We caught up with the brilliant and insightful KC Carmichael a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

KC, appreciate you joining us today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

Looking back at all the lessons I’ve learned in life, it was my experience as a nationally competitive figure skater in my adolescence that prepared me for the trials of getting my book published the most. At the time, and even years after, my opinion of my skating days was different than it is now. I looked at my experience on the ice as a failure. I had dreams that never came into fruition, and that failure manifested itself in me as bitterness towards the sport. But the process of getting my book published has changed my view. It’s clear now. I was never supposed to be an Olympian. Those years I spent on the ice, training daily and giving up a regular childhood, taught me how to be tough. How to hone and perfect my craft. How to pick myself up after failure and rejection. And most importantly, how to never give up.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As an adult, as the saying goes, I have worn many hats. The most important one to the story of my book was hairstylist. After my figure skating career was put to bed, I needed a new direction. I was young and uninterested in attending college, so a trade was the logical place for me to go. I spent over a decade working from, as we say in the industry, behind the chair. I had a successful career and worked at one of Chicago’s top salons. Eventually. life like it has a way of doing, pulled me in another direction via an illness and a cross country move. However, I was never able to fully leave salon life behind. My days of bringing out the best in my clients’ heads of hair may have been over, but my love for the industry was not. So when the idea to write a book came into my head, the salon world was the logical place to set it.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Perhaps this is a carry over from my days behind the chair, but it still remains relevant. I love having a personal impact on individual people. Potentially being a best seller, or winning awards, I’m sure is great, but for me, the most rewarding part is hearing how my writing impacts its readers. It’s like when I was working in the salon and a client’s face would light up when they would see their new look. I did that. I made them feel that way, even if it was only for that moment. To have that same effect again on people as they read my words is what motivates me to sit and write everyday. Like my clients, my readers have an appointment with me. I can’t let them down by not showing up or giving them my best.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I think in order to be a published author, you need to be resilient. It comes with the territory of querying a novel and trying to get your yes. It is not an easy task to be faced with daily rejection. You will be told no more times than you ever thought possible and you still need to keep pushing forward. You need to pause and reflect and figure out what’s missing, or what’s turning people off. It’s a bit like dating, but without the nice meals and way more self doubt.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kccarmichael.weebly.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.c.carmichael/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/kc_carmichael
• Other: My book, BOYSTOWN HEARTBREAKERS, on GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199624755-boystown-heartbreakers

Image Credits
Cover art for Boystown Heartbreakers by Cover Ever After