Tag: Don’t Call Me Kit-Kat

Don't Call Me Kit Kat

A powerful interview with DON’T CALL ME KIT KAT author K. J. Farnham on Eating Disorders & Body Image

K. J. Farnham

KJFarnham_cover

I was recently interviewed by Liza Wiemer of WhoRuBlog. She sure did ask some excellent questions. Here’s a snippet:

  1. Society focuses on body image. What do you want young teens to know about their bodies? Is your advice different for boys?

First of all, according to the National Institutes of Health, the human body is made up of more than 100 trillion cells. Here’s what that looks like in numeric form: 100,000,000,000,000. Do you know how unique that makes you? With that many cells, it’s absurd for society to push an “ideal” body image on anyone. The extent to which each individual person is unique is absolutely mind-boggling. 100 TRILLION cells! Embrace your uniqueness and take care of yourself by making healthy choices because your body is a miracle. 🙂

Secondly, have you ever heard this quote by Maya Angelou?

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

In my experience, people will also forget what your body looked like and what you were wearing. Honestly, the way you look right now won’t matter 20, 10, five or even two years from now. But the way you behave today—the way you treat people—will matter for the rest of your life. So love the miracle that is your body, but remember that it’s just a vessel. It truly is what’s on the inside that counts.

My advice is no different for boys.

Read the rest of the interview here:

A powerful interview with DON’T CALL ME KIT KAT author K. J. Farnham on Eating Disorders & Body Image.

Don't Call Me Kit Kat, Self Publishing

Processing Beta Reader Feedback

K. J. Farnham

Beta reader feedback for Don’t Call Me Kit Kat has started to trickle in.

The good news is that much of the feedback has been positive and quite useful. From little things like “change fuzzy fashion boots to Uggs” to bigger things like “go a bit more in depth about X, maybe Y happens to Z,” I am pleased with the quality of the comments. On top of providing top-notch suggestions, one beta even pointed out a handful of pesky typos. (Some authors have their betas proofread for typos, but I didn’t ask mine to.)

The not-so-good news is that one reader disliked the main character (nooooo!), and a few others have suggested that I put her in ninth grade instead of eighth. I’m sure you can understand why a reader disliking the MC is bad news, but why is the grade level suggestion such a downer? Well, not only would a change like that involve A LOT of revisions, but it would also leave me feeling a bit disconnected from the story. Don’t get me wrong, I am willing to put as much effort as possible into making this novel the best it can be, but after much deliberation, my heart continues telling me that Katie is an eighth grader. She just is, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I realize that future readers might share the same opinion as the betas who feel she should be older, but it is a risk I’m willing to take to tell the story I envisioned telling from the beginning.

So, here’s a little advice for new authors who plan to use beta readers:

  • Expect conflicting opinions.
  • Don’t take criticism to heart. Use the feedback to fix what can be fixed!
  • Be ready for some aha moments.
  • Be prepared to make a lot of revisions and possibly some tough decisions.
  • Consider every suggested change.
  • Listen to your heart. If a change doesn’t feel right, don’t make it.

The cover reveal for Don’t Call Me Kit Kat is scheduled for Friday, April 3. If you’re a blogger and would like to participate, please sign up via Xpresso Book Tours.

Not familiar with what a beta reader is or does? Check out these blog posts: