Indie Author Spotlight, Episode 19

Hello! It's me (again). S.E. Reed, your favorite multi-genre Indie Author and volunteer at The Writer's Workout. Okay, so maybe I'm not your favorite, but I am an Indie Author who has made it her mission to help you find out more about others like me. Each of these episodes features a Q&A-style interview with an Indie Author so you can get to know more about them and their writing. In addition, some of the authors have chosen to participate in a 2nd interview on my website, Writing With Reed, which I'll link at the end.

Today's episode is with someone I had followed for a while on X, but didn't know too much about. What I did know was that she seemed to be a friend to many, a real ray of sunshine on a sometimes very dark platform. This interview was a joy for me because I was able to get to know K.T. much better. Not just her as a person, but her as a writer and the reason I started following her in the first place. I hope you'll take the time to learn more about her and pick up one (or two) of her books to read. I promise, you'll be glad you did!!

Hi K.T.! Thanks so much for meeting with me today. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Carly, but I write under the pen name K.T. Carlisle, which is an homage to my father, who always called me Kitty Carlisle growing up and who always believed in my dream to be a writer. Writing was something that called to me from a very early age. While other little girls played with Barbies and skipped rope outside, I was busy hand-binding picture books that I wrote and illustrated, using a book-binding kit that my aunt had gotten me one year for my birthday. I knew from the time I was ten that I wanted to make writing my career, so I spent my entire life fighting to make that dream a reality. After high school, I attended Rowan University, which, at the time, was only one of three schools in the country that offered a degree in Writing Arts. I majored in Writing Arts, concentrated in Creative Writing and New Media, and by the time I graduated, I received the Excellence in Writing Arts Award—an award given to one student out of a graduating class of more than 3,000, recognizing them for their ability both as a writer and teacher of writing. Since graduating, I’ve spent the past eleven years honing my craft through a variety of roles, including as a literary agent in training at Donadio & Olson. In 2023, I decided to self-publish my first book and have been writing and publishing books ever since. To date, I’ve published five books and sold nearly 2,000 copies across all five titles. It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. 

Tell us about your writing style.

I mostly write adult psychological thrillers and murder mysteries; however, I recently branched out into the YA world and crossed genres into romantic comedy territory. While thrillers and mysteries will always be the genre I gravitate toward the most, I had so much fun writing my first romcom that I can definitely see myself writing more in the future. 

Tell us about a project you’re proud of and link it. 

I’m proud of all my book babies, but of all the books I’ve written, I KNOW WHAT I SAW remains my favorite project. 

Spill the tea, what are you currently working on?

Currently, I’m working on edits for my first romcom, LOVE AFTER LIFE. I can’t say too much about it other than it’s one of the best books I’ve ever written, and I’m so excited for the world to fall in love with Luke and Anna’s story as much as I have while writing it. 

What is your biggest/best piece of advice for other Indie Authors?

Invest where it counts—and I don’t mean in paid ads. I think one of the biggest mistakes that indie authors make early on (and I count myself in this) is paying for ads when they should have invested that money in a quality editor and cover designer. Nothing is more powerful than word-of-mouth advertising, so if your book is poorly edited or has a bad cover, you won’t get as many readers recommending your book to others, hindering its reach. 

Who is your favorite Indie Author? 

It’s so hard to pick a favorite, but right now it’s Sam Verba. I completely fell in love with her series, CAN’T WAIT TO BE DEAD. She has such a magnetic writing style that pulls you in and refuses to let you go until you’ve turned the final page. I can’t wait to dive into book two of the series! 

Where can someone find your work, social presence, etc. drop some links. 

Readers can find out more information on my website at www.ktcarlisle.com or by following me on Twitter at @KT_Carlisle. Fellow authors (both querying and independent) can find out more information about my editorial services at www.ktaeditorial.com.

If you want to know more about K.T., check out her 2nd interview over on my website - https://www.writingwithreed.com/post/bonus-episode-with-k-t-carlisle