We All Have Stories: A Conversation with K.A. Cummins
K.A. Cummins is the author of multiple books, spanning genres. It was a pleasure to be able to talk to K.A. about uplifting stories, science and research, and, of course, her recent and upcoming works.
Bradley Sides: Thank you, K.A., for taking the time to talk with us over at the AWC. When we first spoke a couple of weeks back, you told me you have three books coming out in the next year. First of all, that’s incredible! Were you working on all of these projects at the same time? How did you manage it all?
K.A. Cummins: Thanks for having me, Bradley! Releasing three books close together has been a challenge. I worked on them over the same period, but not at the same time, and it took a few years to finish. One book would be with an editor or beta readers, while I worked on another. And, to be honest, I am still editing the one coming out next year.
BS: We’ll talk more about the upcoming middle-grade book in just a moment, but do you mind telling us about your picture books?
KC: Super Doople and Bold and Brave are the first two picture books I’ve released, and I loved working on them. Both have messages that are near to my heart.
Super Doople is a reimagining of Humpty Dumpty as a superhero origin story. It’s about learning to listen, resilience, and not giving up. There’s also a sense of community within it, since he doesn’t succeed on his own.
Bold and Brave draws on my experiences as an autistic person and as the mother of an autistic child. It centers on a young autistic girl finding the courage to take center stage by relying on her vivid imagination and the support of her family.
BS: Readers bring a lot of themselves into the reading experiences that they have, of course, but I’m curious if there are also things that you hope readers take away from your work—things that you hope kind of linger once the books are put away?
KC: We all have stories and challenges in this world. It’s important to have grace for others as well as for ourselves. If any of my stories can uplift, inspire, make someone feel seen, or simply bring them enjoyment while they read, then it’s worth all the time and effort.
BS: Let’s talk about your series, Snow Globe Travelers. Did you know going into the first book that you were going to be writing a series? Or did the story just kind of demand it as you kept writing?
KC: It began as two flash fiction stories. When I tried to rewrite them as a book, I couldn’t imagine ending the story after only one. There’re so many possibilities to explore when you can travel the multiverse by shaking a snow globe. The story became a series before the first book, Samuel’s Legacy, was drafted.
BS: I’m really into the fantastical—both as a reader and as a writer. Your books are science fiction, with lots of inventive elements. I imagine it’s really fun to come up with these things, right?
KC: It is! I love learning, and science is one of my favorite subjects.
Sometimes the ideas come from reading articles. Other times, they begin as possibility questions that lead to fun and interesting research. That’s how things came about for the Snow Globe Travelers series, as possibility questions. The snow globes in the story are tech devices that create wormholes. Most of the research for the devices involved digging into multiverse theory, quantum mechanics, and space.
For Salvaged Time, the research branched out to include tree rings and shape-shifting species—like sea cucumbers and the mutable rain frog. There are several exciting elements in book two, including new tech devices and a gumball dispenser full of mini snow globes.
BS: Sarah is the protagonist of the series. This is probably a tough question, but what’s your relationship with her like?
KC: Good. Sarah and I are different in some ways and similar in others. It’s not always clear which direction she’ll go in, but it’s great to see how she’s grown and changed through the series.
BS: Before I let you go, do you mind sharing what your next project is?
KC: There’s still one more book in the Snow Globe Travelers series to write, but, after that, I plan to focus on story forms that combine art and words: graphic novels and hybrid versions, along with picture books. A few graphic novel ideas have been percolating on the back burner for a couple of years now. I’m excited to begin working on them.
BS: Thank you again, K.A. Congratulations on your upcoming releases!
K.A. Cummins is an author and an artist. She explores storytelling in a variety of mediums, blending the wonders of science with the possibilities of what if. When not crafting stories, Cummins loves spending time with her family, collecting fun socks, and venturing outside her comfort zone to try new things—at least once!
Connect with her through her website at https://authorkacummins.com, where you can sign up for emails about upcoming releases.