Kristi Ann Hunter graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in Computer Science but always knew she wanted to write. In addition to several pre-published contests, Kristi is a Rita award winner and has also been a finalist in the INSPY, Christy, and GRW Maggie Award of Excellence. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia.

Tell about yourself, family, pets, favorite foods, hobbies, where you grew up, etc., and 1-3 things about yourself that have nothing to do with writing.

 After growing up in several different states (no, my dad wasn’t in the military) I settled in Georgia with my husband. Three children later, we’re still here. When I’m not writing or serving in the youth and production ministries at church, I enjoy playing board games, listening to music, and not having to cleanup after any pets because all I house are dust bunnies.

What genre(s) do you write?

All of my published works are historical romances which tend toward the light-hearted and funny feel. I soon hope to branch into contemporary rom-com as well.

Are you Indy, traditionally published, or both?

Both! I recently made the shift from traditional to indy. I’m taking a year to see how everything goes and then I may shift back into a hybrid set-up.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a contemporary romantic comedy. It’s been a nice change of pace as it requires an entirely different sort of research and editing than historicals.

Do you read outside of your genre? If so, what other genres do you like to read?

I read pretty widely from all the sub-genres of Romance. When I branch out from there, I enjoy fantasy, and the occasional YA book as well.

Did the first book you wrote get published? How long were you writing before you were published?

The first book I ever COMPLETED got published, though it was rewritten approximately ten times before that happened. There are several pieces of books that I never finished that came before, though.

When you are writing, do you like complete silence, or do you like to listen to music? If so, what kind of music do you like? What are your favorite writing snacks?

 I don’t write well in complete silence but I can’t have words either. So I will typically put on movie soundtracks or use an ambient noise simulator when I’m working.

 Which do you prefer, writing or editing? Why?

I haven’t heard many authors say this, but I love rewrites. Because I am still mostly a seat of the pants writer, my first draft is me figuring out the plot. It’s messy and has all sorts of holes in it and getting that first draft down is a struggle. The next step, rewriting all those mismatched pieces into a cohesive unit is the absolute best. Line editing is awful and proofreading is the worst.

 What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

This may go along with my favorite portion of writing, but the best advice I ever received actually came from a screenshotted tumblr post. In it, the poster talked about how a professor once told her not to edit, but instead rewrite. So when I am rewriting and doing those first substantive edits, I open the original on one side of my screen and retype everything on the other side. Because I am going to touch every sentence anyway, I find myself making small changes I otherwise wouldn’t stop to make.

Do you prefer ebooks, printed books, or audiobooks most of the time?

This has evolved with the structure of my life as my kids have grown and I expect it will begin to reverse itself as they continue to grow, but currently I am a huge fan of audiobooks. I was once paperback all the way with an occasional eBook. Then I loved the convenience of eBooks when I was having to read one handed or on the go. Audiobooks can be listened to WHILE on the go or doing chores. I’m just happy we have so many formats to choose from so we can keep reading no matter what stage of life we’re in.

What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book?

Sit down and write. It is very easy to get caught up in publishing, marketing, craft books, etc. If you don’t know where you are starting from, though, all of those things are useless. See what you naturally write, whether or not you can finish a story, and if you even enjoy the process. THEN start making yourself a better writer.

What do you think is the best way to improve writing skills?

Work on one area at a time. When you are learning to write there are so many things to learn at once. After you are more established and published, it can become easy to get in a rut or get overwhelmed with advice and reinvent yourself. I try to improve one area of writing in each book. That way the rest of what makes me the writer I am doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.