Author Spotlight: KELLY MATSUURA

Continuing our Author Spotlight series, I’d like to share my own interview this week! (Excuse the following use of third-person…)

 

 

Kelly Matsuura grew up in Victoria, Australia, but always dreamed she would live abroad.  She has lived in northern China, Michigan in the US, and over ten years in Nagoya, Japan, where she now lives permanently.

Kelly has published numerous short stories online; in group anthologies; and in several self-published anthologies. Her stories have been published by Visibility Fiction, Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly Publishing, A Murder of Storytellers, and Ink and Locket Press.

She majored in Asian Studies at university, and (sometimes) studies Japanese, Chinese and German. Her other hobbies include cooking, knitting, sewing, and traveling.

As the creator and editor for The Insignia Series, Kelly uses her knowledge of Asian cultures to help other indie authors produce great diverse stories and to share the group’s work with a new audience.

Kelly’s blog/website: www.blackwingsandwhitepaper.com

Facebook: Kelly Matsuura-Author

Twitter: Kelly Matsuura

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TWENTY-FIVE QUESTIONS

 

1. Author Name/s: Kelly Matsuura & Kelly Noro (romance, 18+)
2. Years active as a writer: 8
3. What genre/s you write: mostly fantasy, some scifi and literature.
4. Favorite genre to write: YA fantasy
5. Favorite length of story to write: short story length (1500-7500).
6. Your nationality: Australian
7. Country you live in: Japan
8. Number of Asian countries visited: 6
9. Favorite Asian country (visited): Japan, of course 😊
10. Favorite place in Asia (visited): Terracotta Warriors in Xian, China. Incredible!
11. Place (city or country) you most want to visit in Asia: Angkor Wat, Cambodia
12. Favorite Asian cuisine: Indian
13. Favorite Asian dish: Really hard to say…but, Okonomiyaki (Japanese).
14. Favorite Asian movie (any genre): Raise the Red Lantern (Chinese). My dream is to see the ballet version!
15. Favorite Asian book (any genre): A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth.
16. Favorite Asian celebrity: Li Lianjie aka Jet Li
17. Best thing about being a writer: Always having something to do and new things to try. There are always short story markets open, or you can make your own projects, etc. And you can be as busy as you want to be with it.
18. Worst thing about being a writer: Having to give up on a story that you love but can’t get right.
19. Day writer or night writer: Night. I write better when all my housework and other jobs are over for the day.
20. Drink/snack of choice (while writing): Endless cups of tea! No snacks at the computer.
21. Number of short stories/poems submitted each month (av): 2-3 per month.
22. I dream to be published with/in (publisher/publication): Daily Science Fiction (flash stories), and Harlequin for paranormal romance.
23. Most active on (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram): Facebook.
24. Self-published, traditionally published, or both: Both.
25. Currently working on: editing a paranormal romance (as Kelly Noro) and I’m putting together some dark fantasy stories of mine for a new ebook.

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Stories included in The Insignia Series Anthologies:

‘Moon Shadow’ and ‘The Waiting World’ (Insignia: Japanese Fantasy  Stories)

‘The Great Qilin’ and’The Ghost Bride’ (Insignia: Chinese Fantasy Stories)

‘Never Seen’ (Insignia: Southeast Asian Fantasy)

‘Ribbons & Bones’ (Insignia: Asian Fantasy Stories)

‘Apsaras’ Dance’ (Insignia: Asian Birds & Beasts)

‘Stay Silent’ (Insignia: Asian Flash Fiction & Poetry)

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Interested in publishing with us? We are now open for poetry submissions to a new online series, Insignia: Instincts. See full details on the Submissions (Poetry) Page.

We’ll also have an open anthology call. If you love to drabble, or want to give a try, get ready for Japanese Fantasy Drabbles here.

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