By Adam Messer
“I don’t hold back anymore. I write horror because it is exciting. It can be anything. It can be fantasy, macabre, or paranormal. I want the reader to feel so involved in my story that they feel like a fly on the wall.” – Kim Marie Farris.
Kim Marie Farris is a poet, writer, actor and filmmaker who pulls the reader into her story with a deep emotional connection.
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Kim Marie Farris, and I am an award-winning poet, writer, actor, and filmmaker originally from San Jose, California.
I have independently published two poetry books, “The Leaking Heart” and “The Heart Still Beats”. My poetry can also be found in numerous poetry anthologies. My short story “Mr.V” is in one of Valhalla’s latest books, “The Blood Runs Deep,” a vampire anthology.
My background includes over a decade as a contributing writer for danradcliffe.com and experience as a journalist for ACED Magazine, where I interviewed celebrities and musicians while covering topics ranging from entertainment to health and wellness. In addition to my writing, I am a screenwriter and director, most recently for the 14-episode web series Turning the Page. My creative work also extends to acting and voiceover, including roles in various plays and a guest appearance as a zombie on The Walking Dead.
What genres do you write and why?
I write poetry as a form of cathartic expression. I sometimes feel as if there is an entity, a muse. A verse will pop in my head, and no matter what time it is, whether it be 3 am or driving to Disneyland, I need to write it down, otherwise it will disappear. The biggest compliment has been when someone has told me they resonate with my poetry, it moved them, and that it touched feelings they didn’t realize they had. If I can make a difference with my poetry, that is what truly matters to me.
Writing horror and thrillers is my biggest love next to poetry. I have been a fan of the genre, especially vampires, since I watched my first horror movie at 7 years old, HORROR OF DRACULA. I was hooked, or bitten by the thrill it gave me. I received my first award when I was in 4th grade. I wrote a story called “The Skull Head”. It was based on a dream I had. I remember that when I was writing it, I felt as if I were ahead of my time. I needed to tone it down. I really don’t know why I felt that way. Perhaps I really was. I had the same feeling 2 years later in my 6th-grade class. The English teacher collected horror stories from the students in the class. I remember that story vividly to this day, and the feeling I needed to tone it down. I don’t hold back anymore. I write horror because it is exciting. It can be anything. It can be fantasy, macabre, or paranormal. I want the reader to feel so involved in my story that they feel like a fly on the wall. I want to instill that thrill and excitement and scare the living sh** outta them!
What is your earliest memory of reading?
My earliest memory of reading was in kindergarten. I just remember knowing how to read without any struggle. When I was 8 years old, I had trouble sleeping, so I would check out books from the school library. I figured if anything, a book would make me fall asleep. The book that has stayed in my memory is “The Golden Unicorn” by Phyllis A. Whitney. What little girl doesn’t love unicorns? Well, the book didn’t put me to sleep. It kept me up. I absolutely loved it. From then on, I was hooked on reading. It was imperative that I read every night before I got to sleep. Until I read the V.C. Andrews’ “Flowers in the Attic” series. Those books kept me up till 3 am!!
When did you know you wanted to write? How did it happen?
I knew I wanted to write when I was in 3rd grade. There was a creative writing class with my favorite teacher, Ms. Sommers. She would give us prompts, a line, or just an idea. We then had the majority of the class write their story and share it with the class. There was one story in particular where my character woke up with a tail. She had turned into a mouse! The story had mayhem. mischief and a lot of humor. I was so animated while reading the story that I got big laughs from the kids in my class. In every story I wrote, it always ended with “To be continued in the book I am going to write.” So, by third grade, I knew I wanted to be a writer. Over the years, I became a multi-genre writer. Poetry, horror, love, screenwriting, and for a magazine.
I kept my short stories and poetry to myself for many years. I was not ready to show my innermost feelings to the world. Writing for DanRadcliffe.com fell in my lap, per se. It gave me so many opportunities to conduct interviews, write articles, and even travel to Orlando, Florida, for the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and be one of the first to write about it. This segwayed me to writing for ACED magazine. My first gig was interviewing Tim Burton and Danny Elfman at the DVD release of THE CORPSE BRIDE. Here I was, this girl with a little Canon PowerShot camera while surrounded by professional photographers. Who had the most in-depth interview? Me! Writing for ACED gave me many opportunities to write. During halloween i wrote a short story. A vampire story. I had such a great response, I knew I was on to something.
What’s one of your favorite scenes in one of your books?
My favorite is from my short story “Mr. V” in the vampire anthology “The Blood Runs Deep”. It was the scene with Mr. V and Trudy. The first vampire attack. I remember I felt as f I was in a trance writing this. I envisioned the most intricate detail from the street lamps to the faint light of Mr. V’s cigarette. The absolute fear Trudy endured. The confusion, the regrets all of her emotions passing through her mind at once while facing a monster. I had so much fun writing this. I felt as if there were flames coming out of my fingers on the keyboard, I couldn’t type fast enough. I wanted the reader to see through Trudy’s eyes. Have sympathy and compassion for this innocent girl from a small town, just truing to make it inthe big city. To just witness all of her dreams vanish in a flash of horror.
What makes a good character? A bad one?
In my view, a “good” character is defined by their values. Compassion, empathy, kindness. It is not just in their words but in their actions. It is not what they do but the impact they leave behind. A “bad” character is selfish, a narcissist. Willing to sacrifice everything and anyone in order to get what they want. Honestly, I believe there is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” character. Everyone has flaws. It is what we do with those flaws that makes us who we are. Characters in stories are no different, no matter what the genre is. There will always be a protagonist and an antagonist. Let’s take Mr. V and Trudy, for instance. Trudy is from a small town in Arkansas. Starry-eyed, she comes to Hollywood to try to make it as a professional dancer. Filled with innocence and purity, always seeing the good side of people, even with the jealous Marion, Mr. V’s girlfriend. She, too, may have grown up with hardship, but she chose to use artistic expression to heal the pain. Mr. V is a man in the golden age of television. He is a celebrity, always in the public eye. Deep down, here is a man who suffered many hardships growing up in Castellaneta, Italy. He comes to Hollywood and becomes a big star. With fame and fortune, there is still no cure for his internal pain. He makes a deal with the devil and sacrifices his life in order to maintain his youth. There is indeed a price to pay. With that deal, he becomes a monster.
What moves the story for you?
The characters all have an objective. It is the choices they make. The journey, the conflicts, and the successes. It is not always a success. In many stories, there is failure. It is what the characters do, and the successes and failures that reveal their true selves. Being a witness to their development, it can be a mystery, no matter the genre. It is intrigue that drives them to get fully engrossed in the story.
What is your favorite book and why?
Ohh, this is a tough one. There are so many to choose from! Most of them are in the horror genre, although the Harry Potter series will always have a special place in my heart. The top 3 of the horror genre I mentioned have to be Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Joe Hill’s “Heart Shaped Box”, and Elizabeth Kostova’s ” The Historian”. “Dracula”, come on. It’s THE start of it all! “Heart Shaped Box” by Joe Hill aligns with the other two. This paranormal story had me on the edge of my seat. The vivid images I have of a ghost that terrorized a faded rock star. Dogs named after members of AC/DC. Scary as frick yet so much fun. “The Historian” takes horror to another level. It is similar to Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code”, a vampire thriller with conspiracy and historical fiction. This 700-page book kept me riveted from the first page. I was enthralled by the acute details, the history behind Vlad Tepes, and the journey to find the truth. It was an incredible experience to spend every lunch hour delving deeper into the unknown. I will never forget finishing the story. It was a rainy day with thunder and lightning. I slowly closed the book (hardcover). Set it down gently at the table. I sat there, feeling disturbed yet intrigued, thinking, “What in the *bleep* did I just read?!” I was in awe.
What do you want to say to your audience?
Thank you. Thank you for your kind words. Thank you for telling me how my poetry has made you feel. It is such a pleasure. Thank you for wanting a full novel of my story, “Mr. V”! I appreciate you all so much.
What do you want to say to your audience?
My advice: just write. Write whatever you are passionate about. Do not let anyone or anything hold you back. Write what gives you pleasure, but do it for YOU. Do it because you want to. Do not worry about “am I going to be a bestseller?” or “Am I going to make millions of dollars? ” If that is indeed your goal, then do whatever you can, research, meet people, get yourself out there. But here is the realism–there is no guarantee. So write because of how it makes you feel. Meet like-minded people. Go to book conventions, book fairs, and book panels. Listen to other writers’ stories and background. Read books on writing, i.e., Stephen King, Julia Cameron, “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert. There are so many books out there to guide you, magazines to encourage you. Do it because you love it, not because you have to. You never know, you just may change someone’s life.
Do you have anything else you would like to add?
Yes. I am currently working on the third book in the “The Leaking Heart” poetry series and, at the same time, putting together my collection of Horror and thrillers, “The Crack in the Door”.
Furthermore, thank you, Adam Messer, for inviting me to interview. Also, a big thank you goes to Dacre Stoker for suggesting my story be a part of the vampire anthology “The Blood Runs Deep,” which has given me the opportunity to meet Adam and other horror writers. This has been an honor and a privilege.
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