At only 10-years-old, award-winning child author Makenzie Lee Foster just released her second book, Kickin’ It With Kenzie: Luckily My Luck Is Me!, which is part of her “Kickin’ It With Kenzie” series.
Yup, you read that right. Foster’s first book, Kickin’ it with Kenzie: What’s Meant For Me!, was nominated for a Moonbeam Award and won, and was also a finalist for an Indie Book Awards alongside the late-Kobe Bryant’s two books.
Kickin’ It With Kenzie: Luckily My Luck Is Me! centers around Kenzie finding a coin that holds special superpowers that bring her luck. As the story continues, she somehow loses the coin and is afraid that her luck has gone with it. She sets out on an adventure with her dog, Josie, to find out if the luck really came from the coin, or if it was in her all along.
Foster’s books teach children to follow their dreams and that great things take time, nothing comes easy, especially achieving all the things your heart desires.
“I feel like all kids deal with some of the issues that I deal with,” Foster shared when asked about what inspires her writing. “I think it’s cool to have stories about getting through those issues and finding your own powers.”
Along with being an author, Foster also acts. As a matter of fact, you might recognize her as Young Deja from NBC’s Emmy-award-winning drama, This Is Us, or from Netflix’s series, Emily’s Wonder Land.
In a way, acting and writing are similar: both creating an alternate world for others to lose themselves in, but it’s also different because in one world you’re filling in the shoes of someone that was created versus creating a character to have someone else step into their shoes.
“It’s definitely different when you’re following directions to fit a role that is someone else’s inspiration and then creating something special that is your own creation,” Foster said.
Foster hopes to release another book towards the end of this year, but as we’ve all learned, only time will tell. Either way, we cannot wait to see what other adventures Kenzie goes on and what other great things Makenzie Lee Foster accomplishes.
Read the rest of our Q&A virtual sit down with Makenzie down below and keep up with her by following her on Instagram.
What adventures would you like to see Kenzie go on next? Let us know by leaving a reaction down below or sending us your thoughts on Twitter @celebsecrets.
Celeb Secrets: Congratulations on your new book! Your second book follows you as you discover and lose a lucky coin, thinking the coin gave you luck. Can you tell us a little bit more about that? What inspired you to write this story?
Makenzie Lee Foster: “Hello! Thank you so much for having me. Yes, I was inspired to write this because it’s actually a true story. I got a coin one day and it had an angel on it. I took it everywhere because I thought it was lucky. I even took it to auditions with me. One day I forgot the coin at home and I thought my luck was going to be ruined! Then, I ended up booking a commercial that I had auditioned for. That was where the idea for my 2nd book came from.”
CS: Did you do anything differently when writing Kickin’ It With Kenzie -Luckily My Luck Is Me! compared to when you wrote your first book? Were you more comfortable with your writing this time around?
MLF: “I think the process was the same but it was a little easier because I knew what to expect. Also, my illustrator is amazing and had a better feel of the style of drawing for the book so it went much faster. This book has more pages and I decided to add a dust cover to it. The first book doesn’t have that but it has a shiny part on it and really cool colors so they both came out really cool.”
CS: When you’re brainstorming ideas for your books, what do you use as inspiration?
MLF: “I try to use lessons that I have learned or things that I have felt before. I feel like all kids deal with some of the issues that I deal with. I think it’s cool to have stories about getting through those issues and finding your own powers.”
CS: What message or feeling do you hope your readers part ways with after reading your book?
MLF: “I hope they feel inspired and strong after. I hope they believe that they can be brave and do anything they put their mind to.”
CS: Are you able to share with us any future adventures Kenzie will be going on? Any other books you’re working on?
MLF: “Right now I’m kind of thinking about some different ideas for my next book. I have so many that they all kind of mesh together sometimes. I’m hoping to release my next book at the end of this year though.”
CS: Have you gotten any good advice from anyone when it comes to your writing?
MLF: “I would say that my Mom has given me the best advice. She tells me that nothing that is important will come easy and that I need to have faith in my own strength. Sometimes I get a little down because the book writing process can be hard. She just tells me to keep pushing forward and to believe in myself.”
CS: Besides writing, you also act. How has it been being part of a show like This Is Us?
MLF: “It has been great! The cast and crew are amazing and were all so nice. I get a lot of people that kind of freak when they hear I was on the show but it was just a regular work set to me. You kind of have to stay professional on those kinds of sets. It was also my first big job so I felt like I had to prove myself. I had to show that I could handle being on such a major set.”
CS: Has your acting experience influenced your writing at all?
MLF: “Ummmm…I think it has. I wanted to create something that inspired other kids, no matter who they are. I wanted to create something that I had control over and I could take charge of. It’s definitely different when you’re following directions to fit a role that is someone else’s inspiration and then creating something special that is your own creation.”
CS: What other plans do you have for 2021?
MLF: “I don’t really have much planned right now but the year is still early. I mean, I would like to release another book at the end of the year but I think I’m just going to go with the flow and see what happens.”
CS: Since we are Celeb Secrets, do you have a secret you can share with us either regarding the writing process of Kickin’ It With Kenzie -Luckily My Luck Is Me! or something our readers would be surprised to find out about you?
MLF: “Hmmm…I think that the readers would be surprised to know that I struggled with a speech issue until just recently. I had a hard time saying r-blends and I sometimes got teased for it. I didn’t let that stop me though! I knew what message I wanted to get out to other kids and I just keep working hard to get there.”
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