We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kia M.. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kia below.

Hi Kia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I was an inquisitive the pre-teen (11) who loved and enjoyed reading anything I could get my hands on, “genre” was never an issue! Because my favorite authors often provided a mental escape from my reality, it was then I knew I would pursue a creative path professionally through my pen. It was fate! If I could read it, I could write it! I wanted the opportunity to influence, encourage, and inspire the next generation of hopefuls. just like me!

Kia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

#ImNotOnlyTheConciousAuthor…so who am I? At age 11, my biggest aspiration was to be a prolific author/poet like my heavily adored “literary genius” Nikki Giovanni, After reading one of her poems, I recall how I felt to understand the freedom of expression and how I used it in my poetry in the most profound ways. It was her boldness that gave birth to MY voice and creative liberty to my style of writing. Once I grappled with the power of storytelling, it became more about the genuine connection through my experiences than just entertainment.

I learned, as l got older, as cliché’ as it may sound, “If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life!” This statement couldn’t be truer! After 20 plus years in many corporate settings, my most gratifying accomplishments have come from being Author/Creator and Founder of my own company, Levi&Toonk, LLC. As our motto states, We Are Not Your Average Children’s Book Series, we are proponents of early literacy and authentic minority representation within children’s literature. I’m proud to offer a more realistic depiction of melanated an alternative choice when searching for new reading material.

The path to ultimately pour myself into my passion came in 2018, when I lost my job, money was scarce, and I was diagnosed with depression. The odds seemed stacked against me, but I remembered how bad I wanted to live my dream! I realize sometimes, we have to face what is holding us back in order to move forward.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

As my journey is different from every other creative, our common thread seems to be SACRIFICE! When I started Levi & Toonk, LLC, (my children’s board book series) money was never my driving force. The passion it would take to accomplish my dream(s) had to be MORE than my need for financial gain. This is hard to fathom for most non-creatives who are use to making a steady paycheck. Going days, sometimes even weeks without consistent pay doesn’t make sense to a non-creative. While they are able to respect what it is I do, to experience inconsistencies in cash flow can be unnerving when you have expenses.

I am a creative 24/7, so, there’s NO such thing as a day off! Mentally, I’m always on…I don’t stop after a project because my mind is constantly consumed with endless ideas. For someone who is a non-creative, to try and operate in this space can feel overwhelming or even taxing. It’s true, when you do what you love, you never work a day in your life.

Being a creative is attached to my purpose, therefore, everything I do is centered around it. I’m my happiest when I’m creating.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I relocated from Texas to California in September 2022 with my then husband. I assumed at the time he moved across several states for the same reason I did, and that was to rebuild my company Levi&Toonk, LLC. Prior to us leaving, I must admit I was met with quite a bit of hesitation, and although he knew how important I needed his support, I had to prepare myself for the off chance I could be traveling alone. I quickly altered my one year plan.

It became apparent that in order for me to press forward, I needed to keep focus, stay in control, and remind myself my drive to expand my company had to be BIGGER than my disappointments. It wasn’t easy because 3 months later I was navigating my divorce alone. His announcement to leave me paralyzed my immediate thoughts. It was inconvenient, hurtful to say the least and unexpected.

Being in each other’s space everyday was the hardest and as a creative writer and natural storyteller, I knew it was imperative to get my emotions in check so that I could excel at what I love doing most. I understand hardships come and go, but dreams are forever.

Contact Info:

• Website: KiaMAuthor.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realkiamauthor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealKiaMAuthor?mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nakia-montgomery-18b37828/

Image Credits
Kia M. Lauren A. Arthur S.