Interview With An Author—Kimberly Diede

—How did you discover you were a writer?
It has been an evolution. My “day job” demanded I hone the skill of communicating business related concepts, processes and procedures through the written word. I had to learn to clearly articulate things in a concise, well-organized manner and include enough detail to convey the message but not so much that I lost the interest of my audience.

I have always been a voracious reader. I love to read and my interests are wide. Up until about ten years ago, most of my reading centered on all kinds of fiction. Eventually, I reached a point in my life where I was searching for more: more fulfillment in my work, better health-related habits, how to deal with teenagers, and the list goes on and on. I wasn’t finding much of these “everyday” topics in the fiction I was reading and I found myself turning to more non-fiction. I missed the entertainment value of the fiction but soaked up the wealth of wisdom in my non-fiction books of choice.

At some point along the way, the idea started to germinate and grow in my mind to somehow combine my love of fiction with my writing to serve as a creative outlet. I came across a quote by Albert Einstein that describes my transition to writing fiction perfectly:

“There comes a point in your life when you need to stop reading other people’s books and write your own.”

I felt there was an opportunity to develop stories people can relate to by focusing on everyday struggles and offering positive solutions. Entertainment with a message. I love a good horror story as much as the next person, but our world today is filled with lots of sadness and tragedy. My mission is to offer stories that inspire hope and optimism versus fear and hate.

—How many books have you written and what are their titles?
I am still relatively new to the world of book writing. I published my first novel, Whispering Pines in September of 2017. My half-finished manuscript sat idle in my desk drawer, sometimes for months on end, over the preceding three or four years. In the summer of 2016, I committed to finishing and publishing my book. I ended up telling enough people I planned to write a book, and they showed such amazing support, I knew I couldn’t disappoint them. I had to finish it.    Since publishing Whispering Pines, I’ve written a novella called First Summers at Whispering Pines 1980 and recently launched the second full-length novel in my series titled Tangled Beginnings.

—What was your favorite childhood book? 
I couldn’t get enough of Nancy Drew, the teenage detective. I read every book in the series and still have my collection of most of them. Nancy’s spunk and independence stayed with me through the years and I think a small part of me has always wanted to “be” Nancy.

—Tell us about a pivotal book you read as a teenager.
As a young teenager, I remember being scared to death reading The Amityville Horror. There were many books in the horror genre keeping me up at night back in those days. There was something about the shock value of those books that kept me coming back for more. My tastes and reading lists have changed since then but those early books taught me the impact a great book can have on the emotions of the reader.

—what gets your writing juices flowing?
A coffee shop, hours of uninterrupted writing time and a great cup of coffee.

—What is the best money you ever spent as a writer?
Hiring a great editor, Spencer Hamilton. I also joined Self Publishing School, an online community and course where I learned how to self-publish my novel. Both of these investments have proven to be well worth the money.  I’ve also learned the value of having a great book cover and enjoy working with Ivan over at Cakamura DSGN Studio. He is helping me develop consistent and striking covers for my series.

—How do you choose the names for your characters?
I avoid using the names of people I know. I will often pull up lists of popular names for boys or girls during the decade my characters were born.

—Do you hide secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
I wouldn’t say I hide anything but I do like to draw upon what I know best which means people reading my work see lots of “me” in the story. For example, the holiday traditions I describe in my first book match very closely the traditions we have followed in my family all my life. Now that you mention it, it would be fun to hide little tidbits in future books. I will have to try that!

—What was your last project?
Completing and publishing Tangled Beginnings has been another huge project for me.  I will continue to market the book in the months to come but getting a second novel to the “publish” line is so exciting.

—What is your next project?
Tangled Beginnings is Book 2 in my “Celia’s Gifts” series. I am working on the third book now and plan to have at least six books in this particular series. I also want to continue to grow my reader base. I enjoy writing a weekly blog I post every Sunday morning based off of my chapter headings in Whispering Pines and Tangled Beginnings. Each chapter in the books is named using a gift theme. For example, one chapter is “Gift of Closing Doors” and another is “Gift of Expansion”.  I am excited to delve deeper into these writing prompts.

—How can readers connect with you?
Please visit my website at www.kimberlydiedeauthor.com or drop me an email at [email protected]. I would love to hear from you!