We understand that you have traveled all over the world as a Navy brat yourself!

How many countries have you lived in?

I lived several places in the United States, France and Guam.

What is your favorite country? (or state?)

I guess I have several favorites. Louisiana will always be home to me. But Texas has been a wonderful place to live. Growing up my favorite place my dad was assigned to was Guam.

Living on an island was different than other place I'd ever lived. If I wanted a coconut, I could pick one up from my front yard. I could swim all year long. But my favorite thing about living on Guam was that I went to school off-base. My classmates were not only other military children, but also Chamorro kids. They became my friends. I learned about fiestas, eating sour mangos with hot sauce and dancing the cha-cha.

Have you gone back to visit some of your old neighborhoods?

I've had the pleasure of returning to each of my previous homes, except the one in France. All these years I thought I'd lived in Paris. I actually lived in a village outside of the city. I visited Paris last year, but my parents couldn't tell me exactly where the apartments we'd lived in the village were located. I decided to wait on that reunion for my next trip back.

You speak French: any other languages?

Unfortunately I don't speak French anymore. I was the only one in our family who could speak and read it. When we moved there was no one to keep the language alive for me. It's one of my biggest regrets. I took Spanish in college so though I'm not fluent, I understand some of it.

Now that you are grown up and have a daughter, do you move around a lot?

My husband's career has caused us to move several times around Texas. But I've lived in Amarillo for fourteen years. That's longer than I've lived anywhere.

How do you think your experiences of frequent moves have impacted you and your parenting style: some people think being able to adapt to change is very important; others think that earlier years should have a more “stable” environment. What are some of your thoughts on this?

I didn't appreciate moving while I was growing up. Now I realize what a rich childhood I had. It has made me more adaptable. And even though we might have stayed somewhere for only a couple of years, my mom made each house a home. I look back on that with amazement. How did she do that? But she gave us stability. We had dinner as a family at the kitchen table every night.

My military childhood has impacted my parenting. Even though my daughter lived in Amarillo for most of her childhood, she is aware that there is a world beyond it. She's visited many places outside Texas. And of course (maybe with some dread) she's heard me talk about my childhood.

She is open-minded and possesses an empathy for people everywhere. I don't want to take credit for all of that. She does have a dad and a mind of her own, but I can't help but think my background and the way I view the world has had something to do with that.

Piper calls her dad “Chief” and it appears that what he says goes. He even sends the bathroom assignments via email after he’s left. But there are female characters (Nicole & Michael’s mother and Blue Angel Lieutenant Commander Franklin) who are in the military and are clearly respected. How did military life impact your perceptions of gender roles, if at all?

When I was growing up, I didn't know any kids who had moms in the military. My mother was a stay-at-home mom who later became a teacher. I had a traditional view of a woman's role. Except for one big difference. My mother always made me know there was more.

Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying she was less because she stayed at home. In many ways I consider that the ultimate job. But she made it known to me early on that I would be going to college. She encouraged me to not get married early. I know this sounds funny, but I remember her saying, "When you're single, you can do what you want. If you see a pair of shoes and you know you are only going to wear those shoes once, you can buy them." I love that my mother explained the virtues of being single like that--in our family, shoes are a big deal!

Piper moves to Pensacola, FL, and that is where you were born. You’ve written My Louisiana Sky and Part of Me: Stories of a Louisiana Family, both set in Louisiana. You call Forest Hills, LA your “emotional home” and have family there. Yet several of your other books appear to cover vastly different subject matter.

How do your own experiences influence your writing, and how do you invent experiences that you haven’t lived?

I can sum up what I write very simply--I write what I know and what I want to know. When I write about something that I haven't experienced, I usually go to a source--someone who has experienced it. For example, in Piper Reed even though I was a Navy brat, I needed to find out what military kids today were going through. I flew to Pensacola and spoke with several groups of military kids.

But I also write to be in other people's skin. So I rely on my imagination and the sensitivity that I have for others.

Is Piper Reed: Navy Brat the most autobiographical of your books? (If not, which one is: or do several have pieces of you?)

All of my characters have a bit of me in them. Piper Reed: Navy Brat certainly has an autobiographical framework, but probably the character I relate to the most is Annabeth in Part of Me.

We see from your website (http://www.kimberlywillisholt.com) that you’ve written your biography in terms of food. Skinny Brown Dog has “Benny the Baker” as a main character. What led you to become an author instead of a gourmet chef?

Every since I was twelve, I wanted to be a writer. Nothing beats the feeling of writing a great sentence. (Except maybe having a baby.) I didn't start cooking until I was a freshman in college. And then it was put to a quick stop after the dorm director found out about the hotplate! Today I love cooking for people I care about, but I think the joy would leave if I were cooking for strangers.

Along the same lines, Piper aspires to be a Blue Angel. Did you ever have military aspirations?

I never had military aspirations for myself, but I think I could have been a happy military wife. There's something about a man wearing a uniform!

Thank you so much Kimberly for answering our questions! We feel as though we have gotten to know you, and Piper, so much better!

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Please check out Piper Reed: Navy Brat and www.kimberlywillisholt.com!