Monday, July 12, 2010

A Love that Makes Life Drunk

The first interview of FEATURED WRITER'S WEEK BRINGS YOU KAREN!!!!

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions Karen! I’m so happy to have you here on my blog!

Hi Jen, Thanks so much having me over here! It’s a pleasure.

1. So for those who are not aware you already have a book published (2008), the title A Love That Makes Life Drunk, could you tell us a little bit about it?

Jefferson and Lily fall in love despite Lily being in a relationship with Jefferson’s brother. It’s a raw and honest journey through the passion and desire they share.

2. How long have you known you wanted to be a writer?

I “wrote” my first story when I was 11. I’d always loved writing stories at school, but I thought it was something most kids did. In my early teens I realised it wasn’t as I began spending more time in isolation with a notebook and pencil, and later an old typewriter my parents bought me. Writing is in my veins – being a writer is a by-product of that.

3. How long did it take you to finish your first draft?

I write first drafts within days if I have the time. I get myself into a real fever when characters make themselves known to me and I just can’t get their story down quick enough. A Love That Makes Life Drunk took about 2 weeks – but 2 years to revise!

4. Are you a panster or an outliner?

Both. With A Love That Makes Life Drunk I was really organised and mapped out every detail, but with my new novel I completely winged it, and I have to say it was liberating!

5. Is this the first book you’ve ever written?
To date I think I’ve written about 30 novels. Thankfully most will never see daylight, but I think of them as a learning curve!

6. Do you have any other projects currently in the works?

My 2nd novel ‘Hope & Jump’ is due for release at the end of 2010.

7. When you first heard that your book would be published what did you do? Sing, shout, dance in the rain?

I was in total disbelief for ages! Then I think I did a real Karen Roderick thing and celebrated with a glass of Champagne!

8. What does a day in the life of Karen look like?

Busy! It starts at 6.20am and involves all sorts of manic things like getting the boys up for nursery, breakfast, dressing, dropping kids off, picking up a coffee on the way back and finally turning on the laptop after chucking in a load of washing.

At 5pm it descends into meltdown again as the boys arrive home! It finishes at about 11pm crashed out on the sofa with a glass of wine!


Fun & Random Questions
Favorite pizza joint – I’m not going to try and be cosmo here - Dominoes
Snack while writing – tea and toast
Favorite school subject - English
Sweet or Salty – sweet – jellybeans yum!
Favorite book series - does it make me bad to say I’ve never read one??
Last song you listened to – ‘Why Do Lovers?’ by Richard Ashcroft
Last book you read, or book you’re reading now – currently reading ‘Daphne’ by Justine Picardie
Favorite author - Anais Nin and Daphne Du Maurier
Chick flick or Horror – chick flick
Snow or rain - snow
Best time of year to write - autumn

Isn't she a doll?! I love her, even if she's never read a series!!! NOT EVEN HARRY POTTER?? Okay so I know from first hand that her book A Love That Makes Life Drunk is a wonderful read, you would do well to purchase it!!! So be sure to hop over to Karen's blog for a visit! You will not be disappointed! GO NOW!

32 comments:

Diana Mieczan said...

Karen sounds wonderful and that book is great! I am going to pop over to her blog....for sure!
Thanks,sweetie.What a great post! Happy Monday

Clara said...

Great interview.

And holly guacamole, 30 novels? Wow!

JE said...

OMG, is this book still in print?!? I need to have it!!! I'm guessing it's a romance and I'm ALWAYS intriqued at romances that don't follow the standard rules. Like, the heroine being in a relationship while falling in love with someone else. And to the man's brother??? WHOA! I need to read it!!!

~JD

Karen Roderick said...

Oh Jen, thank you so much! It's brilliant! You've made me sound like a "real" writer!! hugs to you and have a great day, Karen XX

Dianne K. Salerni said...

Thanks, Jen, and nice to meet you, Karen!

I can really understand the part about getting into "a fever" when your characters make themselves known and begin to take over the story .. but still ... TWO WEEKS!? Wow, that's amazing!

Christina Lee said...

Great interview! The books premise sounds soooo good!

Vicki Rocho said...

Thanks for another great interview. will have to look this one up!

Tess said...

What a fun title ... makes you want to pick it up, doesn't it? Thanks for the interview.

sarahjayne smythe said...

Very cool interview. I'm off to check out her blog right now. :)

Candyland said...

Great interview!I'm a Dominos girl too!

Lola Sharp said...

Great interview. I too am off to check out her blog.

Happy Monday!

Love,
Lola

Zoe C. Courtman said...

Oh, wow. Great interview! Her day sounds so much like fun!

Erica Mitchell said...

Haha, I love her "not being cosmo" reply in the randoms. Wow! 30 novels. And she can write them in a matter of days! Hero? Great job again on the interview and thank you Karen for sharing :D I definately need to go check out her website ;) You have a lil somethin over on my site..nudge..go look!

Stina said...

Great interview. Wish I could write a first draft that quickly. It took me a day (okay, not whole day) to write a 2 K chapter. :)

Laura S. said...

Wow, that's unbelievable she's never read a book series. There are so many amazing series out there! (Of course Harry Potter is the best, but there are other great ones, too!) Tell Karen she's really missing out!

I like that when she was a kid writing she thought most kids wrote stories, too. When I was a kid and writing stories, I figured no one else was doing so! It always seemed liked everyone else was more into TV and Nintendo than books and writing.

Great interview, Jen! Karen's book sounds terrific!

Patti said...

Great interview. It's fun to see how other writers go about writing a book.

Jai Joshi said...

Cool interview! Thanks Jen for bringing it to us and Karen for answering the questions.

Jai

Lenny Lee said...

hi miss jen! you did a really neat interview. hi miss karen! i love reading stuff about writers cause it makes me have lots of hope that some day im gonna be a good one. i learn lots from interviews. im just the age that you got started writing so theres lots of time for me to get better. now im gonna go look at your blog.
...hugs and smiles from lenny

Crystal Cook said...

This book sounds so awesome! I love me a good love story *sigh* Jen, this is the coolest thing how you have all these interviews! You are all kinds of awesome :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Terrific interview ladies! Sounds like a great book too. I like the learning curve analogy - great stuff!

Theresa Milstein said...

Great interview. I like hearing an author's writing path. And I could relate to the part about two weeks to write, two years to revise. Good luck with your next book, Karen!

Christina said...

Interesting interview and a lovely blog! What a beautiful background! Am glad to have found this! :-)

Talli Roland said...

Great interview, Karen and Jen.

30 novels! I am in awe - that is so amazing. Looking forward to hearing more about Karen's next novel.

Carolyn V. said...

Great interview! I'm so glad she is a panster and an outliner! Totally rocks. =) I can't believe how quickly she writes too. Wow.

Melissa said...

Ummm... no series. Ever? Poor HP.
(ps. Jen. I know you saw it but Sara B. Larson went to HP world and doesn't hogwarts look GORGEOUS! God I died. Only six weeks!)

What a great interview.. I can't believe she's written 30 books. Do I ever feel like an underachiever? Haha.

Terry Stonecrop said...

Wonderful interview! It's always fun to hear what authors have to say.

I love that she loves Nin and Du Maurier and her novel sounds great. What's not to love about drunk love? ;)

Kimberly Franklin said...

All of these interviews are great! I love getting inside the head of a writer to see what makes them tick. Thanks!!

I just wanted to let you know that I changed blog domains, so my new domain name is: www.kim-franklin.com

Have a great day!!

WritingNut said...

What a great interview! I love hearing about the path an author takes, and Karen's day sounds like so much fun :)

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Jen--Great interview! I agree with Karen...autumn is the best time to write. No snow, no tornadoes, just right for sitting outside with your computer or a notebook. :)

Susan Fields said...

Great interview, Jen! How funny that her book took two weeks to write and two years to revise - it's nice to know I'm not the only one for whom revisions seem to take forever!

Anonymous said...

Snazzy interview, as always. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around how quickly Karen writes!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Karen and Jen .. fun interview .. and how Karen you've changed tack and winged your 2nd novel .. mind you if you've got 30 drafts tucked away .. perhaps that's fine?!

It's great to know that you were writing as a child .. and it's in your veins.

Wonderful that you fit everything in - in and around the day .. I love reading interviews and hearing more about people .. thank you - Hilary