Around the Fire welcomes Kim Janine Ligon for an in-depth author interview.

The picture is me in the middle in blue with five of my six sisters. We were having a chair yoga class taught by the youngest, Amy, in green. We were together for a family reunion. Kim, thank you for joining me around the fire. While I pour you a red and me a white, why don’t you introduce yourself and tell our other visitors who are you other than your bio?
A doer. I rarely sit still just watching TV. My hands are always going. Knitting,
crocheting, or crafting of some kind. I have so many projects going simultaneously that my
husband calls my recliner my nest since it’s surrounded by projects in progress. I’m a
proud wife of forty-eight years to an amazing perfect-for-me man. I’m a lifelong friend
and loving oldest sister.
 
So, you have busy hands. I crochet a bit, too. Can you talk about your interests a little deeper?
I read all the time. I usually have a book going on my filled to the gills Kindle and a
paperback on my bedside—can’t do computer reading right before bed. I spin fiber into
yarn and weave, knit, and crochet with my homespun creations. I build model buildings
for my husband’s HO model railroad in our basement. Feed and watch my
hummingbirds. Tend to the plants on my screened-in deck. Keep up with friends and
family across the country and the world.
 
My hubby is a train man, too! He even has an outdoor LG set for the garden. Tell us more about your DH and any others in your support system.
First, my sweet husband, who reads all my work and makes terrific improvements to the
plots. My friend, Millie, who is my sounding board and patiently reads and rereads my
stories. An unexpected treasure has been my fellow Roses in the Wild Rose Press
Garden. You were among the first to provide guidance and assistance when I had my
debut novel Polly’s List come out in 2022. Everyone is so helpful and kind. I appreciate
them reading my books and reviewing them, and commenting on my blog. It’s a
wonderfully supportive atmosphere, and I’ve tried to pay it forward by providing new to
TWRP authors with the benefit of what I have learned along the way.
 
You’re a sweetheart. The Garden is truly a place to grow, and I’m so happy to have met you and so many others there. What books or authors inspire you?
I learn something from every book I read. I’m especially touched by biographies or
stories of people overcoming the odds to not just succeed but to thrive. I’ve read true
stories of conquering Mount Everest, training and racing Secretariat, escaping the Nazis
and leading others to freedom. The most inspiring thing is none of those people thought
they were anything special, but they accomplished amazing feats.
 
What about your own work? Do you want to be mostly stand-alone or build a connected body of work?
I’m only publishing my second book. Both books are set in the same small Wisconsin
town. They can be read stand-alone, but there are characters that will appear in both (and
in the third one I’m currently working on.) I have had readers tell me that they love it
when someone they “Know” pops up in a subsequent book. Since the setting is a small
town, it is not a stretch to make that happen.
 
How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? 
I think it made my drafts crisper and more ready to be sent out. It also brought an added
level of pressure on my writing life. Now I have people asking when the next one is out. I
was surprised how success would weigh on me. The pressure is to make the next one as
good or better than the first one. With the first one, I wanted something good that could
be published. The first one being published raised the bar, at least in my mind.
 
I get it. I love/hate when someone asks me when the next in one of my series is coming out. It’s a lot of pressure. I have quite a few works in progress. What about you? How many unpublished/half-finished books?
I have two half-finished and about six more in various states of outlining, character
naming, etc. I also have a neon yellow folder full of scraps of paper that have ideas for
stories, general plots, names, and locations. Maybe someday they’ll grow into half-finished
stories.
 
Can you share your ideas on the best way to market your book?
I had a career in IT, and now I eschew social media and all of its security and political
concerns. My marketing has been very personal. I set up my blog four years before I
published my first book and grew a modest following reading my observations on life
and my author journey adventures. I’ve reached out to nearby book clubs and groups to
share my author story and discuss my books. That has paid off at my local book signings.
I give out my author cards everywhere to wait staff, doctor’s offices, and grocery clerks. When
I had my most recent book signing, I gave out flyers everywhere from the post office to
the dentist’s office and asked them to post them in their employee breakrooms. Next time, I’ll
add my picture because they might not recognize my name but might my face as being
one of their patrons. The local Barnes and Noble was delighted with the sales at my July
book signing and invited me back whenever I wanted to come. And best of all, they bought
the books directly, it wasn’t consignment!
 
Social media is a drain of time and energy. I’m on that hamster wheel but haven’t cut ties yet. Good for you and the personal touch. Let’s talk Easter eggs. Do you hide secrets that only a few people will find in your books?
Lansdale, Wisconsin, is the fictional small town I write about, and it is based on the small
town in Wisconsin that I grew up in. Some of my high school classmates and, of course,
my family have picked up on the places and some of the people in the stories. For
example, the town I grew up in had a drive-in called The Pink Pony. My dad always
referred to it as The Purple Cow, so the drive-in I write about is The Purple Cow. It’s fun
to get notes and emails from people who have discovered the similarities.
 
My in-laws once lived on Purple Cow Road in Virginia! I gave them purple cow knickknacks as gifts. I hate housekeeping. What’s your worst household chore?
LAUNDRY! It never ends. Hard to believe only two people can make so much
laundry. I have four small baskets in our bedroom to separate things when you take them
off into lights, darks, whites, and sheets. I have a towel basket in the bathroom. When I
do laundry, nothing looks better than those four empty baskets in the bedroom. My sweet
husband will ooh and aah when he comes in a night to empty baskets before he throws
today’s clothes in them. That helps a little to have the effort appreciated. I return the
favor and ooh and aah when he mows the lawn!
 
LOL! I hear you, sister. We also create a ton of laundry for only the two of us. One of my favorite character names in my books is Gloriana Jones. The name popped in one day and wouldn’t go away until I wrote her story. How about you? How do you select character names?
Often, I have a name I want to use before I ever have a story to go with it. With my most
recent book though, the name of the bad guy came from him. Through umpteen drafts, his
name was Danny Mercer. I had a dream one night that he wanted a better bad guy name,
one that sounded menacing. He became Dirk Crowe and never bothered my dreams
again. 
It’s a great villain name. Susie, thanks so much for this fun interview. If it’s not too much trouble, will you leave a bit about your latest cozy mystery and where we can get more information on both you and it? I included a picture of our feet too for fun! My family is a big deal to me so thought you might like this. ​LANDING ON HER FEET
by
KIM JANINE LIGON
#romanticsuspense
Kat Russell narrowly escaped death at Dirk Crowe’s hands six years ago. He’s
out of prison. To protect her family, she must flee Philadelphia—the only home
she’s ever known—with her five-year-old son, Timmy. Is Wisconsin far enough
away to escape evil?
Chase Merrick, father of Timmy’s new best friend, wants to help. What is Kat
hiding? Why does she insist she must face whatever it is alone?
When Can Kat stop constantly looking back over her shoulder? Will secrets and
shame stop her from accepting Chase’s protection? Or unite them in the face of
danger to keep their sons safe?

 Grab a copy of Landing on Her Feet at one of these retailers. 
Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Landing-Her-Feet-Janine-Ligon/dp/15092497337/
Barnes and Noble:
barnesandnoble.com/w/landing-on-her-feet-kim-janine-ligon/1143205488
And read more at
Goodreads
www.goodreads.com/book/show/123737915-landing-on-her-feet/
Bookbub:
www.bookbub.com/books/landing-on-her-feet-by-kim-janine-ligon
And you can learn more about Kim at
Spinning Romance & Suspense Into Happy Ever Afters
www.spinningromance.com