Paula Marie: thank you so much for taking the time from your busy schedule to spend a few minutes with me and our readers to get to know a little more about you! I have read many of your books, and have enjoyed them all, so far my favorite collection has been the Sunriver Dreams Series and Wildflower B&B Romance Series, but, hey, I am just getting started on the Melodies of Love Series! Whew, so many books, with great settings and characters! Where do you find you get the most inspiration from?

Kimberly: Thank you for asking me to visit! It’s always nice to get to know new friends.  Sunriver is my favorite place to visit! I’m tickled that you enjoyed that series so much.

I hope you are enjoying the Melodies of Love Series. A Love Song For Kayla was originally a stand alone novel published by Love Inspired Heartsong Presents. When I received my rights back I turned it into a series. 🙂

My inspiration comes from everywhere. Locations can inspire me, something that happened in real life can inspire me, just about anything can get my creative wheels turning. The burglaries in A Love to Treasure were inspired by actual events in Sunriver. Many years ago, I was reading their local paper and it talked about homes that were being broken into. I embellished from there.  

Paula Marie: I had absolutely no idea that was a real place! Now it will be added to my bucket lists of places to visit! Your website says you are a piano player! I just told my husband last night, I wish I could play the piano! What is your favorite style of playing? What song to you love to play the most?

Kimberly: My favorite style to play is anything pretty and peaceful sounding. LOL That being said, my favorite song to play, “Solfeggietto” by CPE Bach, is the complete opposite to that style.

Paula Marie: What was your most beloved book to read as a child? Did you realize at a young age you wanted to be a writer?

Kimberly: Can I Get There by Candlelight? by Jean Slaughter Doty. Candlelight is a horse. I loved anything to do with horses as a young girl, but this horse was able to take it’s rider back in time. This book still sits on my bookshelf.

I had no idea I would ever be a writer until I was in my early 30’s. A story came to me that I had to write. I’ve been writing ever since.

Paula Marie: That sounds like an amazing book, I am going to check that out! I have always wanted to visit the North West Pacific part of the country, and your writing has kept that desire going, lol! What is your favorite single day trip for the area?

Kimberly: I live about three or so hours from Sunriver. Although I’d prefer to stay there several days at a time, I’ve been known to drive over and have lunch at the Village Bar and Grill. You might recognize that name from the Sunriver Dreams series. 🙂

Paula Marie: That is so wonderful, I bet the residents just love you knowing you wrote about their town! I love to ask author’s where their favorite place and time is to write, I get so many different answers! So can you tell me what your preferences are, if you have any?

Kimberly: I prefer to write in the morning. I write at home. My “office” is a corner of our family room where I have a desk and my stationary bike. I seldom write from my desk though. I move around a lot within my house. It bothers my back to sit in the same place for too long.

Paula Marie: I know what you mean, I have a full time office job, and my back and legs ache at the end of the day!  If you couldn’t be a writer, what career path do you think you’d choose to be on?

Kimberly: I was a piano teacher before I quit to write full time. I would never have quit teaching piano were it not for writing, so that’s what I’d be doing.

Paula Marie: What advice would you give to aspiring writers today, given your own path to becoming a published author?

Kimberly: I was talking with an aspiring writer the other day and the two things I told him were to work on building his platform and to study what successful authors in his genre do and try to follow their example. Of course, all writers should be writing everyday. Some days the words don’t come easily, so set small goals for yourself on those days, don’t just give up. LOL I suppose that was a lot of advice.

Paula Marie: I am always amazed at the depth of personality in the characters written about in your books, do you usually start with characteristics of someone you know (no names, please, lol) and work out from there, or are they completely figments of your imagination?

Kimberly: They are all figments of my imagination. These people become real to me and on a good day the story plays like out like a movie in my mind. I can see and feel their emotions and get into their head. I know that sounds weird. I’m a Behavioral Science major, so I think that probably helps with my characters. 

Paula Marie: How can your fans keep in touch with you and your news?

Kimberly: Thanks for asking, Paula. My website is the best place to start. https://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

I have links to all of my social media as well as my newsletter and blog signups.

Paula Marie: Finally….Coffee? Tea? Cream? Sugar?

Kimberly: Black hazelnut decaf coffee or herbal mint tea for me. I am very sensitive to caffeine, so I need to be careful. I also can’t have dairy and limit my sugar intake. I know, very boring! Thanks so much for inviting me to visit with you and your readers, Paula. I enjoyed chatting!

Paula Marie: It has been an honor, Kimberly! Readers can get the full list of Kimberly’s books available on Amazon right here: https://amzn.to/2PiAIuV

I want to do something special for this 3 month anniversary of the blog! I am going to give away one of MY favorite gifts besides books, lol, a journal!

If you are interested in winning this beautiful journal, please SIGN UP with your email address (to the right) to be entered to win! I will be announcing the winner a week from today and contact you privately to get your mailing address!