Every author has a different story, which is why I enjoy introducing readers to the people behind the books they read. Today's guest in My Writing Corner has a fascinating story to tell. Author Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she tells us she has never allowed her disability to define her. Instead, she has used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. Her debut novel, Husband in Hiding came out in 2015, followed by Forgetting My Way Back to You, 2018. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!
Tell us about your road to publication.
I queried 120 companies before getting published the first time, in 2015. In the case of my new novel, Brother of Interest, it was a long one, too. It’s a sequel to my debut novel, Husband in Hiding, so I naturally hoped the same company would publish it. Long story short, that didn’t happen, and I ended up shopping it—as well as tweaking it—for over three years before The Wild Rose Press accepted it.
What is your latest book and how did you come up with the idea to write it?
It’s Brother of Interest, and as I mentioned before, it follows up Husband in Hiding, which revolved around Minka Avery, a deaf detective. I was hesitant to write a sequel to it because of the stigma about sequels, but my writing coach really encouraged me to do it. When I committed, I pondered what I touched on but didn’t delve into in Husband in Hiding, and that was Minka's relationship with her brother. He played an integral role in her decision to be a cop, but you never saw the two of them together. Brother of Interest explains why!
Let's get a blurb:
Minka Avery thought her days of hunting down fugitives were behind her…until her brother becomes one!
There’s nothing more heart-warming than a brother and sister’s bond—or is there?
In Minka Avery’s case, her relationship with her brother, Robin, has been strained for years, but never more than it is in Brother of Interest.
For the past fourteen months, Minka's been basking in the joys of new motherhood, a far cry from the life she had as a deaf police detective. She sometimes misses the rush of chasing criminals, but she finds more excitement than she ever wanted when Robin ends up at the top of the list of suspects in a high-profile assault investigation.
She may not have a badge anymore, but the sister and law enforcer in her impel her unofficially explore the matter on her own. Will she find her runaway brother? Will the evidence she unearths exonerate him...or point to his guilt?
Sounds like a great story! What’s your next project?
My historical love story, Wrong Line, Right Connection, is coming out later this year, also published by The Wild Rose Press. I submitted it two months before I decided to submit Brother of Interest, never imagining they’d eventually accept both! It follows a switchboard operator and how she unexpectedly finds love by transferring a caller to the wrong number.
What do you enjoy about being an author?
I love being able to create your own world and scenarios. There’s no right or wrong—just room for improvement.
What do you find is the most challenging part of being an author?
Staying optimistic amidst all the rejections and disappointments. Writing’s the easy part; the business end can drive you crazy!
What advice do you have for beginning writers?
View every rejection as one step closer to an acceptance letter.
Isn't that the truth! Thank you Karina for being my guest on My Writing Corner. Here are Karina's social contacts and buy links:
Buy links:
The Wild Rose Press | Amazon | Walmart | Books-A-Million
Social media:
Blog | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads
Does anyone have any comments or questions for Karina?