Meet Kenya Moss-Dyme

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kenya Moss-Dyme a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kenya, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

I think when you’re a creative, you’re always a creative. It’s in you. It’s literally a part of you. Some days, it may not shine as brightly as other days, but those are the times that I switch it up. I have many passions and talents! For instance, if I’m feeling something like writer’s block and can’t seem to get ahead on a particular story, then I’ll switch to a different story and work on that for a while. Or I may take a break from writing altogether and do something else. Since I’ve gotten into the business of sublimation, including making stickers and things, I have an entire craft studio in my basement. So I can go down there and create all kinds of things! I’ll come up with accessories for my book characters or just make something fun and pretty that I’ve seen on a YouTube video. That might awaken some fresh ideas for whichever book(s) I’m working on. Rinse and repeat. When you’re truly a creative spirit, there’s never any down time when you’re creating something, even if it’s all in your head.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’ve been writing stories nearly my entire life, since I could hold a pencil in my hand! But I’ve been a published author for 10 years. Over time, my brand has become more firmly rooted in the horror and thriller genre, as that’s my favorite thing to write, read and watch. One thing I try to explore in my writing is changing the horror landscape that consistently makes women the victims. I like to make women the monsters. To that point, my favorite release is this year’s Sick xoxo, a collection of 12 short horror stories in which women are anything but victims. I like to call it the Sick xoxo universe, with the tagline, “what’s more terrifying than love?”

When I first started publishing, it was common for people to try to discourage me from writing horror. They would say, “black people don’t read horror!” This is a wild and unsubstantiated belief that I’m happy to have proven wrong! Not only do we read and enjoy horror, but we write it as well! Along my journey, I’ve taken on a supporting role of the Black Women in Horror organization, founded over 10 years ago by author Sumiko Saulson. BWiH is dedicated to honoring and documenting the 160+ black women who write horror and I’m proud to be an integral part of the mission. (Pick up a copy of 160+ Black Women in Horror today!)

These last few months, I’ve expanded my brand beyond books to include creation of bookish and horror-themed items which you can find at my website, www.kenyawrites.com. I’m a big fan of creating immersive experiences for my readers, so I’ve always enjoyed giving little extras with the book orders – stickers, magnets and other little trinkets that make your purchase special. But I grew frustrated with not only the cost of buying the items but also the time it took for things to arrive. When I come up with a book promo idea, I sure don’t want to wait 2-3 weeks for the items to arrive; by then, I may have lost my enthusiasm for the project. So, I said, I’ll just learn to make my own! Now I have an entire crafting studio where I create fun and original merchandise for my books, as well as exciting items for my online store.

Right now, I’m most excited about the launch of my first audiobook for Progeny, the horror novella published in August. First of all, it’s performed by the incredible Author J.R. Mason and when I say “performed” I do mean PERFORMED. It’s not just an audiobook, it’s an outstanding audio experience complete with cinema-quality sound effects and a surprise interview feature at the end. I can’t wait to share this one of a kind horror audiobook with the world! I may be biased but I think it’s one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever listened to!

I also have a few upcoming projects for 2025, including some that are apparently spilling over from 2024! First up will be my collaboration with my fellow authors/friends/accountability partners aka the admin team from the Facebook group, Black Women Who Read Thrillers, Horror and Suspense. Besides myself, “A Dime a Dozen” features authors Tanisha Stewart, Octavia Grant, Toni Larue and Keira James, on a five book launch with the theme of Dating App Horror! We have five separate and very different horrifying tales of virtual dating gone wild in some of the most unimaginable ways. We began brainstorming this project at least a year ago and now that it’s finally in the queue, it’s so exciting to finally be able to promote it and get it ready for the world to read!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I don’t know if I can pinpoint exactly three, and of course everyone’s journey is going to be different and require different tools, but one skill that definitely helped me is being able to communicate. It’s always been one of my strongest quality, going back to the earliest years of school when reading and writing were my primary strengths. Now, don’t ask me to do too much with numbers, but words were always my thing. Having communication skills can save your life! It’s a skill that can get you into the right doors – or, OUT of the wrong doors, as the case may be. No matter which career path you choose, improving your ability to communicate effectively in person or on paper will be one of your most valuable assets.

Another important quality for myself has been a love of reading. I’ve had a natural love for the written word since I first learned to read, but it can be difficult to force something that doesn’t come naturally. When I hear people say that they don’t enjoy reading, I wonder if it’s because they just haven’t found anything that spoke deeply to them? It’s easy to do something when it’s what you love, but how do you learn to love it? For me, it’s been a part of what keeps me in tune with the world around me. I’m always reading, studying, learning, and those activities help me to continue growing and evolving.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

Even though I wasn’t raised by my birth mother, I had a relationship with her throughout most of my life until her death. The most impactful part she played in my life was introducing me to and supporting my love of reading and the arts. My mother was an artist in every way. She was a singer, a fledgling Broadway star (she auditioned for ‘Hair’ alongside Chaka Khan), a painter and a writer. Every time I went to her house, it was abuzz with music, art and culture. Paintings filled her walls, hundreds of books overflowed the bookshelves and filled stacks around the floor, music constantly poured from the huge wood-grained stereo speakers. She was so much like a celebrity to me! She was beautiful, smart, talented, and well-traveled. She listened to opera and rock, she took blank canvases and filled them with soul-stirring color, and she read – boy, did she read! She affected me so deeply because I wanted to be like her, so I emulated her. I read. I coveted books (still do) the same way she did. I collect art (what I can afford). I love all kinds of music. I love Broadway and theater. We had a very complicated relationship but she influenced every cell of my being and she still does.

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