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

Kim, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I have always had a love of reading, writing, and creating. I say I wrote my first book at age nine when I made a book of poetry out of construction paper and yarn, and it was displayed in the school library.

But, who pushed me to pursue a career in writing, was my son, Aidan. Aidan was a 25-week preemie that weighed one pound, eleven ounces at birth, and spent 143 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Miller’s Children’s Hospital in Long Beach, CA. I couldn’t hold him for weeks, but I could read to him. So that’s what I did. Every day I sat there and read to him, instilling the same love of books I have and Aidan still has today.

After years of reading books to my children and seeing the types of books they liked and didn’t like, I started to get some fun ideas. That’s when I decided to become an author. Now, I write the fun, imaginative, colorful books Aidan and other children can enjoy. Whether someone reads to them or reads by themselves, I encourage children to find books they can love.

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

I have always loved writing, and I spent several years as a freelance writer. I wrote many “feel-good” articles, and my work appeared in printed magazines, newsletters, and online publications.

About four years ago, I decided to follow my dream of writing a book. Today, I am proud to say that I am an award-winning and bestselling author of more than twenty books and four popular book series.

I also founded my own publishing company, Lucky Four Press, LLC. I began coaching other authors and aspiring authors to get their books written, published, marketed, and to help them be successful.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

My journey hasn’t always been easy, but it has been fun!

I have learned so much about writing and the publishing business. People think if you write a book and put it on Amazon, people will just find it and buy it. Unfortunately, that isn’t how it works. So much goes on behind the scenes with marketing, advertising, and sometimes even crowdfunding, which I have done successfully twice.

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

The biggest reward is hearing from a child or parent that your book has made a difference. Not all children love reading, and I hope my books can help change that. Creating something fun, imaginative, and colorful that children and families can enjoy together inspires me to keep putting out new books and new characters.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kimann.co
• Instagram: instagram.com/authorkimann
• Facebook: facebook.com/authorkimann
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/authorkimann
• Twitter: twitter.com/KimAnnWriter1