Inside The Author with A. Kidd!

Would you like to get to know more about how the inner book brain of an Indie Author works? 

This is the place!  

Periodically, we'll invite an Indie Author to open up their brain, and show us inside.  We'll have a conversation that deals a little bit with writing craft, reading influences, and some other fun stuff.

Today, we thumb through the pages of
Indie Author A. Kidd's grey matter...

Discover More About A. Kidd HERE!

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​What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
When I was working as a full-time librarian, I went on an artist retreat. At that time, I had recently had a jogging accident where I literally fell on my face while running. It made me question my life’s purpose. This retreat helped me trust my feet again and my words. I decided to pursue writing and illustrating as a career after that. I also had the pleasure of attending the SCBWI summer conference in LA as well as other writing conferences.

What is the first book that made you cry?
Where the Red Fern Grows

What is your writing Kryptonite?
Summer, because I’d rather be outside playing. But mostly self-doubt (I constantly battle the inner critic). I even wrote a poem about it called The Panic Bird.

Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
I want each book to have its own journey and takeaway, but I’m interested in writing a series too.

How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
It gave me confidence, especially to take chances.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
The great horned owl or sea turtle.

What did you edit out of your books? (keep it family-friendly, please)
Clichés and happy endings.

What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?
I don’t believe in giving things up for writing. I find a way to write no matter what and can’t stop even if I tried.  But once again, I think letting go of self-doubt will serve me the best.

What is your favorite childhood book?
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s Magic, and Who Stole the Wizard of Oz.

What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
Maintaining my vision while revising; listening to advice but trusting my intuition.

What is the easiest part of your writing process?
Ideas; coming up with characters.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?
One year to write. Revising time varies and can last several years!

A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that?
I think writers are very busy creating worlds inside their head, so that the outer world or “real world” becomes secondary and sometimes even intrusive.  I personally love to socialize but not necessarily in big groups.

When did it dawn on you that you wanted to be an author?
At age 3 or 4, I was telling my mom stories which she wrote down while I painted the pictures. I wrote my first dialogue in second grade. In 5th grade, I attended a young authors conference, and I also wrote my first complete story including making my own book with an author page.

Who are your biggest literary influences?
Toni Morrison, Francesca Lia Block, Sharon Creech and many others. I grew up loving all the portal stories like Narnia and Alice in Wonderland and was very captivated by The Wicked Witch of the West.

What’s your favorite movie which was based on a book?  Why?
Usually movies never live up to the books, but I thought Howl’s Moving Castle and The Never-ending Story were both better as movies. The same for Gulliver’s Travels and Wizard of Oz. I also enjoyed the Canadian miniseries for Anne of Green Gables and the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice.

How did it feel when your first book got published? How did you celebrate?
It was gratifying on a soul level to see my childhood dream come true. I celebrated with a trip to Portland and then again at my book launch at Baldwin Public Library.

What is that one thing you think readers generally don’t know about authors?
That a book is a process, not a product.  It just doesn’t come into being. It takes years of hard work, thinking, contemplating, writing, and rewriting.  It involves playing with words plus blood, sweat, and tears. A baring of the soul. Everyone thinks they can write a book. But it isn’t as easy as it looks. The effortlessness of reading some stories is the mark of a lot of effort on the part of the writer.

Can you tell us about your current projects?
I’m revising an environmental dystopian YA in dual perspectives. I also have another MG fantasy with a fairytale twist percolating about a girl born during a hurricane in search of her parents. Readers have been asking for a sequel to The Healing Star, so I’m considering that as well.

Are you attending any conventions/festivals where readers can meet you and/or buy your books?  Please provide all the “find it” information.
I will be participating in a virtual author visit at Berkley Library for summer reading this Monday July 13th at 2pm. I also hope to be at Leon and Lulu’s Books and Authors in October and the Brighton District Library Author Showcase Sunday November 8 from 2-4, but it depends on how the pandemic progresses.

Please provide links and/or instructions about how readers can purchase signed copies of your books.
To purchase a signed copy, email me at [email protected] or message me through my FB author page: a.kiddwrites.
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Any advice you would like to give to aspiring authors?
Don’t give up. Write what you want to write.  What you know or what you want to know. How you see the world or how you wish the world could be. Write what lights you up or what scares you. Don’t be afraid to play with words and take chances. We are all at our very core a collection of stories. Write something that can lift someone else up or even change the world. 

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