Kristy Kiernan's Backstory

I daydream a lot. If my mother had been the sort of mother who kept boxes of elementary school mementos, I could prove it with the comments sections of my report cards. "Kristi (I changed the "i" to a "y" sometime during adolescence, forever confounding my grandparents) is very bright, but tends to daydream too much," or "Kristi could be an "A" student if she stopped daydreaming." So my mother wasn't the sort of mother who kept every scrap of my childhood perfectly preserved, but luckily for me she was the sort of mother who didn't get all worked up about curtailing daydreams.

What I was doing during those fugues was making up stories, and I never stopped. So that's what I was doing three years ago when Catching Genius came to me, sitting on my porch with a book, unread on my lap, daydreaming. This time I was playing with words, seeing where seemingly unrelated two-word combinations took me. I didn't plan those rules, they just happened in my slack-jawed, unfocused-eyed state.

And then: Catching Genius.

I blinked. Catching Genius? Where did that come from? And I was off. Catching? Like genius was a communicable disease? Writers reading this will recognize this process, often called the what if, question piled upon question in a panicked jumble, as the story works itself out.

Who would think genius might be a communicable disease?

(A child.)

Why would that be big enough to change her life?

(Because it's her sister, because they were best friends and now because of genius they are irreparably damaged.)

How (and why is it important)? When (and why is it important?)? Who (and why is it important)? Where? (You get the picture...) What about later? What if? What if? What if?

And here's where it gets really weird...for weeks after this seed germinated, everywhere I looked was another element: sunshine, rain, fertilizer, everything I needed to make this thing fully bloom was presented to me. I turned on the television and there was a documentary about child prodigies. I went to the library and the newly acquired shelf was full of math theory books. I fired up the computer to research a question about Tesla and wound up at a violin site. I turned on the radio and a Baroque period piece floated out (and considering I'm usually an AC/DC kind of gal, this was of particular note).

Everywhere I looked I found offerings. And in my own past I found them too: sibling rivalry, parental and societal expectations, misunderstandings too far gone to make right again. For the first time I let it all come to me, rather than chasing it down.

And sometimes it got the better of me, particularly the math research. I'd always been told I was bad at math (I failed algebra...twice), and yet the most successful jobs I had as an adult were math-related: accounting (on the accrual method, which basically means you get to play with numbers) and construction purchasing and estimating (now if you play with numbers there, somebody gets a really funky corner in their house that they paid for eleven times).

So immersing myself in the historical side of math was a revelation. Learning about the golden proportion and how music and math are related, how everything in the world can be broken down to numbers, to symmetry in nature and art, and how fascinating people who get it, really get it, can be. Do they get it because they're a little mad already? Or do the possibilities and endless connections drive them mad? See? I'm getting carried away again and the book's long finished!

At one point I found myself sitting in bed at four in the afternoon, still in my pajamas, my hair Einstein wild, with books about math spread open around me, the computer online to a numerology website, and the movie Pi on, thinking that I was just a few connections away from grasping some secret about the universe. This from the girl who failed algebra...twice.

I carefully closed all the books, shut off the movie, and flipped from the Internet to my manuscript and finished the book. Two months later it sold. Catching Genius will be out March 6th, and I am quite proud of the fact that I've not researched the numerical import of this date. And if you work out some equation about it, don't tell me. I'm working on my new book and am currently obsessed with researching the nature of faith and food allergies. And yes, I'm in my pajamas, but my hair still looks pretty good, so I think I'm safe...for now.

To learn more about Kristy, please visit her website.

Comments

[J.D. Rhoades]

Good move on changing the "i" to a "y". It is a proven scientific fact that girls whose names end with "i" rarely advance higher in the corporate world than receptionist, and more often than not gravitate towards being strippers.

But seriously folks, CATCHING GENIUS is a great debut novel. Kristy Kiernan writes beautifully. Go get it on March 6th.

[Jon Clinch]

Great story, great book. Find a copy as soon as you can...

[Tasha Alexander]

Lovely post, Kristy-With-A-Y.

CATCHING GENIUS is a beautiful book.

[Renee Rosen]

Catching Genius sounds fascinating! Those who have been fortunate enough to have read advanced copies have raved and I can't wait to get my hands on this book! I know where I'll be come March 6th! Congratulations!

[JT Ellison]

I've had the pleasure of reading CATCHING GENIUS, and it's already one of my absolute favorites. Lovely writing, great topic, with a spark not often seen from debut novels. Definitely worth checking out.

[Amy MacKinnon]

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of Catching Genius and, my goodness, what a beautiful story. That opening chapter won't release you. At night I dreamed about musical notes floating above me while my toes danced in the sand. Its characters and their struggles seeped into my subconscious and I find my thoughts wandering back to it again and again. It's a great book and I can't wait to read Kristy's next.

[Judy Larsen]

Yes, run out on March 6 (or better yet, pre-order several copies)--you'll love it! Glad you were/are a daydreamer, Kristy!

[Jennifer McMahon]

What a great story. Don't you just love it when the universe works its magic for you?

And I too was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of CATCHING GENIUS and it's a beautiful book -- haunting and bittersweet.

[Zarina]

I've only read the prologue. I want more!

Can't wait to get my hands on my pre-ordered copy!

[Ali]

I love the irony and can't wait to read this book! And as someone with a name ending in an "i", hopefully those rumors about not achieving all that much aren't true :)

[Regina Harvey]

Now 03-06 is a significant number for me - since it's when I can go grab a copy of the book! It sounds so intriguing - can't wait to pick it up.

If you have any info. on particularly rare Tesla books, please give me the titles - I have bought every book about the man for my brother, who is not a prodigy but brilliant none the less and fascinated by Tesla.

[gail]

I really enjoyed reading about the birth of Catching Genius which I have already read and LOVED!This debut is going to rock the literary world...

[Carolyn]

From static to genius. That's Kristy. I'm pre-ordering my copy today.

[Mia King]

I can tell you that this book is wonderful - you won't be disappointed! I got the sneak peek with the galley, and I'm so glad I did. Now I can tell everyone to get the book!

Congrats, Kristy - this is a lovely post (and blog, MJ!) as well!

[Robert]

Managed Hosting, Colocation and Data Center Services by victoryushchenkonashpresudent ...

[debra]

Funny how things happen, isn't it? The Universe is an incredibly abundant place, and it provides. We just have to stop for a moment, and l-o-o-k. I loved the book. Thanks