mother died first. Certainly, Georgia’s grief over the death of her mother echoes my own process. However, as I started writing, Georgia became her own character with her own struggles.

 

GLITTER: What can you tell us about the hashtag, #HowToBeBrave?

E: As Georgia discovers, there are many different ways to live a life of courage – whether it be by skydiving or taking a trapeze class (numbers 3 and 4 on Georgia’s list), by learning how to draw or dancing to your heart’s wild content (numbers 6 and 10), or by reaching out to others in their time of need (not on the list, but equally important). Many people have told me that they don’t think of themselves as brave because they feel fear. However, I have come to understand that being brave does not equate to being fearless. I also think that each of us is brave in our own unique ways; sometimes our brave acts are grand and public gestures, sometimes they are small and quiet. I created the hashtag #HowToBeBrave as an invitation for people to share how they are brave. I’ve been overwhelmed with the responses and have been Storifying them here. https://storify.com/ekatwrites/howtobebrave

 

 

GLITTER: We understand you mesh yoga and writing together. Is there a favorite pose that not only gets your blood flowing, but also gets your creative juices flowing as well?

E: Yes! After warming up with some Sun Salutes and Warrior poses, my favorite is Arda Chandrasana, or Half-Moon. I love it because it’s an inversion, but it also requires core, and it’s a hip stretch, too. If I’m stuck in my head, whether it be due to anxiety or writer’s block (or a mixture of the two), if I can go upside down and breathe deeply, it often helps me gain a new perspective on whatever is bothering me.

 

GLITTER: What are you most afraid of? How have you conquered your fears?  

E: I am most afraid of losing those I love the most. I will never conquer this fear.

 

GLITTER: What book are you currently reading?

E: I’m reading two books: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng and Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir by Carrie Brownstein. I recently heard Brownstein speak with Amy Poelher in Pasadena. Actually, it was on November 3, the day How to be Brave launched into the world, which was the perfect way to celebrate my book’s release – plus, it ended with a spontaneous wedding, officiated by Carrie Brownstein herself!

 

GLITTER: What are you working on next?

E: I’m working on edits for my second book, The Best Possible Answer, a young adult contemporary that is also coming from St. Martin’s Press in fall 2016.

 

E. Katherine Kottaras CREDIT Emily Mae Marie

Photo credit: Emily Mae Marie

ABOUT E. KATHERINE KOTTARAS: 

Katherine Kottaras is at her happiest when she is either 1) at the playground with her husband and daughter and their wonderful community of friends, 2) breathing deeply in a full handstand, or 3) writing. She now lives in Los Angeles where she’s hard at work on her next book.

 

WHERE TO FIND HER: 

Website: http://www.ekatwrites.com/

Tumblr: http://ekatwrites.tumblr.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ebkottaras

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ekatwrites

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ekatpic/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9515786.E_Katherine_Kottaras