Michelle Karl Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

A:  Thanks for having me back! In brief, I’m an author from Ontario, Canada who loves animals, buys too many books, and who will always say yes to a refill on my coffee. And anything pumpkin spice flavored… regardless of the time of year.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A:  I’m one of those “I’ve always known!” kind of people. My earliest memory of success comes from a writing contest I entered in second grade. My poem won me a t-shirt and publication in a little local newsletter booklet. I don’t remember now what the poem was about, but I think that experience definitely confirmed my aspirations even as a child.

Q: What do you write and why this genre?

A:  Presently, I write inspirational romantic suspense. I love the fast pace, the whirlwind romance amid heightened tensions, and the way the faith element is present but doesn’t overwhelm the story. And it’s fun—I get to do research on things like carjacking, how to get away with murder… you know, casual, everyday kind of research. 😉

Q: Do you base your characters on people you know or are they totally made up?

A: Completely made up. Honestly, more often I’ll take inspiration from multiple characters from television or movies, and blend the traits I like as I develop a new character.

Q: Could you tell us about your current book release SILENT NIGHT THREAT?

A: My heroine is an astronaut who wakes up on the side of the road three weeks after returning from space. Her memories are gone and someone wants her dead. The FBI agent on her case—her former fiancée—will do everything he can to protect her… and her daughter, a child he suspects is his. But time is running out, and the assailants will stop at nothing to take the heroine out before her memories return.

Q: Where did the idea for this story come from?

A: I love sci-fi and I find the “race to Mars” concept fascinating. For years now, I’ve followed NASA’s projects, and with Space X getting into the game as a private company, it’s been fascinating to see how the private and public sectors are working together to try to make strides into deep space travel a reality. I thought it might be fun to pull that apart and explore what could happen if the two sides refused to work together and turned competitive instead. The amnesia side of the story came out of my editor, however—she said she liked those kinds of books, so I figured, why not!

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A:  Right now I’m finishing up the draft of my second novel in my Mountie Brotherhood series for Love Inspired Suspense. The first one, WILDERNESS PURSUIT, releases next April, and features an RCMP officer and an archaeologist who are targeted by a pipeline company trying to cover up their nefarious deeds. *dun dun duuuun*

Q: Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.

A.  I grew up in the Canadian Maritimes, but I don’t like seafood. I’ve never seen the movie JAWS. I don’t kill spiders in my house.

Q: Milk or dark chocolate? Coffee or tea?

A:  Always dark chocolate! I can pretend it’s good for me… antioxidants, etc. 😉 And while I’m a coffee fiend, I have to admit that I do love tea of all kinds. At one point last year I had over 75 different kinds of tea in my tea cupboard, and my husband gently pointed out that perhaps I should try drinking some of it before getting any more. It was hard to accept, but let’s face it, he was right!

Q: Favorite TV show or shows?

A: There’s a really fantastic Canadian sitcom on right now called Kim’s Convenience, which is based on a play of the same name. It’s about a Korean family who runs a convenience store, and the day-to-day struggles that come with running a business, living in a massive city like Toronto, and having two adult children who are trying to make their own lives apart from their parents. The family is Christian, but the show doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of life, and I find myself both laughing out loud and tearing up almost during almost every episode. It’s honestly one of the best sitcoms on television right now and I can’t recommend it highly enough.