Interview with A.K. Turner, author of 'Hair of the Corn Dog'

A.K. Turner is the author of This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store, Mommy Had a Little Flask, and Hair of the Corn Dog, as well as a coauthor of Drinking with Dead Women Writers and Drinking with Dead Drunks. Her work has been featured in various publications and anthologies, including Folio Literary Magazine, Leave the Lipstick, Take the Iguana, and I Just Want to Be Alone. A former writer-in-residence and creator of “The Writers’ Block” on Radio Boise, she lives in Idaho with her exceedingly tolerant husband and two daughters.

Learn more at AKTurner.com.

Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life!  Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process.  Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning?  Where did you come up with the idea to write

your book?

Hair of the Corn Dog is the third book in my “Tales of Imperfection” series. The first two are This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store and Mommy Had a Little Flask. About the same time that I discovered humor was my genre, my husband and I started a family. If you can’t laugh during pregnancy and parenthood, you’re in for a tough road ahead, so I decided to use that as my focus. With the third book, Hair of the Corn Dog, it’s shifted more toward family life in general, but laughter is still certainly the goal.

Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

Honesty is key. Many writers second-guess themselves or think that readers want something other than truth. If that was the case, they’d have bought a novel. When you’re writing humor about yourself, be completely honest and open and refrain from embellishing. Real life is funny enough. Readers will respond well.

Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

I self-published. I haven’t ruled out traditional publishing for future works, but the self-publishing process has been wonderful thus far.

Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?

Success was definitely a surprise. When I published my first book, my goal was just to get to a point where it didn’t cost me money to be a writer. Making a living beyond that and being able to write full time has been phenomenal. Also surprising was the venom that people use in some reviews. I have plenty of wonderful reviews, but every now and then there is a really harsh and hateful one. I no longer read reviews, which takes a lot of discipline. Typically if someone hates my work, they’ll leave an awful review somewhere and leave it at that. But if someone really likes my work, they take the time to contact me or find me on social media, so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on connecting with my fans by avoiding the reviews. I think it’s healthy.

Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?

I’m planning a trip with my family later this year that will include a few stops around the globe. And of course I’ll record every detail along the way. I’d like to start a new series which continues to highlight the often ridiculous but ultimately rewarding moments of family life, but include an element of travel. As far as when it will be published, that depends on whether I use a traditional publisher or self-publish. At this point, it’s up in the air.

Q: What’s your favorite place to hang out online?

What an excellent and difficult question. I don’t have a real juicy answer for you. I’d have to go with something much more nerdy like the virtual Scrabble board on Facebook.

Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?

Life is short; laugh hard.

  

Q: Thank you again for this interview!  Do you have any final words?

Thank you for the opportunity! Read, drink, and be merry!