Kimberley Lee, author of Have You Seen Him, the first book in a new trilogy, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.
Welcome, Kimberley.
Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.
When I was in law school, I’d get up early to read John Grisham’s latest book, prioritizing that before reading the cases assigned for my classes. I think I knew deep down I wanted to someday parlay my background in law to writing fiction. Publishing this novel is a dream come true. Have You Seen Him is a thriller with lots of suspense, the genre I love most. David, the main character, is an attorney who is kind of listless and unfulfilled. The adventure begins when he sees his face in a missing child ad. Although his early years were tough, he didn’t know someone was looking for him. He goes in search of the truth about his origins and encounters all kinds of mayhem—corporate villains, murder victims, accidents that aren’t really accidents—along with suspicions about the people who’ve raised him. He gets help from his no-nonsense girlfriend Gayle and a stranger with his own secrets.
Have You Seen Him is the first in a trilogy, so now it’s back to my notebook to work on the second installment. Pen to page. In the next book, Gayle and Violet, two characters from this one, will go on an adventure in search of someone else, tying up some of the subplots that I left open in Have You Seen Him.
Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?
Soon after we meet the book’s main character, David, he’s sifting through mail and sees the missing child ad with his own face. The inspiration for the book is a scenario somewhat similar to that—I was sorting through my mail and saw an ad for a child who went missing when he was 10. The computer-progressed image showed him in his forties. I thought about how this boy’s family had been searching for over three decades, never giving up. The faces haunted me. I tore it out and carried it around in my bag for a while, then sat down to write a story.
Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?
Looking back over my writing, whether flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and now this novel, the theme of belonging always emerges. We’re all searching for answers to “Who am I” and “Where do I fit in?” The missing child ad was perfect for these themes, and a thriller—along with a romantic subplot—was a wonderful genre for exploring it in an imaginative way.
How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?
The main character, David, is inspired by the image mentioned above. A huge part of my creative process involves writing with images. I see an image—a work of art, a photo, something striking—and my imagination fires up, often developing a backstory or extrapolating into the future. Writing with images is a primary way I access my creativity and the stories that want to be told.
Gayle is a composite of and tribute to several resilient, brilliant women in my family, some of whom, like her, are teachers. Alejandro and Violet were inspired by two close friends who are strong, loyal, and full of compassion.
I love them all and they feel real to me!
How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?
This book is somewhat of a love letter to Los Angeles and its cultural scene and diverse neighborhoods. I’ve been to most, if not all, of the settings where the book takes place, and I revisited a few to take note of additional details. One action scene takes place aboard the Queen Mary, a historic ship permanently docked in Long Beach, California. I felt the story called for a high-energy chase, but I hadn’t written one before. I really wanted my words to paint a detailed picture that readers could visualize and feel invested in. I’d toured the ship several times before, but before writing the chapter I went on a Julia Cameron-inspired “artist’s date” to visit it again. I dined at the restaurant, saw the exhibit, and wandered around taking notes about the layout. The excursion gave me both the confidence and the details to make the chase scene feel authentic.
What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?
Not to give too much away, but I read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and similar books, and spoke with my husband, an MD, about the hospital scenes and accurate medical terminology. I used my own background as an attorney to inform scenes in the courtroom and David’s office. I’m close to a couple of people who were adopted. Everyone has a different experience and I would never make any generalizations, but some of the feelings they’ve expressed influenced how I wrote about David.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?
I think we can all imagine what it would be like to be in David’s position—seeing our computer-progressed face in an ad, not knowing we were considered missing. The prologue starts with an intriguing, high-octane event, and then readers go on the journey by David’s side as he searches for the truth. As one reviewer put it, “I had to know why he was missing.” Once readers begin the story, they will be compelled to find out. I worked on this book for roughly ten years and the first draft was twice as long! I hope readers enjoy the final version!
Thank you for answering my questions, Kimberley, and good luck with Have You Seen Him, the first book in a new trilogy.
Readers can learn more about Kimberley Lee by visiting the author’s website and her Goodreads and Instagram pages.
The novel is available at the following online retailers:
About Kimberley Lee, JD: A versatile writer, editor, and creativity coach, she has a passion for nurturing the imaginative spirit and helping others reveal their own inner wisdom. Kimberly holds degrees from Stanford University and UC Davis School of Law, along with certifications from the Center for Journal Therapy, Amherst Writers & Artists, SoulCollage®, Guided Autobiography, the Center for Intentional Creativity, and The Path Meditation. Recent collaborations include Esalen Institute, Hollyhock Retreat Center, Omega Institute, The Huntington, the Expressive Therapies Summit, Arts and Healing Initiative, and West LA Veterans Administration. Kimberly’s stories and essays have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies, and she has served on the staffs of Literary Mama, F(r)iction, and Carve magazines. She lives in Southern California with her husband and three children.
dianneascroft.com 