KAREN KING – you are what you read

A big welcome to Karen King, a romantic novelist, writing guru and, naturally, a ferocious reader. Let’s find out what lurks on the shelves of her bookshelf…

I’ve always loved reading. I was lucky enough to live around the corner from a library when I was young and would take out four books a day in the summer holidays (the maximum limit then). I read every book in the children’s section and had to start reading them all over again. I’d read anything (apart from horror) but my favourites were funny books and adventure stories. I loved the Just William books by Richmal Crompton. I used to laugh out loud when I was reading them. I’d love to be able to write humour like that myself but it’s not my forte although I do write joke books, and there is some humour in my new chick lit ‘I Do? – or Do I?’ recently published by Accent Press.

 

I loved Enid Blyton’s books too, especially the adventures of The Secret Seven and The Famous Five. These inspired me to set up my own detective agency with my two brothers when I was about ten or eleven. We called ourselves The Blue Lamp Detectives and made ourselves badges and membership cards. We toured the local area with our notebook and pencils looking for criminals and crimes to solve. Then one day we spotted a man that looked just like the photo we’d seen in the newspaper of a murderer who’d escaped from prison. Terrified, we legged it home. We lost our enthusiasm for being detectives after that.

As I got older I read the Saint books by Leslie Charteris and Agatha Christie’s books, so my love of detective stories continued. It was this love of detective stories that inspired me to write a podcast detective series called The Amy Carter Mysteries for Top That publishing.

 

As I grew older I enjoyed reading books with feisty heroines such as Scarlet O’Hara in Gone With The Wind. I like to read about flawed characters who are basically good at heart – to me these are more credible and easier to relate too. People who mess up without meaning to. Like Cassie in my chick lit ‘I Do? – or Do I?’ and Sapphire in my YA Sapphire Blue.

I don’t have so much time to read now, I wish I did, but when I get chance I’m quite an eclectic reader and will happily immerse myself in a variety of genres providing they’re not too wordy. I don’t want to be reading a book with a dictionary by my side. Some of my favourite authors are Sophie Kinsella, Maeve Haran, Marian Keyes, Sue Moorcroft, Mandy Baggot and Sharon Shinn – I loved her Samaria series.

My latest book

I was over the moon when Accent Press wanted to publish my chick lit ‘I Do? – or Do I?’ and contracted me to write two more, as well as publishing my back list. Basically, ‘I Do? – or Do I?’ is – to quote Accent Press – ‘a hilarious take on Monster-In-Laws, disastrous weddings, and love triangles.’

Here’s the blurb

Local journalist Cassie is getting married to hot-shot lawyer, reliable Timothy, and his mother, Sylvia, who Cassie has nicknamed ‘Monster-in-Law’, wants to plan the entire wedding. When Sylvia books the exclusive ID Images to take photographs of the extravagant do, Cassie has no idea what she’s walking into.  The elusive JM, ID Images’ newest photographer, just so happens to be Jared, Cassie’s first love and ex-fiancé, who broke off their engagement to travel and take photos of far-reaching wonders. He’s back to pay for his next wild adventure.  Cassie decides it’s best to pretend not to know him, but when she’s asked to write an article for her newspaper, she’s tasked with a column surrounding all things wedding related. When Cassie jokingly writes a column meant for herself depicting her situation, a co-worker submits it in place of the real article and it’s soon making headlines, with readers asking the age old question – Who Will She Choose?

Buy Links

Amazon – http://bookgoodies.com/a/B01CGKLOKQ

Waterstones – https://www.waterstones.com/book/i-do-or-do-i/karen-king/9781910939345

Book Depository – http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9781910939352

A bit about Karen

Karen King is member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists. She writes sassy, contemporary romance just right for reading on the beach. ‘I DO – or Do I?’ is her first chick lit for Accent Press. She’s been contracted to write two more for them.

Karen has had two other romance novels, several short stories for women’s magazine and 120 children’s books published.

Karen loves to inspire both children and adults to read and write. She is a writing tutor and a Patron of Reading for Blessed Edward Catholic College, Worcester.

When she’s not writing, Karen likes travelling, watching the ‘soaps’ and reading. Give her a good book and a box of chocolates and she thinks she’s in Heaven.

Author links

Website: http://www.karenking.net/

Twitter: @karen_king

Karen King Romance Author Facebook Page

Karen King Children’s Books Facebook Page

Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/karenkingauthor/