What is the best thing I love about my work? My work is fascinating. I witness the emergence of new people in my clients through their weekly writing. They are fulfilling a dream to write a book, and at the same time digging deeper into a new perspective on the stories of their life. I lead them to the edge of liberation, and love watching them be set free.

What is my idea of perfect happiness? Peace with my state of mind in the moment. I can live in wonder at any given moment, or settle for negativity and lack. Fully deeply believing I deserve happiness is also perfect happiness. It allows me to help others find happiness.

What is my greatest fear? To be perfectly honest, I don’t have a great fear anymore. A friend who knows my life history said to me once, “Kim, you have already climbed all the mountains. You can now stand on the top and enjoy the view.” I was grateful for that perspective. Fears of acceptance are reflections of perfectionism and that means I am also out of spiritual alignment.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? Deplore is a strong word. We already beat ourselves up so much! I don’t want to say anything terrible about myself, but the trait that is a blessing and a curse is impatience. Surrendering to life’s time line can be a challenge for an over achiever.

Which living persons in my profession do I most admire? I spent twenty years in the movie business so many of the professionals I admire were in that field. My favorite movie ever written was Horton Foote’s Tender Mercies. I love the subtle depth of that movie in such a stripped down place. The character Robert Duvall plays is flawed but his humbled desire to share creativity and love sits with you like a light breeze for the rest of your life. Foote is dead, but I he was the first person that popped to mind.

What is my greatest extravagance? I took my daughters to Barcelona last July for two weeks, phones off, no internet, and we toured the city like locals for two glorious weeks. I plan to do holidays now every year with them no matter what. There is a lot of the world I want to see, and I understand that the creative boost I received from a worldly perspective was like none other in any class or job.

On what occasion would I lie? I may tell my daughters I am doing okay even if I am having a anxiety or a rough day. As a single parent, you can’t just say, I need to take a walk and cool off or have a good cry. You need to hold it in sometimes. That said, they teach me to let troubles pass through me and laugh because life is really short.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? When people don’t hire me to help them write because they are in resistance and I know they are so ready. I have to bless them and see them go off in the world and hope that their pain doesn’t get too bad before they find the outlet they need to work through the writing and the words. I am empathic and intuitive and I can feel people’s suffering.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work? Now! I absolutely love what I do. I love running my workshops where people write on prompts and then share in front of everyone with me coaching and witnessing them. The light bulbs I see go off, the change in them in less than an hour, is magical. I help people see how their lives can be different yet they are doing a majority of the work themselves by writing their truths.

If I could, what would I change about myself? I would play more like a child… I would tap into that wonder of life and be less serious about whether life is going to work out how I planned. Know that my plan is so small compared to what my God has in store for me.

What is my greatest achievement in work? Having a screenplay I wrote produced and brought to the big screen, and then premiered in Sweden in front of 800 people. That was my biggest achievement in the movies. My greatest achievement now would be writing my memoir The Lies We Tell Ourselves, a book about my recovery from sexual abuse through writing. http://www.lieswetellourselvesbook.com

Where would I most like to live? Right now it is Barcelona. I felt my whole body and mind connect to that city. When I left, I actually cried like I was leaving a passionate lover. I don’t know if it was the emotion of the courage it took to take the trip that made me cry, or that I knew I belonged there and it wasn’t yet time.

What is my most treasured possession? My laptop. I live on it. I pray it doesn’t die soon!

What is my most marked characteristic? My hummingbird tattoo on my left inner wrist. I got it at a very low point in my life where I felt devoid of hope and love. These hummingbirds would visit my window and tap on it. They were telling me, get on with it already. Re-start your life.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city? Without question the Annenberg Space for Photography in Century City. The exhibits are always thought provoking and educational. It is free which gives everyone access. The area is grassy, right smack in the middle of tall office buildings that house some of the top agents in the entertainment industry. It is surreal in its purpose around such commerce.

What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city? It’s not the food so much for me anymore, but the company and the experience. I mainly eat out with my boyfriend, so already anywhere we go is a culinary win because I adore time with him. I would say Maxwells for breakfast because we’ve had important vulnerable talks there over eggs and bacon.

What books influenced my life and how? Olive Kittredge by Elizabeth Strout is the book I read where I said, I don’t know if I will ever be a true fiction writer! She is an amazing wordsmith. Michael Singer’s The Untethered Soul and The Surrender Experiment were game changers for me. His life teachings readjusted the whole way I hear my thoughts.

Who are my favorite writers? Oh wow, where do you even begin? For a very long time I collected Arthur Conan Doyle rare books. He is a master at creating male characters that are incredibly courageous and yet completely self-destructive. To be honest, my favorite writers are my clients who show up every week and believe they are good enough to be published. That takes incredible courage and talent.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? Give me a 90s R&B play list and send me to heaven.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? I have to confess, I am such a slow reader of books because I put all my time into reading my clients’ work. It takes me half a year to finish a fiction book. So I am more apt to know a character from the movies. Dorothea Fields played by Annette Bening in 20th Century Women. Again, a movie, but her depiction of Mike Mills character was unequivocally resonating to all women who want to be perfectly okay with exactly who they are.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? Any man or woman who speaks out about sexual abuse, or any abuse of any kind and makes the decision to turn their lives around so they can be of service to others.

Which movie would I recommend to see once in a lifetime? Tender Mercies.

What role plays art in my life and work? I have to go to museums. They feed me. If I have not been to a museum in at least six months, I start to get antsy

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? I am not a secularly religious person, but I do meditate and speak to God on a daily basis. A Higher Power exists that wants a vast and bountiful life for me. I am also in a relationship for the first time in my life that completely feeds my soul. We are incredibly supportive of each other, and even when I reveal my shortcomings, he is there to tell me how fantastic I am. There is something about a deep love with someone on that level that helps you get through tough times.

Whom would I like to work with in 2017? I would love to get my hands on Mariah Carey and do some deep writing work with her on her story. She has written a lot of songs, transcended a very brutal business, and had several marriages. The world could benefit from her truths. Lady Gaga will be ready to write a book soon. I loved her documentary. What a fierce traveler of life. I also would like to help Victoria Beckham write her book about how she went from being a Spice Girl to an icon in the fashion business while having four kids

Which people in my profession would I love to meet in 2017? It’s not necessarily people in my profession, but people who are committed to the talk they talk. Tony Robbins and his wife… that would be an incredible dinner conversation. I would like to spend time with Angelina Jolie as she has experiences in humanitarian services, arts and parenting. And of course Oprah. Who doesn’t say Oprah?

What project, in 2017, am I looking forward to work on? My Memoir, The Lies We Tell Ourselves, my recovery from sexual abuse story complete with writing prompts, is finally complete and with a book agent who has it out to publishers. I can’t wait until it finds the right home and we get to start putting it out there to help millions of people heal and grow through writing from any form of abuse that has kept them small in their lives and in lack of self worth.

Where can you see me or my work in 2017? I have a You Tube channel which has videos about my teaching as a book coach. You can also go to my web site at http://www.astoryinside.com. You can follow my page on Facebook at and join me on Twitter at (although I am not a huge tweeter… not enough time in one day!)

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? Someone once told me, “If you are bored, you are boring,” and I took that to heart. Our existence on this earth is so short and we have so much to experience and do… to have passion about even everyday little tasks is a daily choice. I can grumble about what I have as a task at hand, or I can infuse passion into it. Passion waits, it lurks, it is ready to be sprung free at any time. We can cage it with our fears and our life baggage, or set it free to perform wonders in us!

Which creative heroines should Peter invite to tell their story? I had mentioned Amy Powers because she is an award winning songwriter, composer, and after struggling through a serious health issue, has now risen to be a National Vice President of Arbonne International. While she still writes music, she has grown a team at Arbonne of women tired of the long hours and the endless rigor of the entertainment business, and would like to take back their schedule and ability to make more income in a new way.

How can you contact me? At my web site at http://www.astoryinside.com. From there you can follow me on Facebook, You Tube, Twitter. You can also receive 12 Story Tips when you sign up. You can also sign up for a complimentary Story to Success Discovery session if you are serious about now is the time to finally write that book!