About The Author
Kim Carter is a multi-award-winning author and critically acclaimed writer of gripping suspense, chilling thrillers, and haunting historical mysteries.
Ms. Carter is widely known for her vibrant characters in her Clara and Iris Mystery series, a couple of overly curious widows who turn into private investigators. These funny women were inspired by Kim’s mother and her mom’s best friend. Book one of this series, Murder Among The Tombstones, was chosen Finalist for the 2018 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award and a recipient of the 2017 TCK Publishers’ Readers’ Choice Award.
Ms. Carter’s Mysteries and literary works include; “Sweet Dreams, Baby Belle,” When Dawn Never Comes, Deadly Odds (chosen Editor’s Pick in Books Shelf Magazine in 2022), No Second Chances, ‘And The Forecast Called For Rain,’ and her newest mystery Dark Secrets of the Bayou. “Bayou” has been awarded a Reader’s Favorite Editorial 5-Star Review, also chosen #1 Finalist for Best Historical Mystery from Reader’s Favorite 2021 book awards, and was awarded a 2021 Killer Nashville Finalist for The Silver Falchion Awards. In 2022 “Bayou” was chosen by The Author Shout Book Awards as a Recommended Read.
All of Kim’s novels can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM, and Indie Bound. Kim’s writing career started after she suffered an illness that made her housebound for a couple of years. An avid reader of mystery novels herself, she embarked on writing to fill her time. Kim’s health struggles and successes have been chronicled on Lifetime Television in early 2000, in The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Women’s Day Magazine, and Guidepost.
Now, with seven acclaimed mystery titles to her credit, Kim worked in many different capacities in county government. Still, her job as a correctional officer ultimately offered her opportunities to talk and interact with a diverse group of people. Her experiences run the gamete from inspiring success stories to tragic endings as she writes within her mysteries.
Kim began networking and made connections with numerous homicide detectives, medical examiners, and prison officials. Her research has taken her to many places, including morgues, death row, and the occasional midnight visit to cemeteries to gain material for her novels. Kim is a Saint Leo University college graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She is an avid reader and has raised three successful grown children. Kim and her new pup Wally reside outside Atlanta, GA.
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** Readers can now download FREE Book One of “A Clara and Iris Mystery” series titled “Sweet Dreams, Baby Belle” beginning JULY 27th thru JULY 31st, 2023, on Amazon Kindle! **
https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Dreams-Baby-Belle-Carter-ebook/dp/B0742KNK86/
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** Exclusive Interview with Kim Carter **
When did you start writing?
I started writing after an illness left me homebound for a couple of years. It was very therapeutic, but I never dreamed they’d be published.
What makes writing your passion?
Writing is very much like reading a really good book. It takes you away to another place. Often times I’m unaware of how my characters manifest themselves into the opposite of what I’d envisioned them becoming. They seem to take on a life of their own, so I simply follow their lead.
What was the feeling when you published your first book?
Oh wow! I quickly learned that writing a book is just the beginning of the process. The cover, the edits, and the ‘dreaded synopsis’ are to follow, along with other details. But there is no feeling like it in the world than holding your own book in your hands – the culmination of so much work, blood, sweat, and tears… But the hardest of all is saying goodbye to the characters that have become friends.
What’s the story behind your choice of characters?
The characters of Iris and Clara are based on real-life characters – and allow me to stretch these characters! My mother and her friend of fifty years were an absolute hoot, just as Clara and Iris are, and I enjoyed writing about them because it brings back such fond memories of being blessed with spending time with them. They were first introduced in my first two novels, Sweet Dreams, Baby Belle, and Murder Among The Tombstones, everyone loved them.
They were meant to be bit parts, but they clearly stole the show, making a series a no-brainer. I just finished the third book of this series, and I hope my reader fans will enjoy reading the next installment. It will be titled “Root Of All Evil.”
What annoys you the most in pursuing a writing career?
Oh, I have no right to complain about anything, but since you are giving me the opportunity – haaaa, It would be rude to turn you down. Being a writer that works from home, no one thinks you have a real job, and making you available at all times. Everyone is under the hysterical illusion that published authors are rich and famous.
Still trying to figure that one out. A real head-scratcher… Lol.
How do you get over the “writer’s block”?
I believe writing, by far, is the easiest part. Most of my time is spent rolling ideas around in my head and putting them on paper, which inevitably ends up with me painting myself in a corner and trying to find a feasible and believable way out.
(Can you say – a run-on sentence? Geez.) The easiest way for me to get back on track is usually to take a short trip to research something I’m writing about. It rejuvenates my mind, and I keep going.
What advice would you give to new authors?
My friends, family, and my publicist are always great encouragers which is a huge help.
But I have to say that my biggest inspiration is hearing from my fans and how much they’ve enjoyed a particular book or that they’re anxiously awaiting a new release. My advice for new authors is this business takes tough skin. Unfortunately, I don’t have it.
There will inevitably be people that may not like your work, and that’s okay. Some people will not like your particular genre or may simply just not like your writing. Write for those who do, but most of all, write for the love of writing. If you don’t love what you do, it’ll be challenging to be successful.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with the bad ones?
Yes, I do read my reviews, and like I said earlier, I’m very thin-skinned. I do, however, appreciate constructive criticism. I realize not everyone is going to be a Kim Carter fan or even a mystery fan, so I try to take it in stride.
I once got an Amazon one-star which really hit me hard. I felt like – “Hey, don’t I get something for the effort? When you write an entire book, how much are you sacrificing your scruples to give a writer two stars? Good Grief.”
It took a while to get over that one, but I soon realized I couldn’t just throw in the towel every time someone didn’t like my work.
How do you feel when people appreciate your work or recognize you in public?
It’s the most incredible feeling. I’ll never forget one day I was meeting my sister in an office supply store. She came up to me and loudly said, “You’re Kim Carter! And you look so normal!” We got quite a kick out of that! But I have to admit it’s quite the high to have someone recognize me and talk about the books I’ve written.
Although, if I must confess, I have a limited social life – I’m either at the grocery store, an antique store, or Goodwill, finding something to DIY. Since all those places are close to my home, I rarely put on make-up as I rush out the door for a quick trip. I look nothing like the beautiful photoshoot pics, more like someone that just rolled out of bed! LOL.
What’s the dream? Whom would you like to be as big as?
Wouldn’t we all love to be a legend like Stephen King?
What a brilliant mind! I am under no illusions that my writing can stand up to any of my favorites, so I am satisfied doing what I love and having the people that read my novels enjoy them. A little money would be nice, too. Maybe a Netflix series for “Clara and Iris, or two or three… I told you I was comical!
And lastly, share a secret with us… 🤗
Technically, it will no longer be one if I share a secret. Want to know what I treated myself to with my first royalty check? I had been wanting the Ove Glove for quite a while, as seen on TV. !! Thank goodness I’m a simple person!
"CAT'S BOOK LIBRARY 4 READERS" 