16 July 2015 by Published in: kindle worlds 19 comments

Kim-Cresswell-Oblivion-Web

Kim-Cresswell-web.

Kim Cresswell is a delightful talent whose Whitney Steel series has made a splash with adventure thriller enthusiasts.  She’s got varied interests, writes well, and is a hell of a lot of fun to talk to. With that, I’ll let her take center stage:

Russell: How did you come to be interested in the JET Series Kindle World?

Kim: I’ve always been a huge fan of the JET series and when I saw the opportunity to write a story with one of my favorite characters I jumped on it. No. I pounced!

Russell: The JET Series books are fast-paced action and adventure stories. What genre(s) do you explore in your story?

Kim: Action. Adventure. Thriller. It’s a fantastic mix of genres. I’ve always been told to write what you enjoy reading.

Russell: The JET series has been set all over the world… the Middle East, Asia, South American, the Caribbean, etc. Tell us about where you set your story, and why?

Kim: OBLIVION is set in California, Las Vegas, Panama, and Colombia. I chose California because I needed a nuclear plant located on the west coast for the story. Las Vegas was chosen because it’s my two main characters usual stomping grounds. Colombia worked well due to the drug cartel and was also an interesting setting choice to explore as a haven for terrorists coming from Yemen.

Russell: Tell us a little about your main character(s).

Kim: Hal Decker and Angela Donahue are my two crossover characters. They were first introduced in RETRIBUTION (A Whitney Steel Novel – Book 2) and met during a covert mission in Colombia while Hal was helping a good friend save his fiancee after she was kidnapped by the drug cartel.

Hal (36) is a former FBI agent, elite sniper and an ex-marine. He’s a mellow kind of guy with soft voice and has a serious vibe to him. People who meet him aren’t sure if he is friend or foe. He’s brilliant and cunning. He reminds me of a younger Ron Perlman playing the character Luther Braxton in the TV show; The Blacklist.

Angela is thirty-three years old and ex-US military intelligence (surveillance/reconnaissance) who worked intelligence operations in numerous overseas environments as well as in South and Central America. She’s also the go-to-girl you call to help get you out of a hostile territory during a dangerous mission. Her specialty—exit plans. She’s pretty good at kicking butt too which creates a little conflict with JET.

Russell: Did you decide to include any of the main characters from JET (Jet / Maya, Matt or Hannah?) If so, Why?

Kim: I decided to use JET and Hannah in OBLIVION. I wanted to show the softer side of JET as a mother who is forced into making a difficult decision to leave her daughter behind with strangers while she tries to stop a terrorist attack.

Russell: What major theme comes across the clearest in your story? Is this a theme found consistently in your other works?

Kim: The major theme in story is the will to survive. Whether it’s a character who is an alcoholic or a character who’s risking her life to stop a terrorist attack—in the end it’s all about survival.

I think it’s also the main theme in my other works as well. My books all have very strong female leads who have to fight to survive one way or another.

Web Site: www.kimcresswell.ca

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kim-Cresswell/e/B00B5LKAXA/

Russell: Share some of your story about becoming a writer. Long version or short version. You decide.

Kim: Even though I’ve written off and on all of my life, I began my publishing adventure with my romantic suspense, REFLECTION, back in 2008 after I landed my first agent. Signing the agent contract was so exciting. A big-time-thrill-ride especially after I had queried hundreds of reputable agents. Finally it had happened!

Well not quite…

A few months later, the agent decided to close her agency in Toronto due to personal reasons.

So I began my agent query process again in early 2009. Two months passed and then I received a representation offer from Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. I was thrilled!

But…

The economy crashed in 2010 and traditional publishers were hit hard. Some vanished. Some restructured and others decided it was time to jump on the e-publishing bandwagon. The publishing world was changing.

After my agent exhausted all major traditional publishing avenues my manuscript was sent out to e-publishers.

Then I received a wonderful letter of praise from a “biggie” e-publisher suggesting I rewrite the story to fit their line as a category romantic suspense and re-submit. There were many sleepless nights trying to decide if I should rewrite the book.

I decided not to do the rewrite. The story was an action-packed suspense with a romantic element and it was going to stay that way.

Now I self-publish all my fiction stories under my KC Publishing Imprint. I love the control I have over my own work from cover design to choosing my own release dates.

Russell: Interests? What makes you interesting outside of your books…Authors are often some of the most interesting people I’ve met, although admittedly I don’t get out much.

Kim: I have far to many interests to mention. From music to law. I think what is most surprising to many people is that I’m gamer girl. A gaming junkie. Have been since the 80s. I’m a die-hard PC gamer who plays first-person shooters, adventure, fantasy, and RPG’s (Role Playing Games). I’m not your typical mother and grandmother. Just ask my kids and grandsons!

Russell: JET is set in a world where many governments including Israel and the U.S. have covert operations including false flag and assassinations. Do you believe this is really the world we live in? If so, what are your thoughts on the future?

Kim: I do believe this is the world we live in and have been for a long time. With all the horror going on in the world it’s basically kill or be killed. As long as these covert operations are used to protect us and our security…why not? I think it would be naïve to think these types of missions haven’t happened, aren’t happening right now or are something new. As more dangerous threats pop up over time it makes it difficult to gauge what exactly the future holds.

Russell: What are you working on next, aside from the novella in the JET Series Kindle World?

Kim: I’m working on the first book of a four-book paranormal thriller series; Deadly Shadow (The Assassin Chronicles). The book features veteran FBI Agent Victory McClane and government assassin, Derrick Lynn, who has some pretty interesting paranormal abilities that make him unique and untraceable.

I’m also outlining the third book in the Whitney Steel Series which will release in the spring/summer of 2016. I promise it will be another crazy-action-injected-ride for investigative reporter, Whitney Steel

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Comments

  1. Thu 16th Jul 2015 at 8:42 am

    Thanks for interviewing me, Russell. 🙂 It was a blast!

    Reply
  2. Thu 16th Jul 2015 at 10:06 am

    This is awesome, Kim! Congrats–can’t want to read 🙂

    Reply
  3. Thu 16th Jul 2015 at 2:58 pm

    Looks like you’re already adept at writing about women who kick butt. I’m sure this will be great!

    Reply
    • Kim Cresswell  –  Thu 16th Jul 2015 at 3:54 pm

      Thank you, Kim. I enjoy writing strong lead females. Jet is definitely going to kick some butt in Oblivion!

      Reply
  4. Zarayna
    Tue 21st Jul 2015 at 7:46 pm

    Hello Kim,

    Just a very quick note to congratulate you for being a Jet girl and to wish you an exciting adventure with this book.

    I must say I really enjoyed reading your bio, with your diverse interests and history in the world of publishing. However, I was shocked when you mentioned your grandsons – what’s the secret – is it a youth serum? Please tell.
    In the meantime, I wish you well.
    Kindest,
    Zara.

    Reply
  5. Zarayna
    Tue 21st Jul 2015 at 7:47 pm

    Hello Kim,

    Just a very quick note to congratulate you for being a Jet girl and to wish you an exciting adventure with this book.

    I must say I really enjoyed reading your bio, with your diverse interests and history in the world of publishing. However, I was shocked when you mentioned your grandsons – what’s the secret – is it a youth serum? Please tell.
    In the meantime, I wish you well.
    .

    Reply
    • Kim Cresswell  –  Wed 22nd Jul 2015 at 12:11 am

      Thanks, Zara. No youth serum here. Just loving life and writing. 🙂

      Reply
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