BooksChatter: ℚ You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Kimberly Love to talk about You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine (11 October 2017, Kimberly Love, 155 pages), a Memoir.

"Loved it!!! I couldn't put it down, and finished it in a day! :-)

I was so inspired, I've been looking into kickboxing classes! You wrote such an empowering book!

I laughed, I cried when parts felt too close to home or too real for me, it made me stop for a few minutes and reflect on parts of my own life... Kudos Kim!" - reader feedback

|| Synopsis || Teaser: KCR Preview || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome to Kimberly Love; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

As a ghost-writer you have some 20 books under your belt; what compelled you to write your own story?

"I guess changing my life is what inspired me to write, You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine.

I had gone through some pretty horrendous things in my life, things that I talk about in the book. I could have let those things, like abuse, haunt me but instead, I accepted the fact that it made me the person I am today and to acknowledge that I didn’t deserve those things.

I’ve moved on and now I’m just hoping to help others to get rid of their demons. I am hoping to author more books and say goodbye to ghostwriting in the future."

Sunshine and Whiskey. Two of my favourite things. Which type of whiskey and which sunshine

"I’m talking about the kind of sunshine that you feel on a hot day at the beach. The kind of sunshine that makes you feel alive inside.

My favorite whiskey of choice is Canadian Club Batch 12, it’s amazing. It doesn’t have a harsh flavor but it still makes me feel badass when I drink it."

What was one of the most surprising things you learnt in creating You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine (YTLWAS)?

"That it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. I sat on my story for a long time because I was worried about what people would think about the very raw things that were inside the book. But once I did it, I realized that it was the best thing that I could have ever done."

Why should we read this YTLWAS and what sets you apart from the rest?

"You should read it if you like stories about underdogs or survivors or if you just want to have a good laugh.

My memoir is different because it isn’t in any type of chronological order. Every chapter is a story on its own and some are inspiring, some are hilarious and some will teach you lessons about the people around you."

Can you tell us something quirky about YTLWAS or share with us one of your favourite sections?

"There’s a chapter called Dating is Cool But Have You Ever Tried Stuffed Crust Pizza? It’s a hilarious take on dating in society these days. For anyone over thirty who is single these days, they are going to be able to relate to the ups and downs of dating in a world where Netflix and Chill is acceptable behaviour."

Who would you recommend YTLWAS to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I would recommend it to anyone over the age of 18. It’s about life and how you get over the horrible things that happen in life. There are some swear words and a few scandalous scenes but nothing that will scar you for life, I promise."

Which do you think you have the most of: talent, intelligence, education, or persistence? How has it helped you in your life?

"Persistence I would have to say. You can have all the talent in the world and without persistence, you might give up at the first sign of hard times. I’ve always believed in myself and that’s what got me through rejection letters and the bad times. I’ve never given up and I think that’s the key to succeeding in anything in life."

If your life was a movie who would be the director and the lead actors? (dead, alive or mythical!)

"I would want Martin Scorsese to direct it because he’s had some amazing projects, plus the likelihood that I might meet Leonardo DiCaprio is pretty high as well.

As far as the lead, that’s hard to say. She would have to be a redhead, so Emma Stone or Bryce Howard are certainly badasses in Hollywood. I also like the girl that plays Cheryl in Riverdale, Madelaine Petsch."

What has been your greatest challenge as a writer so far?

"Marketing, I’m nowhere near the wiz that you need to be on social media to market anything. I have a great product but getting it out to the world is no easy task. Even traditional publishers these days expect you to do some of the marketing and it is truly a challenge."

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

"The toughest criticism I received was actually from a former friend who told me that I wasn’t old enough to write a really awesome memoir. It hurt a lot to hear that from her because she was one of my oldest friends and I expected support. I don’t believe that I have to be 80 years old to discuss the things that I’ve experienced in this book.

The best compliment I received was from a reviewer of the book. She told me that I have a “powerful story” and that I needed to get it out to as many people as possible. She suggested doing a book trailer and was the one that suggested doing a book tour, which I had never even heard of before this. So, my story moved her and now I’m trying to get it out to as many people as possible like she suggested."

I am glad you did not listen to your friend but acted upon your reviewer, or we would not have had the pleasure of meeting you and finding out about your story.

What is in store next?

"I am finishing up a thriller novel that is going to be a series. The series has the same female detective, Harley, who’s a very human character, someone who makes mistakes but always finds her way. I’m working with an agent on it currently and we are in the editing stage. So, I’m hoping by the new year we can start shopping it to publishers. When I finally get through the editing, I will start the second book of the series which follows the main character working on a new case, with a new killer."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"I have a leopard gecko; she’s pretty cool because she will watch Law & Order with me. She was my daughter’s choice. You can’t really snuggle her, but her tail turns red when she’s angry."

Wow! That I'd like to see! She is beautiful :-D I have to admit that I have never held a reptile, other than a snake... I need to rectify that soon ;-)

Thank you for sharing, Kim!