A Kimpressive New Voice! (part deux)
This week we conclude the interview with the wonderful Kimberly McGath. We focus more on what motivates her and how she gets into the writing groove. Don't forget to check out her books Zodiac: Settling the Score and Let Them See!
What convinced you it was time to dedicate yourself to writing and performing? Do you have any regrets leaving law enforcement behind?
My main motivation for retiring was to spend more time with my family, but I was also frustrated with not being able to work on cold cases full-time. Amazingly, I’ve never had a single regret about my decision, and am grateful for every moment. While I retired sooner than most expected, my decision was more of a gut feeling, rather than a logical one. I’ve always trusted my intuition. My decision to dedicate myself to writing just happened naturally. It was never my dream to become an author, and I really didn’t have a background in writing, but my need to share drove my ambition to write.
You’ve also written Let Them See; a heart-wrenching story about your son’s eye disease, and how you navigated the medical field in your quest to find answers. Tell us a little about that journey.
When my youngest child was a toddler, I noticed he had a red eye, so I took him to the local ophthalmologist. After being told he had pink eye for two months, I knew it was time to switch doctors and start an investigation of my own. After years of seeing specialists and receiving conflicting answers, I learned medicine can be more of an art than a science. When I wrote Let Them See, I really wanted to help other parents navigate the system and avoid some of our heartache.
Do you have plans to write fiction? It seems that your background is a perfect springboard for a crime thriller.
Yes, I plan on starting a series this summer featuring a female detective. I’ve also written two short stories as part of an anthology trilogy entitled Run, Scream, Die, with several other very talented authors. These are dark tales, and the stories are considered crime fiction.
As this blog is about writing, regardless of genre, do you have any tips for the would-be author on time management?
The best advice I could give to any aspiring author is to try and schedule a certain amount of time every day to both reading and writing, even if it is just one half hour. Reading is particularly important, and so much so that it may be wise to spend more time reading than writing, especially in the beginning.
What keeps you motivated to write? Do words come easily to you?
Whether it is a song, a book, or a story, it is so special at the end to see the finished work. This is very motivating for me, even though I actually enjoy the process as well. Ideas come very easily to me, or thoughts at least, but the actual words themselves?… not as much. Sometimes I just continue writing, even if I’m not pleased with my choice of words, and then I’ll return to the manuscript later to fix the details.
Do you outline before you sit down at the keyboard?
I have yet to use an outline, although I think I might for my fiction detective series. A lot of amazing authors that I have been fortunate enough to get to know swear by them, and their work is most impressive.
Thank you Kimberly for taking the time to share your process!
There will be more author interviews coming soon, so be sure to check in weekly for tips on how to stay on track with your writing career!
