I’m super excited to step into the role of interviewer and shine the spotlight on someone who embodies creativity and versatility in every sense. My partner in Mystery Review Crew is the incredibly talented Kimberly Werntz, a creative force who brings passion and precision to every endeavor she undertakes. But Kimberly is much more than the architect of Mystery Review Crew. She is multifaceted, wearing many hats with exceptional skill and creativity– virtual assistant, web designer, social media coordinator, writer, illustrator, graphic designer, and photographer. Her self-proclaimed nomadic lifestyle and passion for reading add an intriguing dimension to her background, and what she does in her spare time is nothing short of remarkable.
Please enjoy this conversation between two partners in crime, Anita Dickason and Kimberly Werntz:
Anita: What initially sparked your interest in creative fields like web design, social media, illustration, and photography?
Kimberly: I think it’s just the creativeness of it all. Whether I’m designing a website, illustrating characters, managing social media, or capturing an author’s essence through photography, my goal is to highlight the unique voice behind the book. I love helping authors shine—not just through their words, but through every visual element that represents them.
Anita: How do you balance your many roles—web designer, social media coordinator, writer, illustrator, graphic designer, and photographer?
Kimberly: Ha—wait, I’m supposed to be balancing all that? I like to think of it more as a creative shuffle. In all honesty, I rotate tasks based on what’s due next. One day it’s a book cover illustration, the next it’s social media templates, a newsletter layout, or all of the above before lunch. It really depends on what authors need that week—keeps things interesting. I rarely do the same thing twice in a day, and it keeps my to-do list unique from week to week.
Anita: As an avid reader, how does your love for books influence your creative endeavors?
Kimberly: It allows me to showcase my love for books in a different way. Of course, I still leave book reviews, but now I get to help authors bring their stories to life visually and market them in ways that connect with new readers, like doing quote/scene pulls, helping them focus on a strategic strategy to reach a new audience or helping them think of their books in a new light. It’s a fun twist on fangirling—I get to be part of the process and help others discover the books I already adore.
Anita: What are your favorite genres and books?
Kimberly: Oof, that’s like asking me to pick a favorite dessert—impossible and slightly cruel. I’m a genre-hopper through and through. One minute I’m solving murders with Korina Moss, the next I’m caught in high-stakes suspense with Ronie Kendig, or swept into royalty with Carol Moncado. Then there’s Z.S. Diamanti’s fantasy worlds, Dana Mentink’s cozy chaos, and of course, anything by Anita Dickason (not just saying that because she’s asking). I just love jumping genres and learning from them all.
Anita: What inspired you to become a founding member of the Mystery Review Crew?
Kimberly: Because I liked the idea of it. It wasn’t something I had heard of before, and I liked the mission. To bring readers and authors together in a new way. To encourage readers to become the writers of tomorrow, to encourage writers to keep writing even when life throws them lemons, and to give honest book review opinions.
Anita: What has been the most rewarding aspect of being part of the Mystery Review Crew?
Kimberly: Getting to meet new people, spending time each week with one of my best friends (Hi Anita👋🏻), and finding creative ways to share about our love of good books. It’s always the highlight of the week when we get an email from an author saying, “Thank you for actually doing what you said you’d do,” or that they loved how our team reviewed their book.
Anita: What advice would you give to authors looking to enhance their online presence through design and social media?
Kimberly: Consistency. That word may seem simple, but it helps. You don’t have to post every day (and I actually think you SHOULDN’T post every day), it wears you out, drains your creativity, and usually you see very little, if any, results.
Instead, I suggest you ask yourself these questions:
- Why am I posting this, and for what purpose?
- What do I want to achieve with my social media presence? More readers? Sales? Connection outside of my four walls?
- How is this content helping me or my friends?
Once you know the answers to those questions, you can plan.
Do you need to post every day to get sales? Or would that time/energy be better spent on running ads for your book to achieve sales?
If the goal is to increase readership and engagement, does this post encourage them to get involved? Or respond to your post?
So many more thoughts on this, maybe I’ll write an article on it.
Anita: What do you look for when developing an author’s marketing strategy?
Kimberly: I see what their goals are. What do they want to be as an author? Do they want tons of sales and to be an NYT best seller? Do they just want to write because they love it? Once I understand how they think, I can develop a scalable plan for them to work towards their goals. Some of my authors call me their project manager, which honestly feels spot-on—I help turn creative chaos into focused momentum.
Anita: What type of services do you provide?
Kimberly: I’m basically a creative Swiss Army knife. Need a headshot? Got it. Book cover? Done. Website? Already building it. Character art, social media templates, ad management? Yep, yep, and you betcha. I do everything except write your book for you, though I’ve thought about it. Honestly, I love switching gears throughout the day. It keeps me from getting bored or becoming best friends with my coffee pot. As I said earlier, I really enjoy doing a variety of things each day/week.
Anita: How do you stay updated with trends in web design and social media coordination?
Kimberly: Probably by spending too much time on them🫣. I consistently check out new social media platforms, seeing how they work and how authors can incorporate them in their marketing. The same goes for web design. If I see a new feature on a website, I see how it’s built and try to integrate it into my bag of tricks.
Anita: Lastly, what do you see as the biggest stumbling block for authors?
Kimberly: If I’m honest, I’d say sky-high expectations and or lack of knowledge on how the publishing industry truly works. No matter if you are traditionally published, an independently published author, or a hybrid author. Authors need not be afraid to ask for help or reach out to others in their genre who’ve published books; most of them will share their stories, their tips, and battle scars. It’s been said a lot (there’s probably a reason for that), but asking for help is NOT (I repeat NOT) a sign of weakness, IT IS a sign that you genuinely want to understand what you are getting yourself into.
So please, don’t try to go through publishing alone. Find a tribe, a writers group, anything that will increase your knowledge of the current trends in publishing and best practices in your genre.
Thanks for coming up with these questions, Anita. You made me think about why I do what I do, and I sincerely appreciate it.
See Kimberly’s article on Reaching Readers on Facebook: Does it still matter? Or Anita’s article on The Writer’s Secret Weapon: Third Person Limited
