Kristen Kemp

I Will Survive

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Writing this book was pure fun and excitement. It’s for all the times I wanted to take revenge, but of course, didn’t. (Buy I Will Survive here. Read more here.)

Poor Ellen. Her boyfriend is cheating on her … with her best friend. Her other (male) best friend is in love with her when he really shouldn’t be. Her beauty queen sister is on a rampage. And her mom is having an affair with one of her teachers. At first, Ellen wants to climb into bed and never get out again. Then she decides she’s not going to take this all lying down. She’s out for revenge — a very comic revenge, with some very unintended consequences. This is Fay Weldon for teens — a fun, sassy look at making it through high school with your heart in one piece.

Genny in a Bottle: The Series

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Genny in a Bottle, books 1 through 4, were my first set of novels for middle grade readers. I wrote about a genie named Genny who helped kids work out their problems while having fun. If a child was in a pickle, then poof!, Genny would show up. Although she was a genie with good intentions, she has a mischievous side of her own. To keep kids out of boy drama and friendship triangles, she had to stay out of trouble herself.

Genny in a Bottle: How to be Popular Without Losing Your Mind

Genny in a Bottle: What to do When Your Best Friend Hates You

Genny in a Bottle: Twelve Ways to Trick Your Biggest Enemy

Genny in a Bottle: How to Create the Boy of Your Dreams

Today is Gloriously Unproductive

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This morning, my writing to-do list was full. I was going to finish two blog posts, wrap up a Facebook group project and work on a plot for this teen novel I’m cooking up. I felt rested and inspired. Today was going to be a good writing day.

Then I decided to go to yoga.

Nearly every morning after preschool drop offs, I head to one of the local gyms. Yoga is usually a precursor to thoughtful writing. But it wasn’t today. We had to pick a word to focus on at the beginning of class. I realized I was getting antsy just thinking about everything I wanted to accomplish. I decided to think of the word calm as we went through our vinyassas.

I think it got me a little too calm. After class, I got into a two-hour discussion with a friend about everything from Obama-care torte reform to preschool enrichment programs. As for writing, I didn’t do squat.

But I did clear my head. I did work out a few kinks in that plot while I was doing other seemingly mindless stuff. Sometimes the best writing days are when I’m not writing.