Former L.A. public defender Kimberly Lee publishes thriller fiction novel
What are you in the midst of?
My debut novel, Have You Seen Him, was published in July 2025. Two of my kids are in college and one just finished and started working, so I have time to focus on my “bookbaby.”
I began writing the book when my youngest son was 5 and off to kindergarten. He’s now a sophomore in college, towering over me. So it wasn’t exactly a linear process, and I had many stops and starts. I gave up on it a few times but always returned to it.
Have You Seen Him went through many drafts, several editors, lots of revision. I used to beat myself up over taking so long to complete it and get it out there. But ultimately I’m happy I took this windy route. The book and my writing grew, developed, and evolved along with my children, and the timing of its debut is perfect. Definitely not going to take that long for the sequel, though!
What are some of the best things about being 56?
Sometimes I miss the days when my children were small, piling into the SUV with all the kiddie gear, but I also love this stage and how our relationships have evolved. We have great conversations and I admire the people they’ve become. Since they have their own lives, my husband and I have the chance to rediscover ourselves as a twosome, reminding of us the time when we were newlyweds — spontaneity is back!
I’m embracing creative opportunities that present themselves, stepping out of my comfort zone, and letting go of concerns about outcomes.
I love Nelson Mandela’s words: “I either win or learn. I never lose.” When challenges arise, I try to find the blessing in it, see how I can grow through it. And after years of logically thinking my way through decisions and ignoring my gut feelings, I trust my intuition—it never fails me.
What is Have You Seen Him about?
When I was in law school, I’d get up early to read John Grisham’s latest book, prioritizing that before reading the cases assigned for my classes. I think I knew deep down I wanted to someday parlay my background in law to writing fiction. Publishing this novel is a dream come true. Have You Seen Him is a thriller with lots of suspense, the genre I love most.
Soon after we meet the book’s main character, David, he’s sifting through mail and sees a missing child ad with his own face. He goes in search of the truth about his origins and encounters all kinds of mayhem — corporate villains, murder victims, accidents that aren’t really accidents — along with suspicions about the people who’ve raised him.
He gets help from his no-nonsense girlfriend Gayle and a stranger with his own secrets. The inspiration for this? I was sorting through my mail and saw an ad for a child who went missing when he was 10. The computer-progressed image showed him at 40 years old. I thought about how this boy’s family had been searching for over three decades and had never given up trying to find him. The faces haunted me. I tore it out and carried it around in my bag for a while, then sat down to write a story about it.
You used to work as an attorney — why did you stop?
I worked as a public defender in Los Angeles for about five years and then opened a solo practice handling criminal defense and personal injury matters. We’d moved to L.A. from a small college town so it felt very LA Law — fast-paced and exciting.
I discovered a new level of confidence and boldness within myself, handling jury trials in downtown Los Angeles. But it was also pretty stressful. Daily confrontational encounters weren’t my natural way of being, but I did what I had to do for my clients. I practiced law for about 10 years and left when our third child was born to center my attention on family, community, and creative work.
You also design and facilitate customized workshops and retreats for nonprofits, corporations, and private groups, featuring SoulCollage®, Guided Autobiography, and Creative & Expressive Writing. Tell us everything.
I love seeing people light up as they discover and explore their creative gifts! And since writing is such a solitary thing, leading workshops is a chance to be in community with others on the same path. I really enjoy integrating creative and expressive writing with SoulCollage®, an intuitive collage process that’s fun, accessible, and also pretty magical.
The combination of methods offers access to our inner wisdom and hidden stories, through both word and image. My workshops provide an opportunity for self-discovery and a chance to reclaim our narratives. It’s always rewarding to meet and work with those who feel called to create and to be of service in helping them find their unique voice.
I offer workshops in-person and on zoom, varying from one-day events to longer courses. Recent collaborations include working with veterans in West Los Angeles, at The Huntington, a botanical garden and library in the Pasadena area, and with survivors of the L.A. fires.
I’ve led weeklong retreats at Esalen Institute and the Omega Institute, and I’m on my way to one at Hollyhock Centre in British Columbia. It’s a treat — and deeply meaningful — to have uninterrupted time to express ourselves creatively, forming connections while immersed in a beautiful natural setting.
What’s the most surprising or exciting thing you’ve learned about yourself lately?
Someone recently said I was fearless. It was surprising because I don’t see myself that way. I definitely experience fear, but I make a valiant effort not to be ruled by it. I think the sudden passing of my father six years ago prompted this. I was talking to him on a Tuesday and all was well. Two days later, he was gone. He lived a good long life — to 81 – but this brought home the fragility of our existence.
No matter your age, nothing is promised. I made a silent commitment to move forward with things I really want. Audre Lorde said, “When I dare to be powerful…it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
What’s one of the hardest things you’ve ever done?
Ending my time as a people-pleaser. I used to take on too much and agonize over saying no to things I really didn’t want to do. Putting my own needs first was rarely a priority. And I think it’s tied up with self-acceptance. I was conditioned to care deeply about other people’s opinions and impressions, with an understanding that being accepted meant keeping everybody else happy. As I’ve come to honor myself, I’ve learned not to give so much thought to what other people think. It’s truly freeing.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to yourself at age 40?
I had this sense of invincibility when I was in my 20s, always up for proving the naysayers wrong. I was 24 and a newlywed when my husband and I moved to Los Angeles. Neither of us had any family here and we just made our own way. I left my job as a public defender when I was 29 and opened my own law practice. When I look back on that, I’m amazed at the courage it must have taken. But in my 40s, I feel I played it safe and stalled on my creative dreams. If I could go back, I’d tell myself to remember what you already accomplished, the impractical, the unlikely, the seemingly impossible, bold and scary things you did in your 20s. Reclaim that and go forward!
How can The Midst community support you?
If you’re a fan of intriguing page-turners with secrets, twists, and turns, please check out Have You Seen Him! And if you feel moved after reading it, a review or rating on Amazon would be much appreciated. That feedback really helps readers find and enjoy the book.
And I would love to welcome MidstHers to a soul-nourishing workshop or retreat — to lean into our own wisdom through creative practices with words and images. Visit kimberlylee.me for information about upcoming offerings.
What’s next for you?
I want to remember and live in the truth of new experiences — “first times” — aren’t just for children and young adults. Some firsts for me this year: first time as a guest on a podcast, first time to Europe, first book published.
Have You Seen Him is the first in a trilogy, so it’s back to my notebook to work on the second installment. Pen to page. I’m headed to Tuscany this fall for a couple of weeks to start work on it. A few people have asked me what’s going to happen with the characters, and to be honest, I’m not sure myself, although I have a few ideas. Robert Frost said, “No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader.”
We’ll all be surprised with the next developments — stay tuned!
Let’s connect
Instagram @klcreatrix
Join the Founding MidstHer community
Tell your story and join forces with entrepreneurs, health experts, writers, creatives of all kinds, and women who get sh** done. Learn more.
