Author Interview // Author Paul Kilmartin

We are so thankful to have author Paul Kilmartin sharing today through our latest Author Interview! His latest work, Secret of the Lost Key, is currently up for voting through Kindle Scout, a reader-publishing platform. There is only ONE day left, so go check it out here. Enjoy!

What do you use as inspiration for your writing?

I have always found great joy in writing, though initially without any sort of direction. I loved how I could tell a story and control the narrative, that the characters could bend at my will and it was up to me to tell their story. I guess fear compelled me into not doing anything about it and so they remained buried, sometimes in my head and sometimes in a notebook. I had finally reached a saturation point that the stories couldn’t be contained any longer. The ideas, themes and general story lines for four novels came to me over the course of a week. It was exhilarating. I couldn’t put words down onto paper fast enough. So inspiration, has come from everywhere.

You currently have a book being voting on through Kindle Scout. Can you share your experience with this process?

Kindle Scout for me, has been an eye opener into the amount of self publicity that you need to do when you want to self publish. I had a book already on Amazon, a passion project if you will. My first completed novel. But I never promoted it all that well, so it just sits there. I imagined the world would come to it. I spent 2017 writing and promoting that first one that I just thought, I need to re-shape my focus and start to push my other works out there. Kindle Scout has opened my eyes to the hidden community that is out there, that support and seek out new Kindle writers.

What is your biggest writing pet peeve?

Probably hearing about the slush piles in publishing houses. That was tough to hear about. That you could spend so much time on crafting a really good story and to find out that it might come down to luck, whether it gets published or not. I think that’s what has drawn me to Kindle Publishing.

What was your most satisfying moment while writing the Secret of the Lost Key?

That’s a great question. My most satisfying moment was feeling the different story lines intertwining with one another. The character of Lillian Cross was pivotal to that. I had never planned anything like that as I want the story to naturally arc.

Have you found that the Secret of the Lost Key stayed along your intended path or changed course while writing?

I had the story idea in one big blast of inspiration. I had wanted to place these two very ordinary and working class boys into an extraordinary situation. The small changes happened after the midway point when the Bill Cutters character had really developed and it seemed natural that he too would have someone to answer to.

Do you have a favorite character from your books? Why this specific character?

I think my favorite character from Secret of the Lost Key is the intrepid and extravagant adventurer, P.T Dugdale. He was great fun to create. Of all of the others, it’s difficult to pick a favorite. I become incredibly involved in my characters when I am writing and I feel so connected to all of them.

What do you want to share about The Secret of the Lost Key that would inspire new readers?

Secret of the Lost Key is a gripping, adventure story. But it certainly has a real message too, of the dangers of hero worship and what happens when someone is so desperate, that for the chance to change their lives, they could put themselves in such immediate danger.

Can you tell us your favorite book and why?

Of late, I have read two incredible books, The Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George. I am a big Lee Child fan and also of Matthew Reilly, two authors who write at a phenomenal pace. William Shakespeare from my school days, I read The Merchant of Venice and it brings back memories of our great English teacher reading passages aloud at the top of the classroom.

What author has inspired you the most in your writing?

I would say Lee Child, for his consistency. But outside of that, I try not to think of what I am reading as inspiration, for fear of trying to replicate their work. More so, the inspiration of how a writer finally became published by always believing in themselves and never giving up.

Of course we have to know, what is in-store next – books, events, etc.?

I am a busy little bee. I have two books that are currently with publishers in the key decision phase, so that’s a little nerve wracking. I have the genesis for an idea for a sequel to Secret of the Lost Key, so all going well with Kindle Scout, I will finish that this year as well. And all while working 40+ hours a week as a Health Care Assistant in Dublin, Ireland. It’s all been a bit of a dream come true so far.

Paul Kilmartin has a pure joy for writing and currently has his second book, The Secret of the Lost Key, in voting through Kindle Scout. He has a background in the healthcare industry where he works full-time while living in Ireland. You can find him on Twitter.


Thank you, Paul, for stopping by and answering our questions! We wish you all the best with Secret of the Lost Key!