Let’s start with something easy. What’s your favorite color and why?

My favorite color is green because it reminds me of spring. I love the time of year when plants are waking up after winter and everything feels fresh, new and full of possibilities.

I take it that means spring is your favorite season. What is your favorite food?

I can’t say that I have one favorite food. I’m a big fan of homemade macaroni and cheese and sushi and anything chocolate.

What would you say is your best trait?

Persistence. When I make up my mind to accomplish something, I will, no matter how long it takes or what stands in my way?

I’d be unbalanced if I didn’t ask about your greatest weakness. What would you say it is?

If I was going to point to one weakness as the greatest, I would say it’s depression and anxiety. It’s the biggest obstacle I must overcome in my quest to accomplish my goals. It’s hard enough when there are obstacles such as financial challenges, juggling work and family, that kind of thing but, when you have to battle your own heart and mind to achieve the things you’ve set your sights on, it can bring progress to a stand still.

So what do you do to treat your anxiety and depression?

Several things help me manage my symptoms. I take medication, exercise, meditate, work with a counselor, and use a vitamin D light.

Would you consider your symptoms debilitating?

No, I consider myself high functioning, which means I look mostly fine on the outside. I can do my job and put on a happy face. On the inside though, I’m falling apart.

Do you find that other people don’t believe you are struggling?

It is hard for others, at times, to believe that I’m having a hard time, but that’s sort of the point.

What do you mean?

I don’t want people to know. I don’t want to be broken. I prefer to keep my problems to myself. It’s not healthy, and it drags out the healing process, but it’s my natural tendency.

Do you think you write fiction to escape your struggles?

In the beginning, I thought that way, but I’ve discovered I am more honest writing fiction, giving my problems to fictional characters, than I am when I talk about myself. It is therapeutic to write your characters through your problems and realize there is a way through and you can survive.

So for you, fiction is a way to work through your issues?

Definitely.

Besides publishing your novels, what goals do you have?

I think I’d like to open a bed and breakfast, with a little shop in it where I can sell my handmade items. I’d like to have a few alpacas. I could learn to harvest the wool, spin it to yarn, and dye it myself. Then the offerings in my shop would be entirely made by me.

What kinds of things do you make?

I knit and sew and cross-stitch and I’m learning to paint. I guess I dabble in a lot of things, but most of my offerings are knit items like scarves, hats, and sweaters.

How would someone find your offerings? Do you have a store?

Right now, I have some items available on etsy. My store is named kimshandmadeUS—all one word.

Is that your full time job or do you have another way of paying the bills?

I work full time as an accountant. I sell on etsy to support my writing habit.

We’ve got to wrap it up, but I’d like to know, your novels you have listed on your website are labeled fantasy. Is that your only genre?

Fantasy is my genre. My alter ego has a blog writingnotebooksite.wordpress.com where she experiments with different styles and genres.