Interview With the Geek Girl: Interview: Author Kim Cormack

Q: So, tell the readers a bit about you.

A: Well, I’m a single mom. I live on Vancouver Island. My daughter is in College. My son is in grade four. I started out writing songs and singing. After fifteen years of being a Mom and working in Early Childhood Education. I wrote a few children’s books. It all happened rather randomly. I started writing again, right before I was diagnosed with M.S.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your book or books? How did you come up with the name of it/them?

A: One night, I had a really brutally violent nightmare. I remember waking up, just sobbing. I wrote down everything that happened in the dream. That’s how I started writing, Sweet Sleep. It was a far cry from the fluffy chicks and rainbows, I’d been writing about. This book is the first book in, The Children of Ankh series. It gets a little dark and twisty. Warning, I have an extremely messed up sense of humor. The first book, Sweet Sleep was published August 5th of this year. The name Sweet Sleep, came from a children's lullaby. I heard it right before I woke up, during the nightmare. The death scene, with the song at the end. That was the end of the dream. The second book, Enlightenment is coming soon. I have a plan for six books in this series. I also have a really cool side series about Lexy. (The Dragon of Ankh) Book one in the Lexy series will be released in the six months between Book two and three in the main series.

Q: What is your favourite colour? (This must be read in a British accent a-la Monty Python)

A: Tis not butter Yellow, but urine yellow. ;)

Q: Do you have any special rituals or quirks when writing? Special foods or drinks? Troll doll on the desk/Etc.

A: I have a Zombie pen holder. A plaque that says, Do one thing every day that scares you. I have pictures of my kids and an enormous hunk of rose quartz. A broken hula dancer statue and a necklace with an Ankh symbol, Trinity symbol and a bunch of healing stones on it. I kept adding things to it. It became too heavy to wear.

Q: What was the easiest part about writing your books?

A: I just disappear into my head. Writing is the wonderful part. Editing is the time consuming, tedious part. I honestly just drop Cameron off at school, set my alarm for 2:20 and disappear into my head.

Q: What was the hardest part?

A: My left arm has a loss of fine motor skills / Multiple Sclerosis. It can be excruciating. On some days I finish writing and everything is underlined in red. My left hand didn’t keep up with my right. Then I get to play a fun little game called, What did I mean to write? I’m on a good treatment now. I just can’t overdo it.

Q: Do you like bacon?

A: I frigging adore bacon.

Q: How long have you been writing, or wanting to write and when did you actually write your first story?

A: I used to write messed up stories in school for shock value. I once tried to convince one of my teachers my main goal in life was to own a taco stand. I was a weird kid.

Q: Do you have a favourite character from your book/books? If so, who and why?

A: Kayn and Lexy are my favorites right now. I’ve been spending a lot of time inside of their imaginary heads.

Q: Are you working on anything else right now? If so, can you tell us anything about it?

A: Book two in the series, Enlightenment. I should have news on the release date soon. Well, I mentioned the side series about Lexy. That should be out not too long after Enlightenment. I’ve also been writing, The Repopulation Project. It’s a Middle Grade, Science Fiction. It was a contest entry from a few years back. I’m adding word count. My son’s teacher asked me if I had anything age appropriate to read to the class. I started working on it again. I’m trying to fit it in.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of this interview?

A: Oh, there’s a lot. Here are a few of the links to series info.

http://www.childrenofankh.com

http://www.amazon.com/author/kimcormack