Interview with Kimberly Fries

Author of Girl Saints for Little Ones

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I grew up and lived in North Dakota my whole life until I moved to Rapid City, SD this last summer.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that leads from there to here?

My husband wanted to change careers, so we looked at all sorts of career paths in the US. We also wanted to find a place where there was a strong Catholic community and a homeschool community. We love Rapid City. It’s a beautiful area in the black hills.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

My husband and I were brainstorming different ideas about how I can income from home. We thought about all of my skills, as well as what I was passionate about. I had some very clear ideas of books I would like to put out, but I didn’t know where to start. My husband said that self-publishing was a real possibility and that I could hire an illustrator. Everything seemed to fall into place quickly.

How would you describe your books to first-time readers?

I create Catholic devotional books for kids ages 4-12. My books are practical, beautiful, and inspiring for families to live out their Catholic Faith in their homes. They cover topics like the Saints, Divine Mercy, Consecration to Mary, and Lectio Divina. My passion is bringing Christ into the home, and my books greatly reflect that vision.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Catholic families who are striving to live out their faith within their homes. With the changing culture in the Church, families are looking for tools to incorporate beautiful devotions in their homes but feel disconnected and overwhelmed. These books give them hope to spread their love of their Faith to their children.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

I was surprised by how many of the skills that I’ve learned throughout my life were put to work in publishing my books. I have always enjoyed studying the saints, making own holy cards, and share my faith with children. I just had to put all of these abilities and joys together to create something that can be shared with so many people.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Trust! I can’t force the complete vision of a book to come, but I can write down my ideas and see them develop. Sometimes an idea of a book will come to me and it will be laid out for me in my mind within 24 hours, but never when I try to force it to come.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

Catholics worldwide! I see a need for these books in the US, but my customers are worldwide and remind me that they need them in their countries, too. I would love to see them in more parishes, religious education programs, bookstores, and, more than anything, in lots of homes.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

My biggest challenge is trying to figure out how I can market my books better. Since I self publish, I do all of my marketing. Although I love marketing, there’s so much I need to learn and a lot of it is new territory for so many self-published authors.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

a) Once I have a clear vision of a book, I can put it down on the computer very quickly. I also enjoy picking out the illustrations and working my ideas around those illustrations. b) Self-publishing allows me to put out as many books as I’d like as quickly as I’d like. I can also be extremely up-to-date with topics that people are looking for right now. c) I used to sell children’s books with a direct sales company, so those skills have served me well. I love working with social media and other advertisement venues to get the word out about my books. It’s is amazing how many people one can reach from right inside my own house!

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

a) Sometimes it takes me a while to have a clear vision of how my books will be as practical as possible for kids. I always try them out of my own children several times to see if they enjoy them. b) Self publishing has come a long way, but still has a ways to go. I’m always striving to see how my books look as professional as possible. c) There is such a huge learning curve when it comes to marketing. There’s always more to learn, whether it be from online resources, books, or from other authors and businesses that are specialized on marketing. I can never learn enough!

When do you think you will write your next book?

Girl Saints for Little Ones was my first book. Since then I have self-published 10 more books. Nine of the books are part of the Little Ones series. The other book is a prayer book for Catholic women.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

Self-published. I love being self-published because I can design my books and publish them on my own time.