Today, I’m chatting with Kass Hillard about her debut book, Games Psychics Play: Enhancing Your Intuition and Psychic Gifts published by Franklin Rose Publishing.

Kass Hillard has created the ultimate book and manual to help you develop your unique gifts of the Spirit and so much more. She’s funny, serious, kind, and strict. All the traits you would want your mentor to be and that’s what Kass has done with this book for you.

I’m drinking my Sumatra blend with a dollop of peppermint mocha. Kass has her classic black cup of coffee and a hint of Kahlua. This should be fun. So, Kass, share a bit of your background before we delve more into your book.

KASS: I’m a retired reflexologist and owned a holistic healing center for many years. I’ve been interested in the spiritual and metaphysical worlds for as long as I can remember.

After retirement, I was ready for a new challenge in my life and thought that since I was no longer in practice, perhaps I could write about my experiences as a reflexologist and healer. I wanted to write the book I wish I’d had when I was starting my reflexology career.

CHRISTINA: Tell us more about your new book.

KASS: Games Psychics Play: A Guidebook to Enhance Your Intuitive and Psychic Gifts is full of exercises and activities you can do to connect with your intuition and psychic abilities and strengthen them. I also tell some of the pitfalls to watch out for. I’ve included stories about my personal experiences as well.

CHRISTINA: What inspired you to write this book?

KASS: I’ve always enjoyed writing and had begun writing two books, one about reflexology and the other on challenging yourself spiritually, but I was struggling to finish them. I needed some guidance by others who were actual authors. I signed up for a writers’ workshop.

You’ve heard musicians often say they were doing something mundane like washing dishes or raking leaves and suddenly, the lyrics or melody to a song hit them and they had to stop what they were doing immediately and write it all down? That kind of happened to me.

After attending the workshop, I was on my way home, when out of the blue, I “heard” that I was to write a book called Games Psychics Play and what information it was to include. I pulled over in a gas station parking lot and wrote down everything, got home and began writing the book.

CHRISTINA: What kind of research did you do?

KASS: I’ve been a student of metaphysics for over four decades. I used my own experiences as a healer and a psychic as well as the experiences of other psychics I know.

CHRISTINA: What is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing your book?

KASS: The most surprising thing is how writing consumed my life! I thought about the chapters and how to express what I needed to convey constantly. At least it felt that way. I had to always have paper and pen near me because I never knew when “just the right wording” to an idea would come to me. I found I didn’t sleep much while I was writing the book!

CHRISTINA: How long did you take to write the book?

KASS: I had the basics of the entire book written in six months. And then the editing process began! It took about two years total from start to publication.

CHRISTINA: Describe your writing space.

KASS: I don’t have one set writing space. Sometimes I need to be outside in nature to write, sometimes I need to be on the couch with a warm blanket, and other times I need to be in my favorite room of the house – the library. It has floor to ceiling bookshelves on 2 ½ walls and they are almost completely full! I have two shelves dedicated to the books written by my friends, which inspires me. I was thrilled when my own books could join their ranks.

CHRISTINA: What is the most difficult part of writing for you?

KASS: The most difficult part of writing for me is staying focused and believing that I have something worth saying. I found I went through days (and at times weeks) where I THOUGHT about writing but put nothing down on paper other than a note or two so I wouldn’t forget an idea. The critic within myself was brutal.

CHRISTINA: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

KASS: I like to handwrite everything and only use a fine tipped pen. I always start out a new story or book with a new paper notebook.

CHRISTINA: Does writing energize or exhaust you?

KASS: It energizes me to the point of exhaustion, and I love it!

CHRISTINA: What advice would you give to new writers – someone just starting out?

KASS: Start writing. There are thousands of people who say they’ll write a book one day but never do. Their thoughts and ideas never see life. Don’t be one of them. Listen to the advice of other authors. The feelings and experiences, all the ups and downs, may be new to you, but they, too, have had them. Surround yourself with those who will be honest but not cruel when you ask for an opinion. Most importantly, trust yourself and your ability. You have something to say, and we want to hear it!

CHRISTINA: Thanks for hanging out with me. To learn more about Kass and her book, Games Psychics Play: A Guidebook to Enhance Your Intuitive and Psychic Gifts, visit her website HOUSE OF THE SPIRIT. You can also find her book on AMAZON and GOODREADS.