We chat with author Kimberly Willis Holt about her new novel The Hurricane Girls, which is a coming-of-age middle grade novel about three best friends born in the wake of Hurricane Katrina who must confront storms of their own 12 years later.
Hi, Kimberly! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a daughter of a Navy Chief and homemaker who later became a teacher. Although I grew up around the world my family’s roots are in Louisiana and I spent my high school and college years there. Many of my books are set in Louisiana or Texas (my current home state). Place is important to me, probably because I grew up in so many places including Guam and France.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My love of stories came from hearing them. When we lived in Paris, we didn’t have a television and like people a couple of generations older than me, my family listened to dramas and comedies from the radio, in our case, the military station. Also I come from a family of storytellers and they can’t say anything without telling it like a story. Those two advantages helped make me a writer. As a child, I loved books and reading. The base library was a wonderland that my mom took us to. So of course having a great reading life helps nourish this future writer. I remember writing something in second grade that the teacher read aloud to the class. Along the way, teachers complimented my stories and by seventh grade I knew I wanted to be a writer.\
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
First book read: Alice Gets a New Look by Florence Perry Heide and illustrated by Dorothy Grider
Book that made me want to be a writer The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
It’s hard to name one book that I can’t stop thinking about because every great book I’ve read does that to me, but I will name one: Saint Maybe by Ann Tyler
Your latest novel, The Hurricane Girls, is out August 29th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Friendship, Family, Secrets, Truth, Forgiveness
What can readers expect?
A book about three friends who are going through some tough personal challenges. One of the friends, a former middle school track star, has stopped running because her little sister had a devastating accident under her watch. In an attempt to get her running again, they get her to join them in a team triathlon. It doesn’t go as smoothly as they first planned. They even give up at one point, but eventually come back together and this time they practice together and learn that they can lean on each other during hard times.
Where did the inspiration for The Hurricane Girls come from?
I wanted to write a book about three friends that showed the heart of friendships like I had in junior high and high school. When I realized a team triathlon could help be the backbone of the story I was able to begin.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing about each of the girls, but Kiki was my favorite, maybe because I recognize some of her flaws as mine. I was always a big planner, but not always the best at carrying the plan out to the end.
What do you hope your readers will take away from The Hurricane Girls?
That although it’s important to stand on our own two feet, true friends can help lighten the load. We need each other.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a book about a dog named William.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Again, there are too many books that come to mind, but one that I would highly recommend to Middle schoolers, including boys, is SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson. That book is older than 20 years old, but it’s an important one and still stands up in these times. Another is THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis, a book that is still relevant today.
