We'll be celebrating the launch of the blog tour by interviewing the author and giving you a chance to win a copy for yourself.
But first, here's more about the book:
For David Byrdsong, life is a series of daily obligations. An attorney, he lacks both ambition and the ability to commit to a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Gayle. Abandoned by his family at an airport when he was eleven, he learned to blunt his feelings, despite his subsequent adoption by a loving couple.
Until one day, when David discovers his own face in a missing child ad. Suddenly driven to uncover the truth about his past, he is forced to tap into his inner strength as he encounters corporate conspiracies, murdered bystanders, and distressing suspicions about the only family he’s ever really trusted. David enlists Gayle's help—and the help of an unlikely stranger with secrets of his own—as he attempts to find his true family, whoever they are.
Thrilling, exploratory, and propulsive, Have You Seen Him is a story of lost identity, dangerous secrets, and a deeply personal pursuit of the truth.
PUBLISHER: Butterfly Effect Press
ASIN: B0F9TJYN8V
ISBN-13 979-8991867207
Print Length: 268 pages
Purchase a copy now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Bookshop.org. You can also add it to your GoodReads reading list.
About the Author, Kimberly Lee
Kimberly Lee, JD is the author of the riveting thriller Have You Seen Him. A versatile writer, editor, and creativity coach, she has a passion for nurturing the imaginative spirit and helping others reveal their own inner wisdom. Kimberly is an Amherst Writers & Artists affiliate and serves on its board. She is a certified facilitator of SoulCollage®, Journal to the Self, and Guided Autobiography, as well as a joyful meditation teacher and Groove Method provider. A teaching artist with Hugo House, Women On Writing, The Writing Salon, and Loft Literary, Kimberly has led events at numerous retreats and conferences. Recent collaborations include Esalen Institute, Omega Institute, Arts & Healing Initiative, the Expressive Therapies Summit, and Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center. Kimberly’s writing has appeared in a variety of publications and anthologies, and she has served on the staffs of Literary Mama, F(r)iction, and Carve Magazines. Kimberly trusts in the magic and mystery of miracles and synchronicity, and believes everyone is creative and has unique gifts to share. Connect with Kimberly on Instagram @klcreatrix or at KimberlyLee.me.
--- Interview by Nicole Pyles
WOW: First off, congratulations on your novel Have You Seen Him. What inspired you to write this novel?
Kimberly: Thank you! It’s a dream come true. Soon after we meet the book’s main character, David, he’s sifting through his mail and sees the missing child ad with his own face. The inspiration for the book is a scenario somewhat similar to that—I was sorting my mail and saw an ad for a child who went missing when he was 10. The computer-progressed image showed him at 40 years old. I thought about how this boy’s family had been searching for over three decades and had never given up trying to find him. The faces haunted me. I tore it out and carried it around in my bag for a while, then sat down to write a story about it.
WOW: I love that such a heartbreaking moment stayed with you and you turned into a novel. You keep such a great pace throughout this novel. How did you manage to do that so well?
Kimberly: An early developmental editor reminded me that thrillers need to move quickly. A comment she repeated throughout her notes: “Move it along!” As I revised the manuscript, I let go of many chapters and characters because they slowed things down and weren’t essential. At one point, I read the story and tried to act like I was new to it, as if I knew nothing about it. If I found myself disengaging or skimming a passage, I cut it. If this boring or uninteresting passage contained information that was crucial to the plot, I integrated it elsewhere in the story. My first draft was twice as long!
WOW: What a great point! Pace is everything. You published this book under your own imprint. Why did you decide to pursue self-publishing?
Kimberly: I originally envisioned going the traditional route. After my early drafts were workshopped, revised, and workshopped again, and also edited by a developmental editor and a copyeditor, I entered it into Simon & Schuster’s First Novel Contest. My manuscript made it to semi-finalist in that contest and also in another contest given by a hybrid press. I later sent the first 20 pages to 10 agents. One requested the full manuscript and eventually passed on it, saying she really liked it but wasn’t in love with it as she needed to be. That phrasing stuck with me–that I was waiting for someone to be “in love with it as they needed to be.” I decided not to wait for that, and having placed well in the two contests gave me enough validation that the book was ready. I was in love with my book as much as I needed to be, and that was enough to go forward. I decided to independently publish it under my own imprint, Butterfly Effect Press, with the help of the wonderful team at AuthorImprints. As a result, I maintained control over cover design and many aspects of production. They held my hand every step of the way, and their expertise was invaluable. I love the final product and am thrilled that I made this choice!
WOW: That must have been so validating. What does your writing space look like? Any photos you can share?
Kimberly: When we moved into our current home, I claimed a little room near the laundry area as my “writing retreat.” I had it painted a beautiful mauve and took delight in decorating it with furry pillows, a sofa, a lovely desk. Hardly any of Have You Seen Him was written there! I mostly worked on my novel from behind the wheel (while the car was parked, of course!). I’d be waiting for my kids at karate class, flute lessons, parkour, theatre rehearsals. Something about grabbing those casual moments—with a finite amount of time—helped me get into a flow. It took away the pressure that sometimes blocked me when sitting at my desk for “designated writing sessions.”
WOW: Ha! Isn't that just the way of things? Must be a lovely space though! Are you a pantser, a plotter, or a bit of both? And why?
Kimberly: Probably a bit of both. I’ll have a broad idea of where I’d like the story to go, but am open to what arises naturally during the flow of writing. This may sound strange, but if I can truly get in the zone, the characters will kind of start behaving on their own and their dialogue and actions just come through. For Have You Seen Him, I wrote the beginning of the story and I knew how I wanted it to end but wasn’t sure how to get there. After agonizing over it, I decided to go ahead and write those final scenes. Doing that gave me a glimpse of how I’d feel when the book was complete, and it motivated me to get the characters from Point A to Point Z. I think my subconscious was also working on it because I’d wake up with ideas. So instead of outlining every plot point, I like to stay open to the unexpected.
WOW: I think that's a great combination of plotting and pantsing. I loved reading about your Soul Collage Workshops on your website. Why is that sort of creative expression so important to us?
Kimberly: I love seeing people light up as they discover and explore their creative gifts! And since the nature of writing is solitary, workshops are a chance to be in community with others on the same path. I really enjoy integrating creative and expressive writing with SoulCollage®, an intuitive collage process that’s fun, accessible, and also pretty magical. With gentle guidance, we create powerful collages with images we’re drawn to, then find the meaning or story they contain. It’s visual and tactile, and helps us tap into creative resources and hidden narratives we may not have access to through logical thinking. I offer workshops in-person and on zoom, varying from one-day events to longer courses and retreats. Recent collaborations include working with veterans in West Los Angeles, at The Huntington, a botanical garden in the Pasadena area, and with survivors of the LA fires. I’ve led weeklong events at Esalen Institute and the Omega Institute, and I’m on my way to one at Hollyhock Centre in British Columbia. It’s a treat—and deeply meaningful—to have uninterrupted time to express ourselves creatively, forming connections while immersed in a beautiful natural setting. New stories emerge.
WOW: I think that visualizing activity is so important to creative expression. What are you working on that you can tell us about?
Kimberly: Have You Seen Him is the first in a trilogy, so it’s back to my notebook to work on the second installment! Pen to page. A few people have asked what’s going to happen with the characters, and to be honest, I’m not sure myself, although I have a few ideas. Robert Frost said, “No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader.” We’ll all be surprised with the next developments–please stay tuned!
WOW: I can't wait! Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. Hope you enjoy your tour!
--- Blog Tour Calendar
August 18 @ WOW! Women on Writing
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Kimberly Lee's thriller and suspense novel Have You Seen Him. Read an interview with the author and a chance to win a copy of the book yourself.
August 20 @ One Writer's Journey
Visit Sue's blog for a review of Kimberly Lee's thriller Have You Seen Him.
August 21 @ What Is That Book About
Visit Michelle's blog for a spotlight of Kimberly Lee's thriller Have You Seen Him.
August 23 @ World of My Imagination
Visit Nicole's blog for her review of Kimberly Lee's thriller Have You Seen Him.
August 25 @ Chapter Break
Visit Julie's blog for a guest post by Kimberly Lee on her journey from attorney to writer and how she leans on that experience for her writing.
August 27 @ One Writer's Journey
Visit Sue's blog for her response to our tour-themed prompt on what comforts her and gives her a sense of community and connection.
August 28 @ Knotty Needle
Visit Judy's blog for her review of Kimberly Lee's newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
August 29 @ Writer Advice
Visit Lynn's blog for a guest post by Kimberly Lee on inspiring words from other authors.
August 31 @ Words from the Heart
Join Linda's blog for a guest post by Kimberly Lee on her research for the novel Have You Seen Him.
August 31 @ Live, Love and Laugh for a Healthy Lifestyle
Visit Nicole's blog for her review of Kimberly Lee's newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
September 2 @ Live, Love and Laugh for a Healthy Lifestyle
Stop by Nicole's blog again for her response to our tour-themed prompt on what she dreams of doing and small steps she is taking towards it.
September 3 @ Create Write Now
Visit Mari's blog for a blog post by Kimberly Lee on transforming everyday events and interactions into great scenes.
September 4 @ Words by Webb
Visit Jodi's blog for her review of Kimberly Lee's newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
September 5 @ Words from the Heart
Visit Linda's blog for her review of Kimberly Lee's newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
September 6 @ A Sip, A Shout, and a Sentence
Join Celyse's Substack for her review of Kimberly Lee's newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
September 7 @ StoreyBook Reviews
Visit Leslie's blog for her spotlight of Kimberly Lee's newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
September 9 @ A Wonderful World of Words
Visit Joy's blog for a guest post by Kimberly Lee about writing with images.
September 11 @ Knotty Needle
Visit Judy's blog for her response to our tour-themed writing prompt on following her intuition.
September 12 @ Sarandipity's Blog
Visit Sara's blog for her interview with Kimberly Lee about her newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
September 13 @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
Join Lisa for an interview with Kimberly Lee about her newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
September 15 @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdre's blog for her spotlight of Kimberly Lee's newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
September 16 @ Kaecey McCormick's blog
Visit Kaecey's blog for her review of Kimberly Lee's newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
September 17 @ Boys' Mom Reads
Visit Karen's blog for her review of Kimberly Lee's newest thriller, Have You Seen Him.
September 18 @ Words by Webb
Stop by Jodi's blog again for an interview with author Kimberly Lee.
September 18 @ The Frugalista Mom
Visit Rochie's blog for her response to our prompt about what she dreams of doing and small steps she can take towards it.
September 20 @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog for a guest post by Kimberly Lee on her book's journey from idea to publication.
September 21 @ Kaecey McCormick's blog
Don't miss Kaecey's blog stop for an interview with Kimberly Lee.
September 25 @ Caitrin King's blog
Visit Caitrin's blog for her review of Have You Seen Him by Kimberly Lee.
***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****
Enter to win a copy of Have You Seen Him by Kimberly Lee! Fill out the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win. The giveaway ends August 31st at 11:59 CT. We will choose a winner the next day and announce it in the Rafflecopter widget as well as follow up via email. Good luck!
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