Author: Kimila Kay

Kimila Kay lives in Donald, Oregon along with her husband, Randy, her adorable Boston Terrier Maggie, and a feisty black cat named Halle. Her professional accomplishments include three anthologized essays in the CUP OF COMFORT series. In three separate contests, PERIL IN PARADISE, has won two first place awards and a third-place award in the romantic suspense category. Kimila is currently a member of a writing critique group, Northwest Independent Writers Association (NIWA), Willamette Writers, and Windtree Press. PERIL IN PARADISE is the first novel in a planned cross-cultural series, which will include Malice in Mazatlán, Vanished in Vallarta, Chaos in Cabo, and Lost in Loreto.

TRUST. YOUR. GUT.

~ Kimila Kay ~ 6 Comments

I love being a writer. Everything about the process brings me joy, something I’ve struggled to find since my son, Derrick, died six years ago. Since then, writing has become my refuge from sorrow, anger, depression.

My first personal essay, fifteen years ago, was about my ex-husband walking away after Derrick was diagnosed with Autism. It’s interesting how life’s challenges, tragedies, joys, provide an outline for our imaginations.

After Derrick died, I found myself with time on my hands and decided to refocus on my writing. What a blessing creating, plotting, editing, re-writing, and reading a WIP countless times has been. And the reward of having readers tell you how much they like your story or novel is priceless.

I now have two completed novels and am working on the third book in my Mexico Mayhem series, VANISHED IN VALLARTA, which is in the super fun editing phase.

One of the hurdles I face is cost so I’ve always had a quid-pro-quo arrangement with another writer. Full disclosure, she doesn’t write or read my genre, nor I hers, but we’ve always managed to offer constructive critiques of each other’s works … until now.

My imagination tends to be a little dark and twisty, which of course bleeds into my writing. My books are full of murder and mayhem with dark villains. And I might have a touch of sex between the pages. And, yes, I know this type of story isn’t for everyone.

At first, I thought her concerns were about the story or plot or character development, so we met face to face to discuss her issues. All good? Not quite. This time my quid-pro-quo editor, who read my second book, balked when she encountered my colorful villain. She didn’t say she hated him or suggest I might expand on his emotional journey; explain she couldn’t see him as a fully developed character. No … she critiqued me as a writer.

What followed were emails telling me I’m a novice writer and that I needed to rewrite the first draft or stick it in a drawer. Next, she informed my writing is amateurish. I have thick skin and have taken my lumps along the way, but these comments were more than I could bear.

After a few sleepless nights and hair pulling days, I sat down with my WIP and re-read the piece. That’s when it hit me. This editor has not read all my work, like my first novel which has received several rave reviews. Or my first personal essays edited and published by Adams Media. And more recently, short stories accepted by NIWA and Windtree Press for publication in their anthologies.

Then this quote popped up on Facebook:

“Believe in your story. Have confidence in your story and your abilities as a writer. Don’t be discouraged by rejection or criticism.” Barbara Cartland

I know I’m not an accomplished writer like some of my favs; Barbara Cartland, John Grisham, Sue Grafton, James Patterson, but from now on I’m going to focus on trusting my gut and believing in my story!

Happy summer writing, ladies!!!

Amazon.com: Peril in Paradise (Mexico Mayhem): 9781794052451 

Amazon.com: MALICE IN MAZATLAN (Mexico Mayhem): 9781957638256

INTRODUCING …

~ Kimila Kay ~ 8 Comments

Hello, I am Kimila Kay and am so honored to be included in this wonderful group. Thanks, Paty Jager for inviting me!

A little bit about me … I’m turning sixty-six in July and very excited to begin collecting my Social Security benefits in January 2024 before they morph into an elusive unicorn. When I turned sixty-five, I discovered regardless of whether you draw SS benefits you’re required to sign up for Medicare. Something I was reluctant to do because, well, the name for me symbolizes “Old Age”, which is hard to wrap my younger thinking brain around.

Of course, there are perks that come with age, primarily life experiences which help form storylines and character development. A reader recently complimented me, saying, “When I read your books, I always see a little bit of you in your characters.” A lovely kudos considering my characters are much younger than me, but what I focused on was she can “see” my characters.

Creating interesting characters is important to me and I tend to bring a fictional someone to life, by using attributes of my family and friends. My husband’s love for me. My oldest son’s handsome smile. My youngest son’s height. A friends laugh or gesture or favorite saying. As for my villains … what I haven’t experienced, my dark mind has no trouble creating.

I began writing in 2004 and was fortunate enough to have three short stories published in the “Cup of Comfort” anthology series. And while I wish I’d followed through sooner with my first novel, “Peril in Paradise”, am thankful for those life experiences along the way which I feel improved “Peril in Paradise’s” storyline and also made me a better writer.

My Mexico Mayhem Series is more suspense/thriller, than mystery, but I recently began writing a mystery series set in Oregon. “Redneck Ranch”, the first novel in the Stoneybrook Mystery Series, takes place in a fictional town and features an autistic deputy sheriff named Derrick Stone. One of life’s tragic experiences took my autistic son, Derrick, at the age of thirty-six when he suffered a heart attack in 2017. Derrick and I spent a lot of time together and I found myself lost without our lunches, shopping days, and movie outings. Then, to be slightly overdramatic, my writing rose like a Phoenix in my mind giving me somewhere to go when my broken heart needed soothing.

As you all know, life goes on, and for me every day now includes writing. My husband Randy and I are also planning for the future, one hopefully, that finds us living somewhere in a quaint costal town in Mexico. But for now, I enjoy our small home in Donald, Oregon, our fishing cabin on the Siletz River, Randy’s feisty, black cat, Halle, and as many adventures as we can experience before life causes us to slow down.

Happy writing, Ladies of Mystery!!!

Amazon.com: Peril in Paradise (Mexico Mayhem): 9781794052451

Amazon.com: MALICE IN MAZATLAN (Mexico Mayhem): 9781957638256