The first thing you should know about Dr. Kim Foster is that she is one of the expert writers here at YMC. Her blog, Wicked Health, is informative but down to earth which is exactly how Kim is.
The second thing you should know is that she's the author of A Beautiful Heist a story about a woman who is a professional thief and will be having her second book released in June, A Magnificent Crime.
The third is that she's also a mom.
Yes, you're reading that correctly. Kim is a full-time doctor, a published author, a mom...oh, and a kick ass dancer.
So you may be wondering how the hell she does it all. I know I sure was, which was why I wanted to interview her because if she can be a full-time doctor, write books, and still take care of her family, maybe she could offer me some tips on how I could keep my house clean.
Also, I love supporting kick-ass dancers.
I thought it would be fun to write a story about a woman who is basically a good person, but whose job happens to be entirely illegal. I personally love stories with criminal protagonists—heists and capers, with lots of action and intrigue, and you find yourself rooting for the people who would traditionally be the villains. It’s commonly done in movies (Ocean’s Eleven, The Italian Job...) but I don’t see it in books very often. I thought it would be fascinating to explore what motivates people to either do good or do bad...and all the shades and nuances in between. Also—I’ve always loved spies and action heroes like James Bond and Jason Bourne, but a truly kickass female protagonist is harder to come by. I’m doing my bit to change that.
I’ve had to readjust my writing routine many times—through various stages of motherhood, maternity leaves, and overseas moves. Currently my writing schedule starts at 5 am and I write until 7 am, when I’m off to work. Sometimes I write in the evening, too, after the kids are in bed...and then on the weekends, whenever I can sneak out to the nearest Starbucks.
Introvert. Which is not to say I don't enjoy being around others—I actually love talking to people, spending time with friends, meeting new people, going to parties, all of that. But while I ENJOY that stuff, I NEED solitude. It's the way I recharge. Spending time alone, in a place where it's quiet and peaceful, is like oxygen for me.
Finding the time, definitely. Also, writing the first draft. I love the outlining/planning phase, and the revision stage is my favourite—shaping and molding is so much fun. But getting the lump of clay out there, the first draft, is rough going for me.
Ha! In fact there's plenty I'm not good at. For one, I’m not blessed with much athletic talent (dancing aside, of course—ahem). Also, I’m well known to kill any house plant I come in contact with. And I can’t do mental arithmetic to save my life. (But thank you for the compliments, Sharon!)
Can it be a hyphenated word? Multi-passionate.
As an aside, it's a weird thing when you read a book that a friend wrote because OMG, what if I hate it? This is not the case with Kim's book. I loved A Beautiful Heist and finished it in two days. So if you're looking for some great chick lit, check it out. Then be sure to purchase the next book when it's released in June.
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