Interview with Kim Hanks, Author of Save The Best For Last
Tracee Gleichner
March 01, 2009
I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Kim Hanks, the author of Save The Best For Last. Here is what he had to say:
Where are you from?
I'm from Dubai; I was born and raised in Uganda.
When and why did you begin writing?
I started writing as early as I knew how to handle a pen, my creativity started all the way from high school. Literature was my best subject. I knew it will be helping me in future but I was not thinking of becoming a writer seriously. Though, at sixteen I wrote and self published a book which was only available for my classmates and teachers. It was their compliments about my work that I came to realize that I could write amazing stories worth a read and here, I' am, a published author.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
As I said publishing a book in high school, people's interests in my stories were really a huge motivating force for me to know that I was a real writer. And that's why later, I decided to enroll for creative writing classes to sharpen and perfect my craft.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Interviewers like this question! But again I'm saying that, it was like having a day dream when I got visual ideas that made me to accept the two characters in it before developing the story more into realism. The ideas continued to blend softly with the themes as I started writing the story down and up to now I'm still living with those characters, I cherished every moment I worked on that project and felt like not to stop when I was working on the last paragraph of the first book.
Do you have a specific writing style?
As a creative and natural story teller, it really depends on the genre I'm working on. There some projects which doesn't require me to first outline the whole project aside. Whereas there other projects that will need you to outline the whole thing before working on the first draft of the story, I'm so disciplined in my writing. I always start writing stories in a manner I'm comfortable with at that time.
How did you come up with the title?
My title just grew up with the story at once through the first draft of the book; I didn't need to change the title even after several revisions. That title was a finest match for the story from the first chapter to last one. Anyway I don't have troubles in finding matching title to all my stories.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I would say that for me as a writer, it's always fantastic and thrilling to get a fan telling me that "I drew some lessons out of your book, I loved It." that sounds great to me as the author of the book. Though, I understand that there many fiction books that have similar situations which living people encounter in their daily life. But for my book, I sincerely have no specific message to convey to readers through my book.
How much of the book is realistic?
Creativity is part of me and I live with it, my book is totally fantasy. There many fans now writing to me, saying that it seems like I have similar characters to that of zwick the hero in my book. It's not true; my book is generally fantasy.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Definitely no, I'm sure it involves none of my personal experiences. It's a fantasy adventure novel where everything is fantasized.
What books have most influenced your life most?
I have read over hundreds of books, I feel it's pretty difficult for me to break them down in this limited time, but I would say that books by Jk Rowling, Terry Brooks, Stephen king, lee child, James Patterson and many other literally legends, their work has been so influential to me during that period when I was an aggressive reader.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
JK Rowling, have I told you that she's so kind and friendly .lol
What book are you reading now?
The shack by William .p. young
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
There are dozens of new promising authors with amazing work, but I think Dean Barkley Briggs is among those dozens I'm talking about.
What are your current projects?
I'm working on the sequel of save the best for last as well having two single title projects in the editing process.
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Obviously, those were my author friends who worked hard to help me to understand the industry very well.
Do you see writing as a career?
Yes, because it's also launched as other careers. It requires basic planning, making business plans and goals you intend to achieve as a writer assuming you're doing it full time. Only that you experience a lot of lonely hours when you're writing. Its good, I'm also setting it up.
What do you think makes a good story?
Writing is very easy, and I think everybody can write, but to have a good story isn't such easy, I mean making critics to accept. Even if it's perfect, not everyone will like it. There has to be critiques. So for me, any amazing story must have what we call a hook which causes the readers to read more to find out what happens next. the story has to touch the reader in some way pumping her with vivid images like my book does.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Yes! At times you find situations in life where you're stuck in similar conditions which one of your favorite characters experienced. So you may find yourself using the same knowledge he used to overcome the obstacle and I have such characters in my book save the best for last, perhaps as saw Whitney Barnes, one of the major characters teaches us to be dynamic in life.
Where are you from?
I'm from Dubai; I was born and raised in Uganda.
When and why did you begin writing?
I started writing as early as I knew how to handle a pen, my creativity started all the way from high school. Literature was my best subject. I knew it will be helping me in future but I was not thinking of becoming a writer seriously. Though, at sixteen I wrote and self published a book which was only available for my classmates and teachers. It was their compliments about my work that I came to realize that I could write amazing stories worth a read and here, I' am, a published author.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
As I said publishing a book in high school, people's interests in my stories were really a huge motivating force for me to know that I was a real writer. And that's why later, I decided to enroll for creative writing classes to sharpen and perfect my craft.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Interviewers like this question! But again I'm saying that, it was like having a day dream when I got visual ideas that made me to accept the two characters in it before developing the story more into realism. The ideas continued to blend softly with the themes as I started writing the story down and up to now I'm still living with those characters, I cherished every moment I worked on that project and felt like not to stop when I was working on the last paragraph of the first book.
Do you have a specific writing style?
As a creative and natural story teller, it really depends on the genre I'm working on. There some projects which doesn't require me to first outline the whole project aside. Whereas there other projects that will need you to outline the whole thing before working on the first draft of the story, I'm so disciplined in my writing. I always start writing stories in a manner I'm comfortable with at that time.
How did you come up with the title?
My title just grew up with the story at once through the first draft of the book; I didn't need to change the title even after several revisions. That title was a finest match for the story from the first chapter to last one. Anyway I don't have troubles in finding matching title to all my stories.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I would say that for me as a writer, it's always fantastic and thrilling to get a fan telling me that "I drew some lessons out of your book, I loved It." that sounds great to me as the author of the book. Though, I understand that there many fiction books that have similar situations which living people encounter in their daily life. But for my book, I sincerely have no specific message to convey to readers through my book.
How much of the book is realistic?
Creativity is part of me and I live with it, my book is totally fantasy. There many fans now writing to me, saying that it seems like I have similar characters to that of zwick the hero in my book. It's not true; my book is generally fantasy.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Definitely no, I'm sure it involves none of my personal experiences. It's a fantasy adventure novel where everything is fantasized.
What books have most influenced your life most?
I have read over hundreds of books, I feel it's pretty difficult for me to break them down in this limited time, but I would say that books by Jk Rowling, Terry Brooks, Stephen king, lee child, James Patterson and many other literally legends, their work has been so influential to me during that period when I was an aggressive reader.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
JK Rowling, have I told you that she's so kind and friendly .lol
What book are you reading now?
The shack by William .p. young
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
There are dozens of new promising authors with amazing work, but I think Dean Barkley Briggs is among those dozens I'm talking about.
What are your current projects?
I'm working on the sequel of save the best for last as well having two single title projects in the editing process.
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Obviously, those were my author friends who worked hard to help me to understand the industry very well.
Do you see writing as a career?
Yes, because it's also launched as other careers. It requires basic planning, making business plans and goals you intend to achieve as a writer assuming you're doing it full time. Only that you experience a lot of lonely hours when you're writing. Its good, I'm also setting it up.
What do you think makes a good story?
Writing is very easy, and I think everybody can write, but to have a good story isn't such easy, I mean making critics to accept. Even if it's perfect, not everyone will like it. There has to be critiques. So for me, any amazing story must have what we call a hook which causes the readers to read more to find out what happens next. the story has to touch the reader in some way pumping her with vivid images like my book does.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Yes! At times you find situations in life where you're stuck in similar conditions which one of your favorite characters experienced. So you may find yourself using the same knowledge he used to overcome the obstacle and I have such characters in my book save the best for last, perhaps as saw Whitney Barnes, one of the major characters teaches us to be dynamic in life.
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