Kimberly's literary voice is rooted in the Southern tradition of storytelling, informed by her British and Southern lineage. She is an award-winning poet who entertains and educates with poetry that is both poignant and inspiring.
In her debut book of poems, Lindy Lee: Songs on Mill Hill, Kimberly chronicles the lives of textile workers in the Piedmont region with historical accuracy and imaginative insight. These are poems of sorrow, joy, and redemption that linger in the heart.
She was the 2016 Carl Sandburg National Historic Site Writer-In Residence (Flat Rock, NC); she is a member of the SC Humanities Council’s Speaker’s Bureau and a pioneer turned curator in the world of poetry slams.
A graduate of Furman University (BA) and Clemson University (MA), her work has appeared in over 30 literary journals including the Asheville Poetry Review and the Broad River Review. She is a Pushcart Prize nominee and her work is included in the South Carolina Poetry Archives at Furman University. She was named Greenville Best and Brightest 35 and Under by Greenville Business Magazine.
She is the proud founder of Wits End Poetry, a non-profit now celebrating 15 years of creating South Carolina poetry events and educational outreach.
When not writing, you’ll find Kimberly hiking and raising her chickens.
Early Days
Kimberly has been sharing her poems with a variety of audiences since she started running poetry slams at age 20 in Charleston, SC. Since then she has gone on to gain recognition from esteemed literary editors and live audiences.
Kimberly was a member of the first all women's national poetry slam team and a 1998 Southern Fried Poetry Slam champion. She has performed internationally at venues including the Battersea Arts Center in London and The Institute of Contemporary Arts London.
Family
One of Kimberly's finest creative works of art is her 8 year old daughter, Jordan. Kimberly took a break from writing and performing from 2009 to 2014 to focus on her most important role. Being Mom. Another accomplishment, in 2017 she celebrates 15 years with her husband, Jeremy.
100 Word Biography
Kimberly's literary voice is rooted in the Southern tradition of storytelling, informed by her British and Southern lineage. She is an award-winning poet who has been featured on PBS and TedX. She was the was 2016 Carl Sandburg National Historic Site Writer-In Residence. In her debut book of poems, Lindy Lee: Songs on Mill Hill, Kimberly chronicles the lives of textile workers in the Piedmont with historical accuracy and imaginative insight. These are poems of sorrow, joy, and redemption that linger in the heart. She is a Pushcart Prize nominee and her work is included in the South Carolina Poetry Archives at Furman University. Learn more at kimberlyjsimms.com.
Publication credits:
http://www.kimberlysimms.com/p/publication-credits.html
Amazon Page:
https://www.amazon.com/author/kimberlyjsimms
Libro FM:
https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781518947261-lindy-lee-songs-on-mill-hill-audio-collection
EDUCATION DETAILED
A graduate of Furman University (BA) with a degree in English. During my undergraduate studies, I took 2 semester long poetry courses with the poet Paul Allen. I took 1 semester long independent study with poet Gilbert Allen. I took 1 semester long independent study with poet William Aarnes.
A graduate of Clemson University (MA) with a Masters in British and American Literature where I received a graduate fellowship, which included being the teacher of record for English 101 for 2 semesters. This degree included a graduate creative thesis in poetry, which became my book LINDY LEE: SONGS ON MILL HILL. While at Clemson University, I also completed a semester long independent study with poet Ryan Van Cleave, in addition to another semester long poetry writing course.