Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .

Why do you write the genre that you write?
I’m not sure what genre I write (haha). My short stories are literary fiction with magical realism elements, and my two novels have both been part literary fiction, part mystery, and part family drama. I love books and stories that span multiple genres, and I’ve tried to do the same with my own writing.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
Mia, the narrator from Happiness Falls, goes off on tangents a LOT, to the point where she puts many of them in footnotes. (But no worries for people who hate footnotes; she tells them to feel free to skip them if they’d like!)

Tell us how you got into writing?
I started writing in my 40s as a way to cope and process the complicated emotions I had about being the mother of three kids who all had medical issues as babies/toddlers. I wrote about it for the Washington Post HERE:

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
I’ve been a trial lawyer, a management consultant, a dot-com entrepreneur, and a full-time stay-at-home mother. Being a writer is my 5th career!

Where do you write?
I write in a tiny closet with no windows and a ceiling sloped so low that I have to sit on the floor. I sometimes do freewriting on a DIY treadmill desk.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
None. I don’t eat when I’m really stressed. I’m too busy biting my nails and furiously typing.

Who is an author you admire?
I love Gabrielle Zevin. I love how eclectic and smart her stories are. (Full disclosure that she came to mind immediately because I’m in conversation with her in LA next week and the last thing I did before turning to this Q&A today was emailing her!)

What’s your favorite genre to read?
I love literary fiction with a touch of mystery/suspense and/or dystopian/sci-fi, especially linked stories.

What are you reading now?
Ed Park’s Same Bed Different Dreams

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
A vodka martini or a glass of cab franc

What is next for you?
I’m still touring, so I haven’t been able to write. I can’t wait to get started soon!

Where can we find you?
On the road, doing events for Happiness Falls! Please join me–details are on my Instagram at @angiekimask or on my website at angiekimbooks/events.

Now to have some fun . . .

Chocolate or vanilla
White chocolate

Cake or ice cream
Ice cream

Fruits or vegetables
Fruits

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Dinner

Dining in or dining out
Dining out

City life or country living
City life

Beach or mountain
Beach

Summer or winter
Summer

Short story or full-length novel
Can’t choose. Depends on my mood. Linked stories is my favorite, so both!

Extrovert or introvert
Extrovert

Early bird or night owl
Night owl

And even more fun . . .

What is your favorite movie?
Can’t choose one, so I’ll go with my most recent movie I loved: Past Lives. Can’t wait to watch Anatomy of a Fall and have a feeling that will become a favorite soon!

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
My husband, my kindle (with something like 500 books I’ve been desperately wanting to read), and a solar charger for the kindle.

My bio:
Angie Kim moved as a preteen from Seoul, South Korea, to the suburbs of Baltimore. After graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy, she studied philosophy at Stanford University and attended Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Her debut novel, Miracle Creek, won the Edgar Award and the ITW Thriller Award, and was named one of the 100 best mysteries and thrillers of all time by Time, and one of the best books of the year by Time, The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, and the Today Show. Happiness Falls, her second novel, was an instant New York Times bestseller and a book club pick for Good Morning America, Barnes & Noble, Belletrist, and Book of the Month Club. She lives in northern Virginia with her family.