Kristine Kathryn Rusch, USA Today bestselling and Hugo-award winning writer and editor. The book I had in the bundle is The Disappeared, the first novel in my 10-volume (so far) Retrieval Artist series.

How did you approach your first book? Is that different from how you approached the next? The most recent?

I wrote my first book out of order, thinking of each chapter as a short story. I still write out of order, but I never think of chapters as short stories any more.

What did you learn writing your first novel? Your most recent?

I learned how to use “telling details” in my first novel—how the smallest thing can be important. What I remember most is my protagonist, lying on the ground after being injured, watching ants work in the dirt. As I wrote that scene, I suddenly realized I needed to write that level of detail all the time.

In my most recent, I remembered how to have fun. I’d forgotten that.

How much do you plan out in advance, and how?

In advance, I plan the genre, the series (if any), and the mood. Other than that, I plan nothing. Writing’s much more interesting if you just let it flow.

How do you approach writing characters?

As if they’re people I know.

How do you give individual characters their own “voice.”

I let them talk to me.

How do you decide on pacing?

Pacing decides itself.

How do you decide what to reveal to the audience, and when?

I’m a mystery writer at heart. I reveal everything as it happens, but I downplay as much of the important stuff as possible. If I hide information, the reader feels cheated. If I act like it’s not important, then the reader won’t think it is either—until the end, when the reader checks back and realizes I was honest from the beginning.

When it comes to description, do you think there’s such a thing as too much? Too little? How do you decide what’s your “right” amount.

Always have the five senses each time I change a scene. After that, I put in what the character notices. If the character is a person who sees every little thing, then I write every little thing. If the character sees very little, I put in very little.

Do you have a specific place to write? A separate computer?

I write where I need to write.

Do you listen to music as you write? If so, what?

Almost never any more. I appreciate silence.

Do you finish, then edit, or do you edit as you go?

I never edit. I stitch the book together when it’s finished, because I write out of order. It’s like making a quilt. I take the pieces, and move them around, and finally find the right pattern. Once that exists, I sometimes have to put in a few pieces that tie the rest together. Otherwise, I spellcheck and I’m done.

Do you wait until you have an idea, or do you sit down and write every day no matter what?

I’m a professional writer. If I waited for inspiration, I’d be an amateur.

What’s your biggest hindrance to finishing a book?

Nothing.

How many people get to read your unfinished, or recently finished, work?

Depends on the series. My husband, writer Dean Wesley Smith, reads everything. If I’m writing a series book, I get a fan of the series to read it to make sure I’m not making mistakes in the details. Then it goes into line-editing, copy editing, and proofing.

What do you feel are your strengths as a writer? What advice would you give for someone who wants to improve that aspect of their writing?

I leave strengths for the readers to determine. As for improving, I believe writers should strive to improve everything every day, even the things they are “good” at.

What would you like to improve with your writing, and how would you go about doing it?

I read a lot. I read for enjoyment because that’s the only way that a writer understands what another writer is doing. Reading critically is not how the book was meant to be read. So if a writer pleases Reader Me, then I go back and look to see what the writer did—after I finished. Otherwise, I let everything go into the subconscious, and hope it comes out my fingertips later.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out, trying to finish (or start!) their first novel.

Read for enjoyment. Write every day. Finish what you write. Mail what you write (or self-publish it). Write something new. Don’t spend years rewriting. You’re wasting time. Writers, like musicians, learn by doing, not by repeating the same piece over and over again.

Who are your favorite authors?

F. Scott Fitzgerald. Daphne Du Murier. Stephen King. Michael Connelly. Mary Balogh. Connie Willis. And, and, and…

If you could ask your favorite author one question, what would it be? What would you like to learn from them?

I would rather read them to learn from them.

What’s your favorite book of all time?

The Great Gatsby, Rebecca and The Shining. My favorite of those three depends on the time of day and my mood.

Do you sell across all eBook platforms? Has one done better for you than others?

I sell on as many eBook platforms as possible. It’s so much better to give readers a choice. As for which does better for me, it depends on the book. Some do better on iBookstore, others on Kobo, still others on Kindle.

How do you feel about KDP Select (i.e. Kindle Owners' Lending Library)?

I think it’s a great way to make your readers angry at you. You’re dictating that your readers must own a Kindle. Why? Why not let your readers read you on all platforms? I think writers who use Select don’t understand how badly they’re limiting their audience.

Do you sell print versions of your books? If so, what company do you use, and why?

Yes.

Do you do any marketing? If so, what works for you, what hasn’t?

Sometimes. If the mood strikes. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ because I enjoy the platforms. So when I do something new, I let my followers know. Otherwise, my various publishers handle the marketing.

Did you enjoy being a part of your StoryBundle? Have you seen an increase in sales separate from the Bundle?

I loved being in the bundle. Thank you! Since I put the first book in my Retrieval Artist series into the bundle, I’m seeing a halo effect on all platforms. Readers are picking up the rest of the series. It’s rather like a mouse swallowed by a snake. I can see the bundle readers moving through the snake one book at a time. Quite cool.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch writes science fiction, mystery, romance, nonfiction, literary, western, horror, fantasy, and every other genre she can think of. She publishes most of her work under her own name, but she also has several pen names, some open and some not. Her Edgar-nominated mysteries are published as Kris Nelscott; her bestselling paranormal romances as Kristine Grayson. She’s currently writing (roughly) ten different series over four different names as well as stand-alone novels and short stories. She’s wondering if she will ever sleep again. You can find her at kristinekathrynrusch.com, on Twitter as @KristineRusch, and on Facebook and Google+.

Geoffrey Morrison is a freelance writer and editor. His first novel, Undersea, was featured in the first StoryBundle. You can follow him on Twitter @TechWriterGeoff.