Interview with David Duane Kummer (Author of "My Abigail")

We sat down with Independent Horror Author, David Duane Kummer, Author of "My Abigail", to talk about his writing, ask his advice for new authors, and most importantly, what would he do with a million dollars in prize money. 

See our review for "My Abigail" here. 

Tell us about yourself?

My name is David Kummer, and I'm from a small river town called Hanover in Indiana. I've used it as the basis for many of my books. I like to play basketball and run in my free time, as well as stay in shape. And of course, I love hanging out with my girlfriend and with my family! Besides that, I do a lot of writing and time-wasting.

When did you start writing?

I started writing when I was about 5 or 6, mainly because I just wanted to write stories. Instead of playing with action figures, I created them in my mind and gave them names and stories, writing all of these down. Quite fun.

Tell us about your book/series?

I mostly write horror novels, but my first fantasy novel was Enden. It's in a fiction world that I created, and a project that I've been working on since the day I picked up a pen (not a keyboard; I was too young.) I finally completed it, and it makes me very happy that after all those years I wrote the book I've been dreaming of.

How do you get in the mindset for writing?

Mostly, it consists of music and answering a few emails, then after that, I get straight to writing. The will comes pretty easily. The hard part is making sure I do it every day.

How much do you write in one sitting?

I write a chapter, or 2,000 words, every sitting. During the editing phases, I try to take about three weeks fixing the mistakes I see, so my writing time disappears for that amount of time.

What made you want to write in the first place?

As I said, when I was little I liked to be in charge of the story and of the characters. That continued to my middle-grade years, as I would read books and want to write my own. So I did!

How has writing impacted your personal life?

Being known as an author has changed everything for me, and especially how I relate to people. I try to be as friendly as possible because I've seen how a couple moody sentences can really hurt people! Being an author has let me understand people more and strive to see both sides of every issue.

Do you have any advice for budding writers?

My advice would be to enjoy every moment because they pass by very quickly. Enjoy every word you write and edit. And especially remember the people you meet, because authors and readers are some of the nicest people in the world!

What is your literary bible? What piece of literature has helped you become the person you are today?

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series especially helped me with dialogue, and with making my book simple yet elegant. If anything has affected me like that has, I can't think of it.

Who is your inspiration as an author?

J.K. Rowling and C.S. Lewis were the main ones because they were the first authors that I really devoured their works.

Now for our fun questions!

 What’s a historical time period you would love to have lived in?

I would have loved to see the Middle Ages because I am super fascinated with them. Live in it? No way. But viewing it in real-time would have been super cool.

Favorite television series at the moment? Why?

Sherlock on BBC is definitely my favourite. I love Sherlock Holmes. Books, movies, the whole package. It's a great series, and the newest remake is even better than most of the older ones!

You win prize money of one million dollars, what do you do with it?

I buy a couple ads to help sell my books and save most of it in the bank. I'd probably buy a lot of Twizzlers and coffee drinks. Yep. That's what I'd do.

What’s your idea of a day off?

Not working out, sitting around and watching Monk (television show), and probably shooting basketball a bit still because I enjoy that.

Additionally, is there anything you would like to say to your fans?

I really love my fans, and if any of you want to get in touch feel free to email me at davidkummer7@gmail.com. Thanks so much for this opportunity Carcharodon Books, and keep up the great work with this website!

My Abigail can be purchased on Amazon and iBooks (through the App store).

See the hype on Goodreads!

"Once you start, you’ll devour it in one sitting. You’ll be terrified. Your stomach will churn. You’ll fall in love and have your heart ripped out. Kummer does it all. This is one of the few Young Adult Fictions I’m very proud to recommend. You won’t regret it."