Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the middle child in a family of three girls. I started making up my own stories at age four. Because I couldn’t yet write, my mom wrote the stories down for me while I painted the pictures. My first story was called Wagland and featured an island community with sea creatures that ate tuna fish sandwiches.
I have a B.S. in Written Communication with a minor in Language, Literature, and Writing from Eastern Michigan University and an MLIS with a specialization in children’s librarianship from Wayne State University. My poetry has been published in literary magazines. I am also an artist and a performance poet. In my free time, I enjoy finding and hiding painted rocks in my neighborhood and going on adventures with my family and friends.
I live with my husband and daughter in a suburb of Detroit, MI. The Healing Star is my debut novel. I often wishes on stars but haven’t caught one yet.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Healing Star. It was inspired by the following:
-a trip to Montreal and Quebec City
-a falling star that I did not see
-two songs by Sara Bareilles from her album, The Blessed Unrest, “Satellite Call” and “Cassiopeia”
-my grandmother
-Jack and the Beanstalk
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmm, I like to come up with ideas or solve story problems while jogging. I often jot down thoughts on scraps of paper and napkins, anything I can find. I often stop writing in the middle of a sentence to avoid fear of the blank page the next time I write. I also reward myself after 45 minutes of solid writing with a 15 minute break or treat.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Toni Morrison for her use of symbolism, which is really quite genius. Sharon Creech is also one of my favorites, particularly the book Heartbeat. That’s when I became a fan of novels in verse. I admire her use of poetic language. To that end, I’m also a fan of Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun and Francesca Lia Block’s Weetzie Bat series. My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath was one of those books I just wanted to carry around in my arms for days after reading it. And Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms by Katherine Rundell is just so clever.
What are you working on now?
I just finished writing a dual perspective environmental dystopian YA.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://www.facebook.com/A.Kiddwrites/
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep going. Don’t stop until you finish the book. Then edit.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
On writing: “The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.”
― Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles
On promotion: “Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.”
― Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
What are you reading now?
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo (for a book club)
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m currently promoting The Healing Star and have a book launch planned as well as several author visits. But soon it will be time to start editing that YA novel I just talked about.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Does everyone say the Harry Potter series? Which by the way, it would be 1, 2, 5, and 6 for me.
Otherwise, hmm maybe Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, and the Edge Chronicles: Beyond the Deep Woods by Paul Stewart.
OR The Mortal Engines Quartet by Philip Reeves OR his Larklight series OR his Fever Crumb series
Author Websites and Profiles
A. Kidd Amazon Profile
A. Kidd’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile