We were lucky to catch up with Kim Wilch recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kim , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?

I’ve always dreamed of being an author and had joined an author group called AuthorForce. I needed a diversion from the heart-heavy book I was working on, so my grandson and I wrote Peter the Turtle Can’t Poop.

Publishing a book is not for the faint of heart, there is so much to know! It’s quite overwhelming. The group answered my many questions and I will always be grateful! One gal, Y.Y. Chan, took me under her wing and went above and beyond – especially when the illustrator files weren’t formatted correctly and I was having a breakdown. Somehow, the book got published, on time even! I truly believe without the support of AuthorForce and Y.Y., my dream of being a published author would never have come to be. But that’s not all! They supported the book launch, sending Peter the Turtle Can’t Poop straight to number one new release! I’ll forever be indebted to this great group of authors.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve always been an avid reader and longed to have a book of my own. Easier said than done. I took writing classes, attended conferences, and joined local writing groups. Two of my stories were published and I won the Bess Streeter Aldrich Writing Contest. Maybe I could do this? But what to write about?

Be careful what you wish for! I managed to survive the worst year of my life and now had the material to fuel a page-turner. The journey to write a book began. Both painful and jaw-dropping ridiculous, Rock Bottom has a Basement, proves there is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s a heart-heavy subject for me, one I’m still writing. I took a temporary diversion to write Peter the Turtle Can’t Poop with my grandson, a children’s book that teaches litter belongs in a bin. Then my author group encouraged me to move forward with an adult picture book, WTF Duck. That stands for Why The Frown, of course! My pet duck, Webster, was the inspiration. It’s filled with sarcastic humor about everyday situations and is quite funny, if I may say so myself. As you can tell by the titles, I prefer humor in my life.

My tag, One More Exclamation, reflects my belief, there’s always something to be excited about.

I’m a wife, mom, and proud grandma from Nebraska who enjoys camping, traveling, and crafting. I have two precious pooches, a litter-trained bunny, and a duck. Often, I can be found in my garden or with a camera in my hand. From painting on windows at an Alzheimer’s facility to taking overnight calls at the crisis center, I enjoy volunteering and helping others. I’m most proud of the two seasons I’ve spent at Sea Turtle, Inc helping to save turtles and also making scrapbooks for Make a Wish.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

There is nothing like unpacking a box of new-release books and seeing your name on the cover. If Peter’s poop problem helps to teach kids that litter belongs in a bin, that will be the tassel on the bookmark! Teach ’em young!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

An author puts their heart and soul into their work, there is so much to do to bring book to life. The best way to thank an author is by leaving a review where you purchased the book. I had no idea how important this is! Take a minute to give the book a star rating and comment. By the way, one star indicates it was the worst thing in the world and five stars reflect how much you enjoyed it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.OneMoreExclamation.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/onemoreexclamation/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OneMoreExclamation
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OExclamation
• TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@kimbok65
• My books are in my amazon store http://www.amazon.com/shop/onemoreexclamation
  or direct links
  http://getbook.at/PeterTheTurtle
  Book – https://mybook.to/WTFDUCK

  Journal – https://mybook.to/WTFJOURNAL