Featured Interview With Kim Idynne
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’ve lived in the Minneapolis area for most of my life, and I have no plans to leave. I teach English Language Arts at a local school, and on the side I write, paint, draw, and compose music. Some of my artwork has appeared alongside my short stories, but I mostly feature it in local art galleries. Right now I’m working on the sequel to Mahatmas and Monsters (a New Adult vampire-themed novel that was published last year), and on a Halloween-themed album that I hope to release in October 2024.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve loved books and writing since I was little. In third grade, I wrote my first horror novel; it was called Nightmare on Sesame Street, and the plot involved the Sesame Street characters being destroyed by an evil entity that possessed them one by one. The first to go was Big Bird. In chapter two, Ernie loaded his rubber ducky with bullets and stepped out of his bath to go on a bit of a rampage. At the time, I thought this plot was hilarious. Around the same time, I also wrote and illustrated a 42-issue graphic novel series called Linda Michelle Frien, named after one of my friends (the plot involved my friend having adventures in an alternate reality).
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
The Exorcist is one of my all-time favorite books, mostly because of the characters and the contemplation of good vs. evil in the world. I couldn’t put down The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Nervous Conditions was my favorite college read (followed closely by Bastard Out of Carolina and The Liar’s Club by Mary Karr). I don’t have a favorite genre, but I tend to stay away from recommendations in the romance genre—I have been exposed to way too many cringey romance novels! When it comes to inspiration for my own stories, I’m mainly inspired by the people around me.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
Most of the stories in To the Solemn Graves focus on natural mysteries rather than the supernatural, but some selections do feature paranormal encounters. In the acknowledgements, I mention that my dad inspired the ghost story Something Undone; I got the story idea from an experience he had while spending the night at an old mansion on historic Summit Avenue. While the story is mostly fiction, I borrowed some details from the true account, such as the dog refusing to enter the apartment, the narrator’s initial sighting of the ghost, and the reaction of the landlady. There are other ghostly accounts mentioned in passing in that story; those are also based on real encounters experienced by my family members. In other tales, such as A Foreign Bride and Lady in a Fur Wrap, the line between natural and supernatural is very thin. I read several of the stories at a local writer’s workshop, mostly for general feedback, but I especially wanted feedback on Consequences because of its ugly ending. I was encouraged to publish it in the collection anyway.
I design my own book covers, but this is my first time illustrating the interior of my one my books (I have done a few illustrations for other people’s books). I had fun coming up with designs for each story. My favorite illustrations in this book are the ones I did for Lady in a Fur Wrap, Yanakoya, and The Hidden Narcissus. The first two convey a more literal interpretation of the stories, while the drawing for The Hidden Narcissus is figurative—and perhaps more disturbing. It shows the subject staring into the cesspool of her own soul, horrified by what she sees there.
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