I write fiction and nonfiction for children, but there is one recurring theme:  I send the characters in my stories on perilous journeys where they achieve the impossible, or learn something new about themselves and their environment.  I am the eternal fan of the underdog—real or imaginary.

Kimberly Lynn is an active member of SCBWI Florida, the Florida Writers Association, and Sunshine State Critiques.  She designs dolls and sewing patterns, and her work has been showcased in magazines such as Country Sampler and Folk Art Treasures.  She’s also an avid supporter of the National Parks Conservation Association.  Kimberly resides in Pensacola, Florida with her husband and five children.

 Here are a few FAQ’s about Kimberly:

Q. Where were you born?

A. I was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1963.  My father was a decoder for the Navy and a cartoon illustrator.  While dad was busy cracking codes and sketching, my mother did television commercials and modeled for one of the largest department stores in the world.

Q. What was it like growing up?

A. I had a blast growing up, even though I was an only child.  My favorite memory was boarding a ferry on the coast of Yalova, Turkey and cruising across the Sea of Marmara to Istanbul.  My parents took me shopping at the Grand Bazaar, where I watched a craftsman make me a pair of red leather shoes.  I twirled down the dusty streets staring at my feet like I was wearing Cinderella’s glass slippers.  It was a fun time, and I'm writing a picture book about this experience, too.

Q. What types of activities did you enjoy as a child?

A.  I spent the majority of my spare time playing with dolls.  I had a huge Barbie collection, and my father bought me a Mary Poppins doll on a trip to England.  I remember being fascinated by her clothes, and the tapestry tote she carried.  I also loved reading mysteries, climbing trees, gymnastics, and riding my bike.  In the evenings, my parents and I watched old movies together.  I own the entire collection of Alfred Hitchcock movies and watch at least one of them every single week.

Q. Are you married?  Do you have children?

A.  Yes.  I am married and have five children, two boys and three girls.  Their ages range from sixteen to twenty-eight years old.  There was a period of time when I actually had one child in elementary school, two in middle, one in high school, and one in college.  Try juggling those schedules without going crazy!  I also have my first grandchild, and he’s a little over a year now.

Q. What types of jobs have you had in the past?

A. I have been a leasing agent, records clerk, hospital operator, school bus driver, paraeducator for handicapped students, and a pre-k teacher.  I also had a mail-order doll and craft business for many of those years.  Currently, I write and illustrate full-time.

Q.  How long have you been writing, illustrating, and designing?

A.  My first attempt at design was in the second grade.  I snuck a pair of scissors and altered a brand new pajama set to fit my Baby Tender Love doll.  Instead of getting rave reviews from my parents, I got a spanking.  Ouch!  I didn’t pick up the designing bug again until my late twenties, when I noticed how much money people were spending on Christmas decorations.  I put together a bunch of ornaments and entered my first craft show.  I was so thrilled with the prospect of earning extra cash that I kept coming up with bigger and better merchandise every year, which is what eventually led to doll-making.  I also have a penchant for designing costumes.  The writing was inspired after a series of annual road trips that my mother and I made to Georgia.  We visited all my relatives who lived on farms in the rural backwoods.  I was completely captivated by the setting and history of our family, and this fascination became a launch pad for storytelling.

Q. When did the illustrating enter the picture?

A.  I discovered that I had a talent for illustrating by complete accident.  I was working at an elementary school when a calendar checklist got passed around to the staff.  Our principal needed volunteers to decorate a large bulletin board in the lunchroom.  I signed up for the month of February on a whim.  The budget at our school that year was tight for supplies, so I had to be creative.  I made a life-size Minnie and Mickey Mouse out of construction paper, Wite-Out, cosmetics, and Q-tips.  I used wrapping paper for part of the background, and made lots of little hearts with red felt fabric.  It looked like a giant greeting card.  The faculty and staff thought it was a poster at first, and the kids went crazy over it.  I was put in charge of that bulletin board for the next seven years.  It was during this time that my husband suggested I downsize the scale of my artwork and start illustrating.  I think this is a great example of how everyone should always be willing to try something new.  You just never know what you might discover about yourself.

Q.  What is your favorite book?

A.  Goodnight Aunt Lilly by Margaret Madigan.  It was illustrated by Diane Dawson Hearn.  My children insisted that I read it to them every night when I tucked them into bed.  It was a family tradition.

Q.  What types of manuscripts do you write?

A.  I write in several genres, but picture books and middle grade are my favorites.

Q.  Do you illustrate all of your picture book manuscripts?

A.  No.  I do not think my style is suited for all of them.

Q.  Is there anything you would not be interested in writing?

A.  I'm not into romance; however, there's a subtle attraction between two characters in one of my fantasy novels.  That's about it, though.

Q.  What famous quote best describes you, and why?

A.  "Half my life is an act of revision." – John Irving

Revision is about making changes for the better, and I think that's a positive thing.

Q.  Anything else you’d like to add?

A.  I collect picture books and dolls.  Here’s a snapshot of my personal library:

It’s a wonderful place to study the craft of writing for children.  I’m surrounded by my favorite authors and illustrators.  Cheers!