Please help me give a big Hoosblog welcome to Kim Chance!
Kim Chance is a high school English teacher and Alabama native who currently resides in Michigan with her husband and three children. When Kim is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and two crazy dogs, binge-watching shows on Netflix, fangirling over books, and making death-by-cheese casseroles.
I don’t recall when I first met Kim, but since she lives in west Michigan and we both write YA, we’ve been at a couple book events together. We even shared a table at a particularly slow event last year—which meant we had plenty of time to chat. If her southern drawl doesn’t charm you, her sparkling personality and realistic view on life certainly will. And I REALLY admire her Instagram engagement…
Welcome Kim!
Thank you so much for having me, Melanie! I’m super excited to be here!
Tell us about your book.
My latest book, Seeker, just came out in September! Seeker is the sequel to my debut novel, Keeper. Both books are young adult contemporary fantasy and are a completed duology. My inspirations for the books came from all the shows I loved in the 90s: Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Charmed. If stories with magic are your thing, check out my books!
Here is a short blurb for each book:
Keeper: When Lainey Styles, an SAT whiz and bookworm, discovers she’s a Keeper—a witch with the exclusive ability to wield a powerful spell book that has been stolen by a malevolent wizard—she is forced to leave her life of college prep and studying behind to prepare for the biggest test of all: stealing back the book.
Seeker: With her family murdered by the Master, Lainey Styles must join forces with a group of Supernatural rebels and learn how harness her uncontrollable magic. In the ultimate battle for power, Lainey and her friends must face-off against the Master, and work together to discover the greatest weapon of all. Seek…and you will find.
Buy them here: Keeper | Seeker
Now for the fun stuff!
What’s your favorite genre? Do you read what you write?
If you had asked me last year, I would have absolutely said that my favorite genre to write was young adult fantasy. My first two novels are YA contemporary fantasy, and I have always loved creating stories with magic and other fantastical elements. However, over the last year, I’ve done a big pivot in another direction. There are a ton of reasons for this, but the main one is that a story idea popped into my head and it was unlike anything I’d attempted to write before. I knew it was a story I just had to tell, so I started experimenting, and found that this new genre really seemed to fit me. I realized that as much as I love fantasy, my strengths as a writer are better suited for this new genre. Once I realized that, I dove in headfirst, and I’ve been having so much fun with it.
I know you’re probably wondering what genre it is, but I’m keeping that pretty close to the vest for right now (although it’s definitely not difficult to figure out if you know my personality). In the past, I’ve had a bad habit of revealing way too much information about my works in progress which ended up having some negative effects on my mental health. I’m an anxiety sufferer, and it’s really important to me to protect my health as well as my creative process. So for now, let’s just say… You’ll have to wait and see!
In terms of reading, I will read pretty much any genre! I have my favorites, of course, but if a story premise sounds interesting, I will give it a shot regardless of genre! I will say though that YA fantasy will always have a very special place in my heart!
I admire that you’re able to stay quiet about what you’re working on. I cannot keep anything to myself and feel like I’m always blabbing WAY too soon.
What’s your favorite part about writing?
Writing has always been how I process things. I end up channeling quite a bit of my own emotions and experiences into my work, and it helps me make sense of things. There’s a lot of freedom in sitting down in front of the computer and just letting my fingers do the talking. I love the place I go to in my mind when I write, and I think my favorite part is just letting my imagination run wild.
There’s a George R. R. Martin quote that I think says it best. He said, “I have lived a thousand lives and I’ve loved a thousand loves. I’ve walked on distant worlds and seen the end of time.” I believe he was referring to reading, but I think the same came be said of writing. Getting to journey into the adventures of your own mind is such an incredible experience!
I’m channeling emotions about two different life events in the book I’m currently writing. It’s amazing sometimes how those things will sneak up on you!
What’s the hardest part of writing for you?
Oh man, I tend to think every aspect of writing is challenging, but I think the hardest part for me is that initial first draft. Drafting is definitely my least favorite stage of the process, and sometimes it feels like I’m slogging through the mud trying get the book done. However, I love revising! Once I have the bones of my story down, I love going back through and refining the story and making it all shiny! I definitely think my strength as a writer is in revisions.
I also think self-doubt can be pretty difficult to navigate as well. I am definitely my own worst critic, and it’s really hard for me to be objective when it comes to the stuff I write. It’s something I’m working on, and one of my goals for 2020 is to not be so self-deprecating when it comes to talking about my writing. It’s hard though. Turning off the voice of my inner editor is not an easy feat, but I’m learning to just trust the process and not beat myself up so much. I’m also choosing to rely on the opinions of people I trust (my critique partner, my agent, etc.) instead of always assuming everything I write is garbage. I think all writers wrestle with self-doubt, but we have to learn how to work through it and keep going.
It is SO important—and valuable—to have people in your corner whose opinions you trust, especially when we’re doubting ourselves. And can you please edit for me? That’s my least favorite part.
What’s an activity unrelated to writing that you love?
Playing the ukulele! I love to sing and have always wanted to learn to play some kind of instrument, so I asked for a ukulele last year for Christmas. For the past year, I’ve been teaching myself how to play it. I absolutely love it! I’m definitely still a beginner and since I’m teaching myself, it’s a bit of a slow process, but I enjoy it so much! I can already play a ton of songs and it’s something I try to practice at a little bit each day. I hope to be really good some day!
That is so fun!!
Who’s your biggest cheerleader?
My mama, of course! I wouldn’t be here today without her and her unfailing faith in me. She has always supported me and encouraged me to keep going even when I wanted to quit. My second novel probably would not have been written were it not for her and the pep talk of the century. Having her in my corner is truly a blessing!
I also couldn’t do what I do without the support of my husband, Jim, my agent, Caitlen, and my critique partner/best friend, Megan.
I feel very blessed to have so many incredible people standing behind me!
Can I just reply with a bunch of heart emojis? I love this. <3
Now I’d like to play a fun little game called This or That. As a writer, I find that a lot of interviews ask the same questions, so I always appreciate sharing something new about myself. I’m super excited about these questions—and I hope you enjoy them!
Introvert or extrovert? I’m definitely an extrovert! I do have some introverted tendencies, though.
Morning or night person? I feel like I live in a perpetual state of sleep deprivation, so can I say neither? I’m super cranky in the mornings and super tired at night. I’m more of an afternoon type gal! Is that a thing?
Coffee or tea? Coffee, for sure!
Sweet or salty? BOTH and let’s mix them together! I love the combination of sweet with salty—sea salted caramel treats are my favorite!
Eternal summer or four seasons? Four seasons—just please make winter short!
Mountains or beach? Beach! I love the ocean!
Dogs or cats? I prefer dogs, but I enjoy cats just fine! My current dog, a great dane/lab mix named Dawson, is one of my dearest friends. As I’m typing this, he’s lying next to me and snoring SO loudly!
Over 5’5” or under? Under. I’m 5’4, but I’ve always wanted to be just a little bit taller!
Left or right-handed? Right-handed.
Hoodie or yoga pants? Um…BOTH. I’m a stay at home mom and a writer. Hoodies and yoga pants are my daily uniform. Do people actually wear real clothes?
I officially declare “mid-day person” a thing. Why haven’t I considered that before? That’s probably when I’m at my best as well. And side note, we really need to hang out more in person—we have so much in common!
Kim, thank you so much for spending this time with me and my readers. Readers, you can find Kim at these links—and be sure to check out Keeper and Seeker!
Keeper | Seeker
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
If you missed the previous interviews, you can read them here.
