Kristin Co Lim once hated reading. Now the Cebuana author builds entire worlds from words.
‘‘I hated reading as a kid,’’ she said. ‘‘I thought reading was strictly for school — pure torture.’’
That changed when she stumbled upon her brother’s “Archie” comics. At first, she ignored the text and lingered only on the pictures. ‘‘I thought words were boring,’’ she said. ‘‘Until one day, I actually read the dialogue and realized, ‘Wait, I understand this! It’s a story!’ That’s when I fell in love.’’
When age-appropriate books were scarce during her youth, Kristin turned storytelling into a tool for survival. In high school, whenever she was overwhelmed by dense memorization tasks — like learning every country on the map — she created narrative arcs for each location so she could remember them all.
Fast forward to today: Kristin is an award-winning author whose fantasy and speculative fiction have crossed international borders. From 2023 through 2026, she has published books and short stories almost every year. Behind the accolades is a story rooted in resilience, family and a commitment to storytelling that heals rather than merely entertains.
Pandemic spark, publishing journey
Kristin’s leap into professional authorship was not a pre-planned career move. It began during the Covid-19 lockdowns, when health anxiety and the constant sound of sirens from a nearby facility pushed her to write for sanity’s sake.
What started as an animated PowerPoint slideshow for a young relative’s virtual birthday party grew into something much bigger. ‘‘I wanted a whole world with its own system,’’ Kristin said. ‘‘I ended up writing an entire book.’’
Getting her manuscripts out into the world, however, tested her grit. In the publishing world, writers are often told to expect dozens of rejections before a single yes.
For Kristin, finding a publisher comes down to one simple truth: it is like finding a life partner. You need shared vision and values. Even if your writing is technically sound, if your publisher’s priorities do not align with your story’s soul, it will not work.
Stories that add life
In a digital landscape dominated by fast-paced tropes, shock value and viral spice, Kristin deliberately takes the road less traveled.
While market trends often push darker or overly romanticized formulas, Kristin stays in her lane: family-friendly, value-driven fiction.
‘‘What you read or watch, your brain processes as lived experience,’’ Kristin said. ‘‘If you constantly consume content built on unrealistic expectations or shock, it shapes how you view reality. I want to write stories that teach resilience and hope — stories that do not just transport you to another world, but give back life when you return to reality.’’
Drawing subtle inspiration from timeless narratives such as the biblical story of Joseph the Dreamer, rich with betrayal, hard work and ultimate triumph, Kristin weaves deep human truths into vibrant speculative settings. In her young adult novel “The Shard That Binds,” she explores duty, freedom and redemption through the relationship between a bound warrior and a compassionate healer. Her work on “Zugbo Chronicles Part 1” also resonated with readers and landed in the Top 10 of the Akdang Pinoy Choice Awards.
How she stays grounded
Off the page, Kristin wears many hats. She is a visual artist, a partner in her family business, Seven Arts Foto and Framing, and a hands-on homeschooling mother of two.
At Seven Arts Framing, Kristin works closely with local Cebuano visual artists. Lacking formal art training, she translates the stories she sees on their canvases into vivid written descriptions. Many artists have thanked her for helping complete their work by putting visual creations into words.
Thankfully, her family remains her biggest cheer section. Her husband, Michael Lim, though not an avid fiction reader, is her most trusted reader. While reading her draft cover to cover, Michael once caught a major plot hole, pointing out a missing clue Kristin thought she had written down but had only constructed in her mind.
Beyond reading, he is also in the background at exhibits, quietly hauling art pieces, props and boxes of books. ‘‘Every time I ask him if taking time to write is okay, he tells me: ‘The world needs your stories. Our kids need your stories.’’’
To navigate burnout and the pressures of her multifaceted life, Kristin anchors herself with what she calls her «Polo Shirt Philosophy.» She likens life to buttoning a collared shirt: if the top button is fastened correctly, the rest falls into place. For her, that top button is faith, followed by family, work and finally passion and hobbies.
‘‘If my book career ever made my family resent me, I would give it up,’’ she said. ‘‘What’s the point of writing stories for the world if it takes me away from the people who matter most?’’
Rooted in Cebu, reaching the world
Though her bibliography spans high fantasy, sci-fi and slice-of-life, Kristin’s Cebuana identity remains the heartbeat of her perspective. After living in Xiamen, China for two years, she returned home to Cebu and has remained vocal about pride in Filipino heritage and local narratives.
‘‘We don’t need to mimic Western standards or blindly follow global trends to be valid,’’ Kristin said. ‘‘Our culture, our heart and our values are just as beautiful.’’
Her advice for aspiring writers in Cebu is not about chasing fast publication or vanity titles. It is about intention and community. ‘‘Don’t just dream of being an author. Change the dream to making an impact,’’ she said. ‘‘Find honest mentors, protect your craft and write stories that inspire, transport and truly add value to human life.’’