Interview with women's fiction author Kristie Booker

Novelist Kristie Booker joins me today and we’re chatting about her new women’s fiction, Blooming Into Life.

During her virtual book tour, Kristie will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky, randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Kristie Booker is the author of Blooming Into Life, a blogger and a Wellness Coach. She enjoys coaching and inspiring women through her writing as well as in person. Kristie is a wife and mother of two sons. She grew up in rural Illinois, but now lives in Chicago.

Welcome, Kristie. Please share a little bit about your current release.

Growing up on a farm in Brockville, Illinois, did not prepare Colleen O’Brien Adler to be the wife of a wealthy entertainment lawyer living in Chicago. It certainly didn’t prepare her to be Dinah Adler’s daughter-in-law. The stay-at-home mother of two has more than she’s ever wanted—a personal stylist, a prestigious country club membership, a multimillion-dollar home—but she finds herself not only struggling with depression and body image but also failing as a parent and fearing for her marriage. Her life is about to change when an invitation to a wellness meeting arrives in her inbox. With some coaxing from personal coach Kory Stone, she commits to a new beginning. But will she be able to overcome the things that are holding her back?

What inspired you to write this book?

My work as a wellness coach focused on helping women lead healthier lives inspired me to write this book. Too many women (myself included) measure their self-worth by the number on the scale, the price tag of their clothing, and the status of the social group they belong to. I came to realize that we do this in the name of acceptance. So, I decided to write a story about how one woman’s desperate need to belong and fit in left her with a broken self-worth.

Excerpt from Blooming Into Life:
            “After several weeks on the medication, some weight loss is expected,” Dr. Bradley had assured her. She had weighed herself that morning. After she removed all of her clothing, emptied her bladder, removed her ponytail holder, blew her nose, emptied her bladder again, spit until she had nothing left to spit, she finally stepped on her brand-new Weight Gurus smart body fat scale. The digital number was as hateful as it had been a week earlier. Dr. Bradley told her to be patient. Colleen felt she was running out of time.

She unzipped the beige garment bag that held her social future. The hand-stitched embroidered silver stars exploded against the dark silk fabric. The two-toned navy silk gave the illusion of wide stripes draping down the skirt of the dress.

“The A-line cut and the tonal stripes create a wonderful slimming effect,” the sales associate had told her. If Colleen could jam herself into the reserve Raina Rose, she was going to stand out. For once, she would be better dressed than Ashley Barr and Victoria Heller. That night, Fourth of July, would be the day of reckoning. She would let Jay and Dinah and the entire club see how beautiful she looked. She would finally be socially accepted within the country club circle, and then she would confront Jay about the woman in Los Angeles. Dinah would think twice about sending Colleen’s invitation late next year.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m currently working on a story addressing the absurd amount of pressure youth sports organizations put on parents and kids and how adults measure their own self-worth by their child’s performance. Former professional hockey player Matt Klein dies suddenly leaving his beautiful wife Sydney and ten-year-old son Jack behind. Sydney wants to be closer to her parents and her late husband’s best friend – who happens to be the director of Chicago’s elite hockey program. While trying to navigate the politics of the hockey club and deal with the jealous behavior of fellow parents over her son’s hockey talent, she finds herself tangled up with power couple Dr. Pete and Margo Deveraux’s divorce.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I realized I was a writer when I signed up for my first writing workshop about 10 years ago. I was reluctant to call myself that out loud until I finished my first draft of Blooming Into Life.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
These days I spend more time on my writing than anything else but I still carve out time for wellness coaching. Depending on the weather or my mood, my typical day begins at my favorite coffee shop, in front of my fireplace or on my front porch writing where I write until lunchtime. After a long walk, I shift gears and focus on marketing and wellness coaching.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I can only write when I’m alone or have the perception that I’m alone. The only place I’m able to write with people around is the coffee shop. I think that’s because I find a spot off in the corner where I don’t have to engage with anyone. If my husband, kids or a friend sat across from me, my mind would go blank. Since the same thing happens when I take a writing class, I'm only able to take classes where all the writing happens outside the classroom.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a teacher but the dream of being a writer was always whispering in the background.

Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon

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