Interview with Author Kirsten Marie Peterson
Author Kirsten Marie Peterson is a single mom to five children. She spent 25 years enjoying a career as a special education teacher before deciding working from home would be in the best interest of her children. Since early retirement from teaching three years ago, she has become an entrepreneur with several income streams, but educating and empowering people through her writing and speaking is her true passion! She has participated in four book collaborations, and has several more books in process.
In addition to further developing her various income streams, she has a goal this year to establish her first non-profit, in memory of her brother. “It is a joy to be able to use my time the way I choose to, and have so much of my day available to my children”, she stated in this introduction to this interview.
Tell me more about your latest book
“One Man’s Poetic Soul” is a true work from my heart. My brother, and only sibling, was a poet from his teen years on into his mid-40’s when he died unexpectedly. Russell had often talked about publishing his poems, but after his death they simply sat in stacks of journals, notebooks and papers in his wife’s home and my home. With the support of my sister-in-law and my brother’s three children, I was able to type up 150 of his poems into a book that I self-published in both e-format and paperback. My brother’s wife wrote a forward for the book which brings me great joy. The book is dedicated to my niece and two nephews, as I know they were my brother’s greatest joy and most proud accomplishment.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing this book?
The most challenging aspect of writing this book was the emotional roller coaster it sent me on. Reading through my deceased brother’s words brought back many childhood memories…not all of them fond. Some other poems I wasn’t sure what time frame of his life he wrote them in so could not figure out the context of the poem. The ebb and flow of my emotions as I retyped his words made me desperate to talk to him just one more time.
How liberal are you in terms of expressing ideas in your books?
It really depends on the book topic. I aim to always be authentic in my writing..so that if we met for a cup of coffee you would feel like you knew me as an old friend from my words in my books.
What is your normal procedure to get your books published?
My latest book “One Man’s Poetic Soul” is self published on a variety of platforms in e-version and paperback. However all of my collaborative books have been published by a small independent publisher I met online.
Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?
No, at least thus far my writing has not felt like a spiritual practice.
How many books have you written so far?
I have been part of four collaborative book efforts now on Amazon. For each of these books I submitted a chapter as did many other authors. This allows the reader to hear from many points of view on a given topic.
The books are:
Made to Overcome Mental Health Edition 2
Made to Overcome Caregivers Edition
Have you ever destroyed any of your writing drafts?
I have destroyed brainstorming notes that I have written in the middle of the night, but most of my writing is done on the computer, with me writing quickly to just get thoughts on paper. Then I go back and start the editing and formatting. So, for the most part there are no writing drafts to my books to destroy.
What is your motivation for writing more?
I am an educator at my core, having spent 25 years as a teacher. I like to use my life’s journey, the good and bad, to educate and enlighten others. I also hope to be able to entertain them with the sillier, more whimsical part of my journey and empower them to be the best, boldest version of themselves. My motivation to write more is simply to be able to find a wider variety of people to hopefully impact with my words.
What is your advice for aspiring writers?
My biggest advice to aspiring writers is to just do it! Write the book you keep talking about, the book in your head, in your dreams…if you are not a ‘professional’ writer, it is alright! There are editors to help your work look and sound it’s best, there are book cover graphic artists to assure your cover grab’s reader’s attention, there are marketing specialists to help you find your target reader…all you honestly have to do is WRITE!
My other advice is; be ready to work hard, be ready to invest your time and money for the long haul, be ready for many critiques of your writing (some valid and some not), and be ready to NOT immediately make a profit on your book(s). If you choose to write from a good heart, with pure intentions and do not focus on the money…you will have a wonderful career as a writer.
To contact Kirsten Marie Peterson about speaking engagements, please email her directly at [email protected]
https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/ID150738554.html
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/one-man-s-poetic-soul
https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1551038453
Kirsten Marie Petersonhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2382327068646559
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