About Me

Hi there,

Thanks for visiting my About page. If you’re ever in the Oklahoma area, you might find me:

Racing my dog in the park
Wishing for rain
Searching for whimsy in unlikely places

I have always been a little on the strange side, in case you were wondering. Although, if you’ve read my books, you probably know that. If not, you can kind of tell from the pictures. Am I right?

Fact: I once ate part of a giant cockroach (not on purpose).
Fact: I’ve had many different job titles, including scare actor, children’s librarian, Peace Corps Volunteer, and French instructor. The list goes on, but my favorite job title is author!
Fact: If you eat a whole shrimp for the first time and think, “Hmm, why is this so crunchy?” you’re doing it wrong. What can I say? I’ve led a very sheltered life (in culinary terms).

What type of stories do you write?

I write emotional, character-driven, atmospheric stories that blur the lines between genre and literary. I love infusing everyday settings with a touch of magic. One of my main goals is to find beauty in darkness and decay. My stories focus on people going through difficult times, the romance of platonic relationships, the whimsy of broken things.

Super Unofficial Author Bio

Kim Ventrella spends her days ruling over a seaside garbage dump and her nights helping vampires remove all that excess glitter.

Super Official Author Bio

KIM VENTRELLA is the author of The Secret Life of Sam (HarperCollins), Hello, Future Me, Bone Hollow and Skeleton Tree (Scholastic). Her works explore difficult topics with big doses of humor, whimsy and hope. Her most recent middle grade novel, The Secret Life of Sam, was named one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2020. Bone Hollow was chosen as a Best Book for Kids 2019 by New York Public Library, and Skeleton Tree was nominated for the 2019 Carnegie Medal in the UK. For the latest updates, follow Kim on Twitter and Instagram.

Lightning Round

Wow, that was fun. How about we change things up now with a quick Lightning Round?

First concert: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live (Raphael rapped)
Personal slogan: I want to believe (yup, that’s totally from The X-Files). It’s also a little surprising, since I’m a life-long skeptic. While I don’t believe in the supernatural or paranormal, I do believe these stories can reveal important truths about the people who tell him (i.e. us).
Dog’s name: Hera! She’s a rescue dog with a lot of fear and anxiety issues, and she’s also the most amazing dog in the entire world (okay, I might be biased).
When did you write your first book?: 6th grade! It was a super tragic picture book about five people who all lose someone they love and form “The Wednesday Mourning Club” to deal with their grief. Yup, total children’s picture book material, right? Oh, and spoiler alert, the last meeting of The Wednesday Mourning Club takes place at the main character’s funeral. What can I say? I was a cheery kid.

Okay, one more question. Why do you write?

Whoa, now that’s a good one. I’ve heard people say that fiction is more true than true. I believe that. I also write worlds I want to live in. Worlds where bad things happen, but also worlds where magic lives and people always find the courage to overcome. Well, most of the time.

What if I want to know more about school visits or editorial services for writers?

You can find it all on this website! I absolutely adore leading fun-filled assemblies and writing workshops at schools, and you can find all the info on my school visits page. If you’re a writer looking for feedback from an experienced editor, then you’ve also come to the right place. Check out my editorial services page for details.