Welcome to Kim Upstone

Today I’d like to welcome Kim Upstone. Here is a bit about her.


Kim is one of 9 children born to a business entrepreneur father (still living) and a housewife (deceased). She has been married 32 years to her husband, Doug, who is a sports writer. She has I has two children, Melissa who lives in Hawaii, and Brent who is married and lives in Tempe, AZ and his wife. They are expecting their first child, Grace, in August. Kim and her husband care for her sister, Debbie (who is 5 years older than Kim). She has special needs and they have Frank, their 4 year old cocker spaniel! They moved to Arizona seven years ago to get away from the cold.Kim Upstone is the owner of A New Day A New Vision which is not only the name of her company, but her life philosophy. Kim believes that each new day we can create a new vision for ourselves, home and environment. As an author, motivational speaker and intuitive designer she resides with her family in Scottsdale, Arizona. With a background in interior design and interest into the effects of environment upon individuals, accreditation in staging and feng shui soon followed. In addition, she has studied neuro- architecture. Her first book Step by Step To Sold and Feng Shui to Sell are reflections of those principals. Both books were written as guide for home sellers looking to prepare their home by combining Feng Shui and Staging techniques.Feng Shui for Special Needs, her second book, is given out as a free ebook for people with life and learning challenges. Based on her own personal experience, the books help those who work with special needs children and adults to make enhancements to their environments all in an effort to allow them to flourish.Her new book All I Want Is Everything released in December 2009 is drawn from her life’s journey of searching how to find her everything and learning to dance in the storm. All I Want Is Everything is a guide to help women reclaim happiness and peace in the search for their everything.

Pull up a chair and make yourself at home, Kim. It’s lovely to have you with us today. Can you tell me what drew you to write in your current genre?

Good Morning Margaret. Thanks for having me. My most recent book “All I Want Is … Everything” is based on the journey I took to find the answers, a journey locate my “everything”. I was compelled to help others find their way to a joyous life, to provide a guide to help people find their answers.How fascinating that you can do this. I do admire people who write so selflessly. How many books have you written. Are they all in the same genre?My professional background in intuitive design and feng shui lead me to write my first book “Step By Step To Sold”. Which is a step by step guide to preparing your home for sale using Staging and Feng Shui. My second book is a free ebook on Feng Shui for people with special needs. It is drawn from my experience of working children and adults that need assistance with life and learning challenges. Environment plays a huge part in their ability to function and concentrate and making needed changes can help in concentration and overall well being.

When summer arrives I tend to write in the open. Parks, beaches, wherever my muse takes me lol Where do you do most of your writing?

I write in my office which is in my home. I write on notebook paper by hand with a pen. I have a bit of an unconventional way to write. I write across the lines edge to edge. I also ask my readers to do the same while journaling and working their way through the book. I find for conventional thinkers it makes you just a bit uncomfortable and forces you to think outside the box slightly. When writing from emotion it feels better than writing on a computer or on the lines.

How bizarre. I have just interviewed another writer who writes everything by hand. Far too much work for me lol I think I’m far too bonded with my laptop. Tell us about your latest release.

All I Want Is … Everything, A Guide to Love Peace and Happiness is a guide for everyone searching for something more in their life. More meaning, understanding, happiness, a life without conditions. These are things each of us can have. But they do not come naturally, it takes work. Awareness and choice play a big part in our quality of life. I wrote this book as a result of the journey I took many years ago to find my “everything”. What I discovered was my answers. What I give the reader is guidance and questions for them to answer to lead them to their answers.

It sounds really interesting. I think a lot of people will be interested in this book. How can readers keep up with your news?

They can sign up at either of my websites for updates from my blog. I also have FaceBook fan page and a FaceBook Group called Womens Transformational Leadership Group as support for women in business who want to share books they are reading and information they may receive through webinars and seminars. I am also on LinkedIn and have a You Tube Video Channel.

Website
Kim's book is also for purchase on her website. Kim will give a donation for each book purchased to Global Orphans Project.

Purchase book on Amazon

What do you think about celebrities writing book?I believe we each have a book inside of us, even celebrities.

Celebrities do have a captive audience waiting for their every word, and the book they release most likely has been written by a ghost writer. We each have a choice to buy or to bypass the books written by anyone. So I think that just like each of us as authors, people some books will hold something valuable and some will not.

What's your advice about getting an agent?

I do not have an agent and I have to tell you that I have been disappointed by almost everyone I have hired from editors to PR people. Just recently I have had better luck finding more productive people who take time to understand me and my product. I feel for me and for my books no one will be as passionate or act as a strong advocate for spreading the word. This is something that I feel requires my presence.Most authors rely on critique partners for an extra eye on when they are writing. Who rely on and why?My husband is a writer also, however he is a sports writer so we are on completely different playing fields.I rely on myself and to me it doesn’t matter what others think. That is why I have chosen to publish myself so I can do it my way and from the feedback and reviews I have received my heart to heart message has been successful.What is your favorite part of writing?I would say the actual writing. I could get lost for hours and be happy never leaving the house to speak and do book tours, just spend time writing the rest of my life! I deplore edit corrections, but they are a necessary process.

How do you get past all the frustrations that come with trying to be a successful writer?

It’s all part of the job. If your message is important to you and you feel what you have to share with the world is really going to make an impact, you are propelled through frustrations. You quickly learn to take those stumbling blocks and stack them up so you can get over the wall that also lies in your path.

Thanks for stopping by Kim