Interview with Kim Imas, Author of Beast Mom

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Beast Mom?

There are a couple of points of inspiration. On one level, I was beyond pissed by the time 2017 rolled around and the allegations against Harvey Weinstein were made public. Heck, I was still reeling–like a lot of women–from the election cycle of 2016. And on a second, more personal level, around that same time, I was beyond frustrated by how unnecessarily difficult it is to be a new mom in the country—especially compared to other nations.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Beast Mom, what would they be?

There are so many! Bad Girls by M.I.A., Creator by Santigold, All the Trouble by Lee Ann Womack, Army of Me by Björk, New Attitude by Patti Labelle, Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie, and so many more.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I like to read across several genres and am mostly drawn to fantastic prose and stories featuring badass women. I read literary fiction and I read romance (especially historical). I love the occasional mystery and read a thriller here and there. I listen to memoirs on audiobook. I read quite a bit of nonfiction, some as research for my own writing and some not. Every once in a while I’ll pick up some YA.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Oh geez, what books aren’t in my TBR pile right now??? I want to finally get to Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. I’m overdue to read The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee. But my friend Felicia Grossman’s historical romance Marry Me By Midnight is next up in the queue.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

There’s a scene in the book where Harriet, my protagonist, turns into the monster for the second time but it’s the first time she remains conscious during the process. It involves a very goofy golden retriever and his very stoned owner. I don’t want to reveal too much but I’ve been so pleased that early readers have found this scene to be everything from lyrically written to downright hilarious.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

This goes against some common writing wisdom, but I have to do it: In any given writing session, I have to allow myself the opportunity to revisit some of what I’ve already written—and make some edits there—or I just can’t make any forward progress. But! I have to limit how big of a section I let myself revisit/edit, because I’m at risk of never adding new word count if I let myself do *too* much of this nonsense.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

The premise behind the title of Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott, is something I find useful when tackling something as huge as novel writing. It’s the idea that you have to gradually chip away at a big project–one bird at a time, so to speak–in order to get through it.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

That it’s not only acceptable to talk openly about women’s bodies and bodily functions, but essential to our having full bodily autonomy and equality as citizens. (This is perhaps made clearer by reading the book!)

Kim Imas is the author of the new book Beast Mom

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