Biography
Dubbed The Slow Writer, Kimberly T. Hennessy is quirky with a side of kook, but don’t let that fool you. She loves doom and gloom and human foibles intrigue her.
Share a little bit about She Runs With Wolves.
It’s a very personal book that I wrote because I was feeling alienated by the genre that I loved so much. I’ve always loved YA, but as I grew older a gap between me and the protagonists grew. Somehow, the young heroines had had it all figured out by the time they were 16, which wasn’t my case. In fact, it still isn’t. When I was first pregnant, I had more questions than ever, and that’s sort of how it all came about. I wanted a book that featured a vulnerable heroine, of a more mature age, that hadn’t it all figured out and was struggling to know what to do. It’s about empowerment through vulnerability.
Where are you at with book two and when can readers expect it to be available?
I’m not dubbed The Slow Writer for nothing. Book 2 is still in its very early stages. It’s still in outline form and constantly undergoing changes, but the good news is that all the unanswered questions in book 1 will be addressed.
You also have a book available on Amazon called Digital Coup: A collection of short stories from the future. Tell us about it.
A Digital Coup is set before the breakdown of the modern world. It’s a glimpse into what led to Eira’s post apocalyptic world. I wanted to give the readers a bit of an origins story so they could possibly understand some of the more complex relationships in Eira’s world, which have everything to do with AI.
Please note that A Digital Coup is meant to be permafree on Amazon, but they keep changing it back for no apparent reason. I’m constantly emailing them to change it back.
Do you prefer to write short stories or novels? Why?
I do enjoy writing a short story. Bite size is so much easier to write in terms of flow, narration and so forth. Although I do enjoy extrapolating more long forms of writing and delving deeper into plot and subplots there’s something to be said about executing an idea from start to finish in a few days.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Admittedly it exhausts me. I’ve had to learn to pace myself otherwise I get depressed. Staring at a screen for 8 hours day, not to mention constantly thinking about your story 24\7 is too much. Writing energizes me when I’m on the cusp of a new idea, or when I’ve been juggling many story elements (not always sure how they work as one) eventually come together in some sort of magical way like a puzzle.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
A great editor and book cover designer.
What are some of your normal writing habits? (food, time of day, location, music, etc.)
I usually write first thing in the morning. When I write scripts, I usually listen to music, but for novels I require dead silence, and I’m always munching on something, usually something sweet.
What are the best tips you’ve received that helped improve your writing?
Changing my sentence style, which I found hard to do. I was used to writing screenplays where sentence style isn’t as important as getting the idea, the visuals across. Novels are a different beast, and to keep the readers engaged I had to re-learn how to write, which wasn’t easy. Lots of word processors out there can help you improve your writing style.
If you could only write about one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Dystopian. I love everything about the genre. It challenges us to think about our decisions and where we are heading as a species.
What does success look like for you as an author?
For me, it’s about developing a readership. It takes years of hard work and dedication, but once you have those readers that enjoy your work, then it becomes really rewarding.
Anything additional you want to share with readers?
Don’t give up. It’s easy to get discouraged, and just quit for so many reasons. I’m not good enough, this is too hard, but the more you write the easier it gets. This is my first self-published novel, and the learning curve was steep. There were lots of obstacles, but at the end of the day it’s about enjoying the ride. If you enjoy writing, then write. The rest will come.
Website: www.kimberlythennessy.com
Book Locations: Amazon
Excerpt
What if losing yourself meant you were erased from existence? Your essence overridden with no one the wiser?
Ylva the She Wolf – a parasitic artificial intelligence trapped for years in a box yearns for a human host to become alive again.
Eira, a fiery human prisoner, will do anything to escape the clutches of the evil ruler Lorcan and fulfill an old prophecy told about her unborn child.
The power of three wolves unite the two in a battle for supremacy to restore those living underground to the surface. Their inner war rages as they fight for dominion of the frozen wasteland that is now Earth.
