By Elizabeth Gracen:
I've known Kathleen Kinmont for a very long time. We've had many the wild adventure in Tinsel Town over the years, and we've always found our way back to each other when we lose our way. She is a terrific actress, and one of the funniest people I know. She's also a talented filmmaker and writer, and I was lucky enough to have her onboard as my DP on a couple of my short films, THE PERFECTION OF ANNA and IN BETWEEN. Let's just say that Ms. Kinmont is gloriously multi-talented, and we'll leave it at that.
Kathleen's latest creative endeavor is an illustrated children's book called Magic & Beauty. I sat down with Kathleen to ask her about her inspiration for the book and what she's up to next.
EG: Kathleen, we’ve know each other a long time and have had many adventures over the years, but for those readers who might not know you that well, please tell us a little about yourself.
KK: I am a mom, an actor, and a writer who grew up in Los Angeles. I have been surrounded by creatives all my life, but nothing has inspired me more than my own daughter's wonder and curiosity of the world.
EG: Magic & Beauty—what was your inspiration for creating this book?
KK: Creation was the inspiration for writing this book.
My daughter, Ayden, was four years old, and in her carseat on the way to pre-school, she asked me,"Where did all this stuff come from, Mommy?"
I replied,"From what I've learned, God made everything."
She looked out the window and thought for awhile and then gently responded,"Wow. That's a lot of work. She must have been really sweaty."
I smiled,"You're right. She was sweating like a horse."
My daughter is crazy about horses in all their forms, so I decided to create a journey about the wonder of Creation and a magical horse named Pegasus.
EG: Can you tell me a bit about your illustrator? How did you two decide on the style of illustration for the book?
KK: My illustrator, April Ballentine, is a tattoo artist from Detroit, Michigan. The illustrations are completely her own creation, taken from the inspiration of the story. When I saw her work and how the story had inspired her magnificent drawings, I knew I had something very special to share.
EG: You’re a mother of a Gen Z teenager, so you’re in the thick of “growing a person” to take on the world. Do you have any advice for young people out there— à la Magic & Beauty?
KK: My best advice would be to look up and not forget to notice the world around you. There is so much wonder and beauty outside our "devices." People, places, and moments are right in front of us, and there are so many heads down, locked into a device in their hands. "People watching" is a thing, and the awareness we need these days is vital. Set a timer on your device to remember to be in the moment and discover the magic and beauty of your surroundings. You might just witness something marvelous and maybe meet a new friend.
EG: I’m curious about what your next endeavor will be? Is there another book?
KK: My next endeavor is an autobiography titled, I Should Have Been Nicer to Quentin Tarantino and Other Short Stories of Epic Fails and Saves. It's basically a book I've written for my daughter in case she's ever curious about what my life was like before she entered my world and what my life's lessons have been so far. I'm thoroughly inspired by Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet, so I've borrowed his template and written fifty-two chapters on multiple different topics. One chapter for every week of the year. The stories aren't in chronological order, so like Tarantino's PULP FICTION, I jump all over the place and somehow it all makes sense in the end. It's a new genre—Spiritual Satire. It will be available for reading in summer of 2020.
Magic & Beauty by Kathleen Kinmont is available here.