🏰 AUTHOR INTERVIEW: 'Boardwalk Summer' Kimberly Fisk

A past recipient of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart Award, Kimberly Fisk is the bestselling author of Lake Magic. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, and too many four-legged critters to count.

Her latest book is the contemporary romance, Boardwalk Summer.

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About the Book:

In the town of Tranquility Bay, summer is the season of second chances...

Single mother Hope Thompson has built a happy life for herself and her twins in beautiful Tranquility Bay, Washington. She doesn’t dwell on her painful past—especially not on the man who broke her heart all those years ago. But when Hope’s beloved son needs help, she takes a desperate chance and reaches out to her children’s father.

Nick Fortune lives life in the spotlight as a champion race car driver. He’s shocked to hear from Hope and even more surprised to learn that he’s a father. He immediately heads to the Pacific Northwest to confront the past—and the woman he once loved.

There, on the quiet lakeshore, Nick and Hope must work together to save their son—even if it means facing their complicated past—for a second chance as a family.

PRAISE FOR BOARDWALK SUMMER

"It was late. I only meant to take a peek but ended up reading BOARDWALK SUMMER in one delicious gulp, and I'm still thinking about the characters. A terrific read. Page turning and deeply emotional. You'll fall in love with these characters who have so much at stake. Highly recommended."
Susan Elizabeth Phillips

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As a book bloggin’ and book luvin’ Princess, I’m always curious to find out how authors got the ideas for their books.  How did you come up with the idea for your book?

Hi!!  Thank you for having me here today.  It’s always wonderful to connect with other readers and writers.  What a great question.  Like you, I also enjoy learning how authors hit upon that single idea that sparks a book.

I am not a fast writer by any stretch of the imagination so for me an idea needs to be incredibly strong as it will be the driving force that gets me to the computer for the next year.  Quite simply, BOARDWALK SUMMER started with a single question:  “What would a mother do for her child?” 

My answer was instantaneous:  ANYTHING.  Even contact the one person she swore she never would.  With that premise, my story was born.     

Can you tell us what your book is about?

I’d love to!  Boardwalk Summer is my favorite type of romance:  it’s the story of true love and second chances.  Of young love ripped apart by circumstances and then forced back together years later by a crisis.  It’s a story of how our past might shape our future but it doesn’t have to permanently define it.  I love reading about second chances because I believe we are all worthy of another chance.  And, yes, as a contemporary romance, Boardwalk Summer is absolutely about romantic love, but I think it’s about more, too.  It’s also about a parent’s love and devotion for their child.     

Can you tell us a little about the main characters of your book?

Ahhhhh.  Hope and Nick.  Two of my favorite people.  These characters have lived with me for such a long, long time but that’s probably a discussion left for another day.

Hope Thompson is a woman I’d love to have as a best friend.  She’s smart, funny, fiercely loyal and tries to find the positive in any situation.  And like so many of us—a mother who will do anything for her children.  Even reach out to the one person she swore she never would—the man who broke her heart years ago. 

As for our hero, Nick Fortune, well, he’s just plain yummy.  (Is that okay to say?!)  He’s handsome, sexy, smart but he’s also let his past drive his future.  Even if that meant walking away from Hope.  But because of one phone call, his whole world changes and he has to struggle to figure out if what he thought was important really was or if for the past sixteen years he’s been placing value on all the wrong things.   

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would that be?

BELIEVE.  A deceptively simple word that holds so much power.  It’s also a concept I struggle with daily. 

There are already so many obstacles blocking us from achieving our dreams that we need to be our biggest champions; if we don’t believe in ourselves, who will? 

Belief will drive us to sit down in front of our computer and write a story.  Belief will propel us to seek out help and guidance.  Invest in ourselves and our dreams.  And when the hard and uncertain times comes—as they surely will—believing may be the only thing that keeps us from giving up.      

What would you say is one of your interesting writing quirks?

I’m sure my family has a long list they’d love to share.  😊  But without a doubt one of them would have to be how I need silence to write.  I know a lot of writers who develop playlists to listen to while working or they write in busy coffee shops or even in their living room with the husband and kids nearby watching TV and chatting away.  How I wish that was me!  Unfortunately, the only voices I can hear while working are those of my characters in my head.  And boy the discussions we have!!   

Do you hear from your readers?  What do they say?

One of the greatest gifts writing has given me is the connection with other readers.  Women just like me who are crazy busy with jobs, families, LIFE 😊.  And, who also like me, love to escape into a great book.  To realize that sometimes that book is mine…well, it’s incredibly humbling.  Social Media has provided such a great, easy way for us to connect.  I hope if you’re on FB, you’ll drop by and say hello!!       

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

I think I’m in the minority here but I’m one of those writers that loves feedback.  I firmly believe in rewrites, edits and revisions.  I believe that looking at my work with a fresh eye can only make it stronger.  Now, having said that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to hear what others have to say.  I mean, how can it?  You pour your heart and soul into creating characters and a story that you hope will resonate with your readers and stay with them long after they turn the last page.  Hearing that those characters or that plot isn’t working for some…tough.  But in my day job as an assistant to an amazingly talented author, I’ve learned that your work can also be better, stronger, more engaging, if you embrace the revision process.  So when I sit down to write a first draft—I create that straight from my heart.  When revising/editing—I tuck my heart away (as much as possible) and work from an analytical point of view (as much as possible).

   

What has been the best accomplishment?

Without a doubt, the best accomplishment in life is my family.  Only because of them am I who I am.  They truly do make me whole.  But my best accomplishment in writing??  That’s a tough one!  Winning the Golden Heart (RWA’s highest award given to an unpublishes author) has to be near the top.  Because of that win, my career was launched.  But before that—before the win and signing with my dream agency and receiving THE CALL—I think joining my first critique group would have to be my best accomplishment.

It goes back to one of your earlier questions and my answer of “believe.”  If I hadn’t believed (at least enough) I would never have found the courage to seek out and join that group of amazing women/writers.  (Hi Tracy, Pipper and Suzanne!!)  And because of that step, I found the dedication, strength and courage to continue writing.    

Do you Google yourself?

Oh, wow!  I never thought of doing that.  Now I’m both intrigued (and a little terrified!!) at the prospect. 

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

There are two ways I can answer this—none and six.  I know, kinda confusing right??  But none because the first book I wrote is the one featured here today—though it had a different title back then.  (Finding Hope in case you were interested. 😊).  And six because I wrote and rewrote that first book so many times (yes, too many) before putting it away and starting on my second book—Lake Magic.  Which also had a different title.  As you’ve probably guessed by now, I can’t title a book to save my life.  

Do you have anything specific that you would like to say to your readers?

THANK YOU!!  I am incredibly grateful to each one of you who has—or will—take a chance on one of my stories.  And to show my deep appreciation, I’d love to send you some fun stuff.  Just visit my website (www.KimberlyFisk.net) and drop me note. 

It’s been great spending time here at Book Bloggin’ Princess and if you take away one thing from our chat today, I hope it’s this:  I hope you believe strongly enough to follow your own dreams and passions whatever they may be!!

Happy Reading!