Q&A With Kim Lengling 

Mickey Mikkelson, who is the publicist for New York Times Bestselling author Tosca Lee, has connected me with many authors these past few days. One of these many authors is Kim Lengling. On top of being an author though Kim is a podcast host, TV host, and most recently, radio show host. Here is a bio going more in-depth. 

 BIO

Sharing her faith, nature, and love of animals, and as a veteran living with PTSD, Kim is passionate about spreading and sharing Nuggets of Hope through all her endeavors. 

Kim uses her experience of 25+ years in the corporate world as the foundation for building her dream; of writing, podcasting, and hosting a television show, sharing her story and others. Building platforms that help others to share their story and to spread Hope. The About Face Radio show, Let Fear Bounce, Tossing Nuggets of Hope, is the newest to her platforms.

Featured as a co-author in nine anthologies, Kim is also the lead author and coordinator of a collaborative 3-book faith-based series titled When Grace Found Me and her newest release, When Hope Found Me, and soon to be published in 2023, Paw Prints on the Couch.

She hosts the podcast Let Fear Bounce and a radio show with the same name. In addition, she hosts the online streaming TV Show, The Write Stuff, The Author’s Voice with the Believe In Your Dreams TV Network. She is also a co-host of a weekly radio show, Voices4Vets, in her local area.

You can regularly find Kim walking with her rescue dog, Dexter, reading, drinking coffee, and jotting down story ideas about her Realm. In addition to writing and being the Queen of her Realm, she is a 25+ year advocate for veterans providing support through monthly care packages for over 22 years.

You can learn more by visiting: Website:  https://www.kimlenglingauthor.com

Q: Kim, I have to say that I’m glad you are writing faith-based books. With how distressing the world seems to get more and more each day, it never hurts to have more. What made you want to write faith-based books? Did you feel as though it were a calling from God? I felt as though God called me to blog. 

A: Oh! I understand what you mean when you say you felt as if God called you to blog. I, too, felt that nudge. 

I was sitting on my deck on a hot August afternoon. Relaxing and listening to the birds sing their songs with my dog lying at my feet. It was so peaceful.

I began to feel emotional. As if something were about to happen, but I couldn’t figure out what. Some may think I am off my rocker, or what I’m about to share is “woo woo” stuff, but it happened.

The peaceful scene of my backyard changed. It became a black-and-white picture. Almost like an old black-and-white movie reel, the kind where it skips and is a bit fuzzy.

Within that picture, it showed a woman on her knees with her head in her hands, sobbing. The emotion that emanated from that scene was so strong. It hurt my heart to see it.

I don’t know how long it lasted, but it was probably only a second or two. But it was there, and it was powerful.

I then felt a whisper, and the words shared were, “Stories need to be told.” I thought, story? I’ve already shared my story. It was hard, but I did it. I don’t want to do it again!”

I realized I was crying. The emotions were so heavy, but not in a bad way. It’s so hard to describe.  

Again, I felt the words, “Stories need to be told.” Then a light bulb went off, “Oh! Stories! Plural!” I immediately said out loud, “Wait, stories? Do you want me to share others’ stories? The tough ones? The ones that people have carried with them for years? Oh no, I’m not the person for that job. God, I really don’t think I am.”

The words came a third time, “Stories need to be told.” 

Over the years, I have found that arguing with God gets you nowhere fast. You won’t win, and I didn’t win that argument that afternoon. 

I began to reach out to a few ladies I knew and asked them if they would like to share their stories in a book I was working on. They said yes. Then a few more ladies said yes. Within two weeks, I had 20 ladies willing to share their toughest personal stories. 

It didn’t stop there. More and more ladies were asking if there was still space to be a co-author. I wasn’t prepared or expecting the response, to be honest.

This was to be a one-book thing. Do what God wanted me to do and be done. But He had another plan.

What was to me to be one book quickly turned into three and became the When Grace Found Me series of anthologies. 

Now I had never put a book together and had no idea what to do. Until one day, I was on a virtual networking meeting and met a lovely lady from the United Kingdom. We connected, and she said she had just started a small publishing house and would publish faith-based books. 

I shared my story with her, and we knew we would work together; it was meant to be. Working together, transatlantically, the books were published with Listening To Your Voice publishing, and together, we learned so much over the next 12 months and published three books. It was an amazing, frustrating, and oh-so-worth-it endeavor!

Q: What advice do you give to anyone wanting to write, whether it’s about faith or stories with meaning in them?

A: I believe that everyone has a story within them. We are all walking history if you think about it!

If someone feels led to get a story down on paper. Do it. If you don’t think you are good enough, do it anyway. 

There is a ton of information and resources out there to help you get started with the technical aspect of writing. Look into it. Take courses, get involved in writing groups or online writing groups. Be open to being coachable and learning. 

But the main thing is, to start writing. Don’t let negative self-talk keep you from getting your story or stories out. 

Q: How do you juggle being an author, as well as a podcast host, tv show host, and recently radio show host? It’s all so impressive, but I’m sure it’s a lot of work. 

A: It IS a lot of work! I didn’t start out doing all of them at once. It began with the podcast, and a few months later, I was asked if I would consider having an online TV show, and then two years later, the radio show opportunity came up.

I love doing all of them but soon realized I needed a game plan or would be on my computer 24/7 and would most likely burn out.

I came up with a schedule. All shows are pre-recorded, so I have a day each week that is dedicated solely to recording and editing. I batch record for each show so that I am at least 5-6 weeks ahead. 

The TV Show is the easiest, as those recordings must be submitted to the network in batches and months in advance. So I can have an entire season recorded and turned in. That gives me several months of leeway and time to find new guests and record new episodes.

It doesn’t seem like work if you truly enjoy what you are doing and have a good structure in place. Well, not all the time, anyway! We all have our days, don’t we? (laughing)

Q: What advice do you give to those wanting to start a podcast and host a tv show and radio show? 

A: Most of this question is answered above, but the main thing I would like to stress is, don’t take on too much. Do what you know you can personally handle. I am a high-energy person and I love challenges. 

Not everyone has the same drive or energy. Find what works best for you, have a structure or plan, and see how the journey unfolds.

Again, all those things did not happen simultaneously for me. There were months in between, so I was comfortable when a new opportunity came about. But again, do what you are most comfortable with, and don’t take on too much at once. You want to enjoy the journey, not become stressed or burnt out by it.

Q: Would you like to share with the blog’s readers and me what your podcast and radio show is about? Can you also tell us what it’s like hosting a tv show? 

A: My podcast, Let Fear Bounce, came about at the beginning of the pandemic. I had lost my job, along with millions of others worldwide, and needed something to do. As I was thinking of what my skill set was, I decided to take a look at this “podcasting thing” I was hearing about. 

Not having a clue how to do a podcast, I googled and simply started one. I don’t recommend that approach, but that is what I did. (laughing)

I knew I needed a name for it. I realized I had been regularly saying, “I am not letting this fear land on me.” Fear was running rampant across the world, if you recall. Well, I had no intention of letting it land on me. I kept telling myself, “I am going to let fear bounce.”

Then I thought, “Hey! I can call my podcast Let Fear Bounce! People will surely resonate with that, and they have.

My guests typically share what fear or fears they may have overcome or lived with. Then, they share their story of where they began to where they are now, having kicked fear to the curb.

Everyone has a fear. Everyone. It’s all in how you respond to and overcome it that matters.

My radio show, which is brand new at the writing of this, is called Let Fear Bounce, Tossing Nuggets of Hope. It is on the About Face Radio Network, and I share the shows from my podcast weekly. Eventually, I’d like to add a weekly Live edition, and I am working on what that may look like.

Regarding my TV show, The Write Stuff, The Author’s Voice. The show highlights authors. I have authors from all genres and levels of writing come on and share their writing journey. We do mention their books, but the main part of the show is for them to share why they write and how they started writing. What their quirks are, etc. I want to learn who they are.

I must admit. Doing the TV Show is so fun! I have learned much about the differences between creating a podcast and a TV show. Whew, boy, have I learned a lot!

I am a high-energy person, and I truly want to be able to provide platforms for other creatives to get their story out there. Not everyone’s journey will be the same, and it certainly won’t mirror mine. 

I do want to share with folks thinking of adding to their journey. First, don’t compare yourself to others. Your path is yours and yours alone. It isn’t meant to look like or be like someone else’s. So go out there, be your awesome self, and be a world-changer!

As for me and my journey? Who knows what may come up next? I know I am enjoying the ride and will keep doing what I am doing and be blessed and thankful for the opportunities that have come my way.