Good afternoon, everyone!
Today, I have a very exciting interview to share with you all, with none other than esteemed JCP author Karen G. Bruce!
Karen has written two books with JCP so far: Josie: A Story of Forgiveness and A Heart Never Dies, which is her latest novel.
In Josie, the title character has had a picture perfect marriage. But after the death of her mother, Josie falls into a depression, and things aren’t so perfect anymore. In fact, she finds out her husband had an affair with her best friend.
Josie's life is in an upheaval, and she doesn’t think it could get any worse until she finds out that her mother had a huge secret of her own.
This exciting and twisty novel can be purchased at Books & Gifts or online here.
In A Heart Never Dies, Craig Rogers, beloved husband and football coach, dies in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. His wife, Jenna, tries to move on, but her 16-year-old daughter becomes pregnant, turning her world upside down.
Without the love and support of her husband, Jenna feels helpless, until she meets Ben. Their connection is immediate and puzzling.
When Ben finds out that the heart he received could possibly belong to Jenna’s husband, he is bewildered and anxious. Can he tell Jenna and risk losing her?
This beautiful love story can also be found at Books & Gifts or purchased online here.
Both of these novels are excellent reads, and I truthfully can't recommend them enough. If you enjoy plot twists, romance, and drama, these books are definitely for you!
Now, without further ado, my interview with Karen can be found below... I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed talking with her. And please follow Karen's journey as an author, because she is very talented, and we can't wait to see what she does next!
BOOKMARKED: So, how did you first get into writing? What is it about writing that appeals to
you?
KAREN BRUCE: Actually, I never wrote anything until I was in my mid-40s. I wasn’t
working because I was helping my mother while she was recuperating from a bad fall. My husband was traveling a lot at the time, and we were experiencing the empty nest syndrome. Out of the
blue one day, I just started typing and then a story was beginning to form, and I got so excited. My goal was to write a short novel, which ended up being about 40,000 words. It wasn’t very good, but it had a plot and characters, a beginning, and an ending. I have to say that I was so proud of myself. I absolutely loved the idea of writing and found out that I had a pretty good imagination. Within a year, I wrote four books, one being "Josie: A Story of Forgiveness," which was the
best one, I thought. I sent it to a couple of publishers but never heard a word. I gave up and decided to go back to work. A few years later, we moved to Mendota, Virginia, on my parent’s farm to help out. It was then that I decided to look at Josie’s story again. I read it and thought, no wonder I didn’t get a response. It definitely needed work. I went through the process of editing it, and that was when I picked up Voice Magazine one day and saw an ad for an editor. Judi Hopson gave me such wonderful feedback and suggested that I send it to Jan-Carol Publishing.
How do you get your ideas for your novels, such as "Josie" and "A Heart Never Dies?" Where does that inspiration come from?
Honestly, I don’t remember about my first book, "Josie." Unlike some authors, I usually don’t have any idea of what I’m going to write until I’m doing it. I love for the story to evolve and surprise me. With my newest book, I only knew that I wanted to write about a heart transplant and the idea of someone falling in love with the donor recipient. One thing I learned early was that you have to have conflict, so I am constantly coming up with something that makes the story twist and turn. Many of my ideas, unfortunately, come to me in the middle of the night.
What advice do you have for potential authors who aren't sure how to get started?
Have your friends and family read it and give you feedback. My mom is my number one fan and, of course, loves everything I write, even if it’s bad. Ha-ha! If you think you have something, you need to find an editor and then a publisher. Don’t give up, just keep trying. Also, make sure you like what you’re writing, because you’ll have to read it a million times! Sometimes it’s very hard to let go of a book because you want it to be perfect, but unfortunately and fortunately, you have to do it.
Who are some of your favorite authors of all time? Favorite novels?
I wasn’t even much of a reader until high school. One of the librarians at Tennessee High School suggested Victoria Holt. I fell in love with her books and couldn’t read enough. My mom was into romance, so I began reading some of her books at home, which included such authors as Kathleen Woodiwiss ("Shanna"), LaVylre Spencer ("Morning Glory"), and Maeve Binchy ("Circle of Friends"). I absolutely love Jane Austen, of course. Some of my favorite authors today are Liane Moriarty and Emily Giffin. One of my favorite books of all time is "Gone With the Wind," by Margaret Mitchell.
Do you ever get writer's block? If so, how do you deal with that?
Of course, I get writer’s block! If I do, I have to stop and do something else because it doesn’t get any better. Usually, when I sit back down, I’m on a roll and I can’t type fast enough. The worst thing ever is when you have to stop (and fix your husband lunch or something) and you know when you stop, you might lose your mojo.
What would you like potential readers to know about your newest book, A Heart Never Dies?
I would like for them to know that it’s a MUST READ and they will love it! Well, I hope they love it. Ha-ha! I’ve gotten a lot of wonderful response so far, which makes me incredibly happy. I think the worst thing ever would be to write something and your friends avoid you because it's a stinker. I love to make people think, to laugh, to feel good, and maybe cry a little too. I look for the amusing and interesting aspects of everyday life and include them in my stories, like somebody’s devil cat named Bubba. I loved to use different personalities of people I know. For example, one of my best friend’s mother used to say, “You follow?” after just about every sentence (like Elizabeth, Jenna’s mother). My friend and I used to laugh about it, and when I told her that I was using it in my book, she thought it was hilarious. I also like to incorporate my faith into my books without being preachy. I love to talk about church and God, because without Him I wouldn’t be here.
Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans and supporters?
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! When my first book was published, I was so thankful if anyone wanted to read it because I felt like an imposter, like I would eventually get kicked out of the club. When my second book was published, I just couldn’t believe it. I have to pinch myself sometimes. But seriously, I am so thrilled and thankful that anyone reads my work. I barely went to college, and I don’t have a degree. So, there ya go! If I can do it, anyone can!
Allison Chudina
Editorial & Retail Assistant
Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.
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