Interview: Kimberly Sabatini

Today is the release of Kimberly Sabatini's debut novel Touching the Surface. I was happy to get an interview with the author as the book releases on my birthday (today) :) Enjoy the interview and leave a comment below!
Touching the Surface


Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into writing?
 I wrote a lot from a young age. I tended to send out a lot of editorial type letters to people. If I loved Romper Room (yes, I'm dating myself) I wrote Doo Bee a letter. LOL! As I got older I wrote letters to lots of folks, including real editorials to the newspaper. I also wrote poetry, had a diary and loved english class. Then one day--something just changed--I became very self-conscious. I started to realize that I wasn't always thinking about things the way I was I was supposed to. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough personal fortitude to continue to say what I was really thinking in my writing. Someone might read it. I didn't feel strong enough to handle that, so I stopped writing about honest things and when I did that, writing didn't hold a lot of magic for me any more. I let it get away from me. I wish I could say that I recovered from that tailspin relatively quickly, but I didn't. I didn't start to really write again until I was in my mid-thirties and my father had passed away. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to find my voice, but perhaps my voice is meant to speak out for those who think they shouldn't have one. Maybe I had to live that to be able to honestly bring that to the page.

Can you tell us about your paranormal debut, Touching the Surface?

Here it is...Experience the afterlife in this lyrical, paranormal debut novel that will send your heart soaring.When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she knows she must have messed up, big-time. She doesn’t remember how she landed in the afterlife again, but she knows this is her last chance to get things right.

Elliot just wants to move on, but first she will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed.

As she pieces together the secrets and mistakes of her past, Elliot must find a way to earn the forgiveness of the person she’s hurt most, and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.

Where did you get the inspiration for Touching the Surface?

A huge chunk of my inspiration came from the death of my dad. When he passed away it caused me to look at myself and who I wanted to be in this world. I decided that I needed to grow, change, be brave and do the things I've dreamed of. I'll be honest--it's often easier to talk about it than do it. Some days, trying to be "more" can be a little bit disheartening. As I plodded away, taking what felt like one step forward and two steps back, I began to wonder about my dad. We've always been a lot alike, which means he moved on with a lot of unfinished growth and change on his dance card. It got me thinking. In the great Monopoly game of life, did he get to just pass go and collect $200 of enlightenment? That didn't really resonate with me. It felt like maybe he should be evolving right along with me. I believe that when I was building the Obmil, I was subconsciously building the place where I pictured my dad. It makes me feel good to think of us doing it together.

I love the cover of Touching the Surface, purple is one of my favourite colours. Who designed the cover and did you have much say in the design process?

I have to just come out and say it--I adore this cover too!!! It was designed by the fabulous Jessica Handleman at Simon Pulse. I was also very lucky because they asked for my initial raw input and they incorporated some of my thoughts into this amazing cover. And the purple--I love the purple!

How does it feel to be debuting you novel?

It is simultaneously the scariest and most wonderful thing I've ever personally accomplished. To be truthful, there are days when I am invincible and on the top of the world and there are others when I'm a messy puddle on the floor. But that's the ying and the yang of this business. It has intense ups and downs and you have to ride it like a roller coaster. Preferably with your hands thrown up in the air.

Why should we read Touching the Surface in just 140 characters?

Read TOUCHING THE SURFACE by @KimSabatini because life altering mistakes are meant to alter lives. Dare to Delve…

TOUCHING THE SURFACE will be available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and most Indie Bookstores todayTuesday October 30, 2012. You can also purchase for Kindle and NOOK.

Website/Blog--http://kimberlysabatini.com

Facebook--
https://www.facebook.com/kimberlysabatiniauthor?sk=wall

Twitter--
https://twitter.com/KimSabatini

Pinterest--
http://pinterest.com/kimsabatini/

Goodreads--
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4667368.Kimberly_Sabatini

Google+--
https://plus.google.com/102049417428491863936/posts

Tumblr--
http://kimberlysabatini.tumblr.com

LinkedIn--
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=126451256&trk=tab_pro

1 comment

  1. OMG I love the cover :D The book also sound very interesting and I would love to read it :)

    ReplyDelete