QUESTIONS FOR THE AUTHOR
KIMBERLY WILLIS HOLT
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
In seventh grade, three teachers encouraged my writing. That was when I first thought the dream could come true. Before that, I didn’t think I could be a writer because I wasn’t a great student and I read slowly.
What’s your first childhood memory?
Buying an orange Dreamsicle from the ice-cream man. I was two years old.
What’s your most embarrassing childhood memory?
In fourth grade, I tried to impress the popular girls that I wanted to be friends with by doing somersaults in front of them. (I never learned to do cartwheels.) They called me a showoff, so I guess it didn’t work. If only I’d known how to do a cartwheel.
What was your worst subject in school?
Algebra
What was your first job?
I was in the movies. I popped popcorn at the Westside Cinemas.
How did you celebrate publishing your first book?
I’m sure my family went out to dinner. We always celebrate by eating.
Where do you write your books?
I write several places—a soft, big chair in my bedroom, at a table on my screened-in porch, or at coffee shops.
Where do you find inspiration for your writing?
Most of the inspiration for my writing comes from moments in my childhood.
Which of your characters is most like you?
I’m a bit like most of them. However, I fashioned Tori in the Piper Reed books after me. But Tori is bossier than I was and she certainly makes better grades than I did.
When you finish a book, who reads it first?
My daughter listens to me read my first draft.
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
I’m a morning person.
What’s your idea of the best meal ever?
That’s a toss-up. My grandmother’s chicken and dumplings, and sushi.
Which do you like better: cats or dogs?
I’m a dog person. I have a poodle named Bronte who is the model for Bruna in the Piper Reed series.
What do you value most in your friends?
Loyalty and honesty
Where do you go for peace and quiet?
Home
Who is your favorite fictional character?
Leroy in Mister and Me because he is forgiving. And that’s a trait many of us don’t have.
What are you most afraid of?
Anything harming my daughter
What time of the year do you like best?
Fall
What is your favorite TV show?
CBS Sunday Morning
If you were stranded on a desert island, who would you want for company?
My husband and daughter
What’s the best advice you have ever received about writing?
A writer once told me, “Readers either see what they read or hear what they read. Writers have to learn to write for both.” When I started following that advice, my writing improved.
What do you want readers to remember about your books?
The characters. I want them to seem like real people. I want them to miss them and wonder what happened to them.
What would you do if you ever stopped writing?
I plan on dying with a pen in my hand.
What do you like best about yourself?
I’m honest.
What is your worst habit?
I eat too much.
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
I gave birth to a wonderful human being.
What do you wish you could do better?
I wish I could do a cartwheel.
What would your readers be most surprised to learn about you?
I send gift cards with positive messages to myself when I order something for me.