Interview with T.C. Kemper: Winter 2024 Flash Fiction Contest Runner Up

T.C.’s Bio: T.C. Kemper is an American author of sparky kidlit and speculative fiction. When she’s not lost in a great story, she spends her days hiking woodland trails with her rescue pup, doodling cartoon ghosts, and chasing her adorable, highly opinionated toddler. She is represented by the fabulous Amy Giuffrida of Belcastro Agency and is on submission with what she hopes will become her debut novel. You can find T.C. across all socials under @tckemperwrites, and on her website, tckemper.com. 

If you haven't done so already, check out T.C.'s award-winning story "Wings" and then return here for a chat with the author. 

WOW: Congratulations on placing in the Winter 2024 Flash Fiction Contest! What excited you most about writing this story? 

T.C.: Usually when a story idea pops into my head, it’s like a splinter that has to come out. With “Wings”, the inspiration came from the public’s ongoing focus on bodily autonomy, especially in our current social climate. Once Amelia arrived in my brain, her big, beautiful wings shining in the sun, I knew I had to get her onto the page. But to be honest, I wrote this piece from a place of sadness and frustration rather than excitement. This story shines a spotlight on how so many people are quick to focus on and criticize differences, rather than accept the whole person. 

WOW: I love that image of a story as a splinter that needs to come out, and pairs well with the frustration you felt with the social climate and this topic. What did you learn about yourself or your writing while crafting this piece? 

T.C.: I usually write full-length books rather than short stories, but I’ve fallen in love with flash fiction! Flash fiction, I’ve found, is immediately cathartic—these stories are brain bursts: POP! Here’s a whole tale, in bite size! I’ve learned that flash fiction can be so many things in so few words: blunt, feathery, brutal, heartwarming, wickedly honest, kind, cruel. I’m impressed beyond words at the other writers who have mastered this craft. I absolutely haven’t gotten there yet, but I’m getting better: this is my third piece to earn recognition in this contest, and second to earn Runner Up, which is very cool! 

WOW: That is very cool! I’ve found that writing flash stories improves the line-by-line writing of my longer work, so it’s both a pleasure and a useful tool for other types of writing. And speaking of your full-length books, that’s exciting news that your novel is on submission right now! Can you please tell us more about it? 

T.C.: Right now, I have a middle grade spooky sci-fi out on sub— it’s a kidlit take on The Stepford Wives, with A.I.-powered mind control, a friendship breakup, and suspiciously well-dressed children. My agent, Amy Giuffrida, is the absolute best champion I could ask for, and she’s been incredible throughout my writing journey. 

WOW: Good luck with the publishing process, and it’s so wonderful that you have an agent that you trust in your corner! What are you reading right now, and why did you choose to read it? 

T.C.: I live on audiobooks the way other folks live on caffeine! This month, I’ve blazed through Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s Chain Gang All Stars, Jessica Khoury’s The Dark Refrain, Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s Assistant to the Villain, Paulette Kennedy’s The Devil and Mrs. Davenport, and I’m currently on TJ Klune’s In the Lives of Puppets. I read across all genres, and if someone enthusiastically recommends a book, I do everything I can to get to it! 

WOW: Audiobooks are amazing, and so is this list! Thanks for sharing it with us. If you could give your younger self one piece of writing advice, what would it be and why? 

T.C.: You’ll get there one day, just keep dreaming. 

WOW: Anything else you’d like to add? 

T.C.: Just a big thank you to the WOW team! You all are always fantastic. 

WOW: Thank you for sharing your story with us! Happy writing!

Interviewed by Anne Greenawalt, founder and editor-in-chief of Sport Stories Press, which publishes sports books by, for, and about sportswomen and amateur athletes and offers developmental editing and ghostwriting services. Connect on Twitter @greenmachine459.

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Leave a Comment Anne Greenawalt, Runner up, T.C. Kemper, Winter 2024 Flash Fiction Contest

Interview with T.C. Kemper, Runner Up in the WOW! Winter 2021 Flash Fiction Contest

T.C. Kemper is an American author and poet represented by Amy Giuffrida of the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. Her writing (scholarly, journalistic, literary, and satire) has been published in The Journal of Conflict Management, The Black Sheep, A Celebration of Young Poets, and various local news sources. She is a proud dog mom, doodler, and daydreamer, and as a life-long learner, is always working towards her next degree. By day, she works in higher education, and by night, she creates vibrant characters that won’t let go. When she’s not lost in a beautifully crafted story, she’s likely lost in the woods. T.C. Kemper lives in Kentucky with her husband, her rescue dog, and the ghosts that haunt her closet. Find her via her website: www.tckemper.com, on Twitter: @taylortac, or on Instagram: @tckemperwrites 

----------Interview by Renee Roberson

WOW: “Boxes We Build” features powerful imagery and a compelling narrator. What message did you most hope to convey to readers of this story? 

T.C.: I’m so glad the imagery came across with the power I intended! I wrote “Boxes We Build” from a place of vulnerability and frustration—as a perfectionist, I’ve continuously struggled with the concept of “good enough.” Appearance, career choice, income, education level, my role within my family, my journey as a writer, how others perceive me, how I perceive myself and how I define success—it’s a lot to carry, and I personally know many other women who feel the same pressures. Right after my birthday following a uniquely stressful year, I found myself in a place where I wanted to (figuratively) burn it all down. So, I wrote these characters as alternating parts of myself in a way—Daria, Evette, and my narrator have differing relationships with their boxes, and I knew Evette’s fiery revelation had to be the high point of this journey. Ultimately, I hope readers come away with the desire to inspect their own boxes more closely and choose what to burn. I know it’s something I’m constantly working on. 

WOW: I could definitely relate to the message of your story and know others will, too. Your bio mentions the “ghosts that haunt your closet.” We’d love to know more about this! 

T.C.: It all started with a very, very creepy marionette my husband and I received at a Christmas party in a “dirty Santa” gift exchange a couple years ago. Someone had wrapped up this somewhat horrifying donkey puppet they had found at an antique store, and it ended up coming home with us as a gag gift. The night we brought it home and stored it in our bedroom closet, mysterious things started to happen. Clacking hangers, weird noises, and then, around 2 a.m., the door just opened on its own. In the dark. Just, wide open like a big, shadowy mouth. Similar things have happened randomly since then, and we’ve just accepted that the donkey marionette carried a restless spirit into the house, I guess. The “ghost” doesn’t seem to mind the cramped space too much, and seems content to live amongst my old scarves and seldom-worn stilettos! 

WOW: Thank you for sharing that story with us. It doesn't get much more intriguing than a donkey marionette! You recently acquired an agent. What tips would you offer our readers who are going through their own agent search? Any “do’s or don’ts” you could share? 

T.C.: I am incredibly fortunate to have signed with the fabulous Amy Giuffrida of the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. She’s a wonderful advocate for her authors, and she’s the best cheerleader I could ask for! The road to traditional publishing is hard, and the query trenches are perhaps the hardest of all since you’re at the beginning of the road, looking for that perfect advocate to shepherd your story into the hands of potential publishers. My advice is: 1.) Take rejection in stride. It’s a normal part of the process, even if every “no” feels a little like a punch to the spleen. This is easier said than done, I know! But the moment you accept that not every agent is the perfect fit for your career, the easier it is to step back, take a breath, and keep pushing. Your perfect advocate is out there. I found mine! 2.) Read widely in your genre and age category before you even start to draft the story in your head. If you pay attention to things like voice, trends, and themes as you read, it will make your own writing so much easier. I made the mistake of misclassifying my MG story as YA when I first started out, and I still cringe a little looking back! 3.) Have faith in your story. It will find its home as long as you don’t give up on it. 

WOW: Your current manuscripts are middle grade and young adult novels. What do you enjoy most about writing for these age groups? 

T.C.: I love kidlit because there's so much room to play with the more whimsical, vibrant parts of storytelling. Middle grade in particular sat at the heart of my love of reading growing up-- the fun character names, outlandish settings, and action-packed adventures were so fun! When I write MG or YA, the wide-eyed, rebellious, and impressionable parts of my youth are in the driver's seat, and it's always exhilarating to bring that energy to the page. 

WOW: How does your love of nature play into your love of writing? Does it help inspire new stories and ideas? 

T.C.: It definitely does. My middle grade fantasy, "Clementine & The Clock," features climate change as a primary theme. One of my favorite settings in the book is Natura, the isle of nature. It's a magical sanctuary where all living species exist together in peace under Mother Nature's care (think the most incredible botanical garden ever!). In my young adult WIP, the primary setting is a dark, tangled orchard with every kind of fruit imaginable. I love researching the natural world and bringing what I learn into my stories.

WOW: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions for us. We look forward to reading more of your work.

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