Pump Up Your Book Chats with Cozy Mystery Author Kim Smith
Author Interviews, Featured — By Dorothy Thompson on January 2, 2010 at 10:57 pm
Kim Smith will be right in this very spot live on Monday, Jan. 4 from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., answering any questions you may have about her book. Leave a question or comment (along with your email address) anytime (get in early!) between now and 11 p.m. on Jan. 4 and you may win a free electronic copy of her cozy mystery novel, Buried Angel (Red Rose Publishing). One lucky winner will be announced on Jan. 5. Thank you and good luck!
Kim Smith is the hostess with the mostest for the popular radio show, Introducing WRITERS! on Blog Talk Radio. Her show http://www.blogtalkradio.com.kims has been hailed as the most fun, most relaxing, and best show for an author to let their hair down and talk shop. She is also the author of the zany, Shannon Wallace mystery series available now from Red Rose Publishing, and many romances short and long. You can visit Kim’s website at www.mkimsmith.com, at her blog, http://writingspace.blogspot.com, at twitter http://twitter.com/mkimsmith, or facebook http://www.facebook.com/mkimsmith
Thank you for this interview, Kim. Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later? Do you remember your first published piece?
I have always been a great imaginer. I used to make up stories as a child and then I would play-act them out. My first published piece, and yes, I actually got paid for it, was a fantasy called The Last Dragon Slayer. It was published by Gryphonwood Press and it was written as a story to show one of the seven deadly sins. I chose greed. The dragon portrayed a gold-hungry critter that needed overthrowing… well, until the last dragon-slayer appeared. The dragon slayer was even greedier than the dragon!
What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?
I believe that keeping all the balls in the air as a published author has to be the most frustrating. Once you become a published author you move from that title of “aspiring” to one called “producing” and your publisher wants you to keep turning out good stuff. The tricky thing is, you also have to wear the hat of publicist, agent, critic, etc. There are a lot of things that you have to do once you become published to keep yourself in the reading public. No longer can we as writers just sit in our writing chair day after day and turn out stories. The most rewarding side of being published is having readers. I love my readers. They pick me up when I am having a bad day, and they point me in the direction of where my writing should go on a good day, when the writing won’t quit.
Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life? Do you have support?
I am an old married hound dog for nigh on twenty years. This is my second deployment in the married world so I feel like I have been married all my life. My kids are grown up and not underfoot much anymore so I do not have anything at home that hinders my writing. My full-time job hinders more than anything. I feel like if I had more time in a day, I could get a lot more done. Oh well, maybe when I retire! I do have a lot of support from my hubby. He is always thinking of great story ideas for me to consider, and he listens to my read out loud and critiques stuff for me. It is great to have him in my corner.
What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing? Where do you like to vacation? Can you tell us briefly about this?
I confess. I read for fun. I do! I try to get in one whole book a week, and always have something I am reading for my radio show at all times. I love to go to my sister’s for vacation. She lives in the most beautiful state in the union in my opinion, and that is New Hampshire. I could move there today if permitted.
Buried Angel by Kim Smith (click on cover to order online)
If you could be anywhere in the world for one hour right now, where would that place be and why?
At a writers convention. I realllllly want to go to one but have never had the money and the time off my job at the same time.
Who is your biggest fan?
Susan Orlieb. She is always reading my work, posting comments on my blog, visiting with me wherever I am. She is just “superfan” and I heart her.
Where’s your favorite place to write at home?
I always write in the family room. It is where my laptop is, where my hubby is, where the tv is, and where the couch is for a nap when I grow weary of writing.
What’s your favorite library and why?
Right here in my hometown. I can go there even on Sunday and it is free to me since I am a native of this state. If I try to go into the big city nearby they charge $50.00 for a library card since I am out of state.
What’s your favorite bookstore and why?
I love my Barnes and Noble. It is huge, and I can spend hours in there looking at things that I have interests in. I never get hungry because they have a café, and it is just my favorite place on earth.
Do you have any pets?
I do. My little ChiaPom, part Chihuahua part Pomeranian, Tinkerbell. She runs my house. If she ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.
What are you reading right now?
Right now I am involved with several books, Boca Knights by Steve Forman, The Ranks of Jody Brae by Jonathan Cullen, and for fun, B is for Burglar by Sue Grafton.
Tell us a secret no one else knows.
I hate my double chin. I do, really really.
What’s the first thing you notice when you meet someone?
Their eyes. I think the eyes are the windows to the soul, and I can pretty much sum up what people are like by following their eyes and their reactions.
Have you ever won anything?
Yes! I have won over $4500 playing a slot machine one time.
What’s on your to do list today?
Sigh. Hopefully finishing the third book in the Shannon Wallace Mystery series, and getting my housework done. There is always something going on around here and the menial tasks often go lacking.
I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in January for a virtual book tour. Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online?
I have done it before and truly believe it is the best way to promote your book. Pump Up is the absolute best one out there. Hands down. I always want to give my books the best start in life I can, and a book tour is the way to do that. You can reach a readership on VBT that you cannot reach any other way.
Thank you for this interview, Kim. Good luck on your virtual book tour!
Thank you for having me on! I love this sort of “kickoff” for the tour and appreciate your time very much.
You can visit Kim’s official tour page here to find out more about her new book, Buried Angel!
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32 Comments
Thank you for having me on your site today. I love readers and writers and look forward to this time!
Great interview!
Kim:
Do you have a writing schedule or do you write whenever you feel like it?
What’s your all time favorite book?
melvautour(at)hotmail(dot)com
Hi Kim! Had an emergency this morning but glad to have you here! I have a question…you have a job, you write books and you host a radio show. Do you have any organizational skills that helps you combine all three without going mad, lol?
Hi Kim!! How are you, my friend! I am soooo excited for the kick-off of your new book! I am finishing an ebook up and hoping to get started on Buried Angel in the next or two.
Do you ever get tired of hearing “when is the next book coming out?!” I am so horribly guilty of asking that one, lol.
I wanted to tell you that I LOVE the cover of Buried Angel! The colors are gorgeous, the picture ominous, yet the flowers are a bit of the whimsicle, I think. It fits perfectly from what I remember of Shannon in the first book!
How many books are you planning for this series?
Okay, I’m gonna zip it now and let others chat, lol. Can’t wait to follow along on your stops, Kim!! Great interview!
A great interview; always nice to read tidbits about the author.
I’ll have to add your new book to my wish list; the to-read list keeps getting longer.
Hi Kim,
Dropping by to lend my support and give you a virtual wave. I’m thrilled you’re back with us again. Guess what Santa brought me? A Kindle! So now I can read your books. Woo-hoo!
What are three things you want people to know about Shannon Wallace?
Good luck during the tour.
Cheryl
Hi Kim,
You have written so many books and in such a short time span. What’s your motivation? Is it the characters that compel you to write or some other secret? Do you have a process for writing your novels, like an outline or do you start with the story first?
Oh you guys so sorry I am slow today we had a huge setback at work today that has ruined my progress. I will answer all of these questions in just a few minutes
Hi Kim,
I think that we could be best friends. You sound like a hoot.
There is nothing that I like better than a good murder mystery, that’s filled with quirky characters and lots of fun.You never know…you may just be the next Janet Evanovich!
I’m so looking forward to reading all your work!
Are all your books in ebook form?
How do you keep coming up with new ideas?
Hello,
Do you like to listen to music when you write or do you need it to be quiet?
You have a pet that controls your house. My pet Cosmo is the boss of my house also.
Great interview. Good luck with the tour.
Melissa
Well, well, Ms. Smith . . . we meet again. ;^)
I am genuinely tickled for you. How very cool to have your third tour and book release! I haven’t any clue how you keep doing it all, but bless your heart, you keep plugging away.
I read the excerpt a while back and really enjoyed it. It looks like you’re off to another great start.
I’m going to try and follow along on your tour. I may not always comment, but I’ll be watchin’ ;^)
As for questions, I don’t have any. I think I asked you all my questions the last time we talked on your show. What fun! We’ll do it again someday.
Melanie, I do not follow a rigid schedule of writing, but I do write SOMETHING every day. In a year, it all ends up in a book. My all time favorite book used to be Gone with the Wind but has definitely been replaced by the Harry Potter books. I LOVE THEM!
Dorothy, I don’t have a drop of organizational anything, I promise. I just love to do what I do and I would hate to be a problem to anyone who is counting on me so I work reallllly hard.
April, thank you so much! I think the artwork is stellar for all of my work thus far, and the artists at RRP are to be commended. No I never get tired of hearing when is the next book coming out because that means people like you are anxious to get another one! I have planned three books to the series and am just finishing up number three, Crooked Angel.
Thanks for stopping in AF!
Cheryl three things that people need to know about Shannon is that 1. she is really a nice person but very naive and very scatter-brained (sort of like me?) 2. she loves junk food but hates what it does to her waistline 3. she would take a bullet for her friends and family
Rebecca, I do work quickly when the muse strikes and I think that is how I manage to turn out work so fast. I have a few things that have just been sitting on the old hard drive too, and when they get revamped and sent out and accepted, it makes me very happy that I am so prolific. I promise, if you sit down and write a page or two a day you will have a lot of work to promote soon.
Libby, thank you so much! That is the best honor I could ever be bestowed would be to be compared to Janet. She is one of my fav authors and her books are soooo fun!! my books and short work is ALL in ebook form at the publishers, fictionwise, mobipocket, kindle, allromanceebooks and gosh I think the Nook too! Ideas are never my problem, I promise, it is finding the time to get them down on paper! I get ideas from other people. A turn of phrase, a snippet of a conversation, or just a news story can send me running for paper!
Melissa, I do listen to music. It helps me to focus or something. I am seriously thinking of creating music lists for books because it seems like when I get to writing and certain songs play, I write more and faster!
This is so much fun! thank you all for stopping by and supporting me!
Hey JW!! Thanks so much for stopping by- and you are welcome to comment at any time- I hope you will!
Thought I would throw this in…. there is a very good article in this month’s Writer’s Digest. It is the annual yearbook and the article is all about what happens when your book is accepted. One of the things that the writer said was to “write your next book” and that that was the most important thing to do after you finish one, go out and do another one. I agree 100 %
Omg, Kim, wow. That is the best advice E-V-E-R!
I just discussed this on the radio show too… and of course plugged this tour :) but if you want to be a PRODUCING author… well, you have to PRODUCE!
Wow! What a wonderful interview!! I will definitely be visiting as many stops on your tour as possible. :)
YAY! Hi Susan! Did you see your mention up there? You guys Susan is the best fan a writer ever had. She is super fan!
We all need super fans!
Hey, I agree about the production thing. One of my clients churns out multipled titles a year, has a radio show, is a speaker at multiple conferences a year, and too many other things to count. I am totally amazed by the sheer number of books she can submit to her agent every year; but then I check her Facebook messages and she is almost always working on something, so I guess that explains it.
Kim, if you would like me to review your latest book, please let me know. It probably wouldn’t happen until Feb, but if you’re looking, email me.
Cheryl
Congrats on your new novel, Kim and well done for the interesting interview too.
Thank you very much Cheryl! I would love it. Will email ya offsite.
Thank you so much Ogo!
Congratulations goes to Libby who has won a free download copy of Kim’s book! Woohoo!!!!
Kim – thanks for supporting authors through your web radio show. Best of luck on your book tour!
Thanks Nicole! I hope everyone benefits from the show. The best way to insure this is to go out and find it on iTunes and rate it. I appreciate your support!
What a great interview, Kim! I hope you get to go to a writer’s conference soon — If there’s one in New Hampshire it could be a double bonus for you!
Good luck with the new release. I’m so proud of you and so excited to read it (an the third one in the series, too! Keep working at it. I hope it’s finished soon.)
Oh Lisa! If there is one in NH I am so coming up there! And thank you for your support!
Great blog and good advice too. I’m in complete agrement on sit right down and write if you want to. I do and I want to LOL – and I plan on writing as long a I can see the monitor.
Write on,
Jackie Griffey
Congratulations to Melanie! She wins an electronic copy of Kim Smith’s Buried Angel! Thanks for the email address…will be emailing you shortly. ;o)
Thank you so much!! :D