Chatting with Historical Author Karen Hall

Today I'm pleased to have with us historical author, Karen Hall, who has written wonderful stories for The Wild Rose Press and Books to Go Now. Thank you Karen for joining us and I hope you don't mind my asking you several questions.

1.What made you decide to become a writer?

I think I've always been a story-teller. I wrote stories and poetry growing up, and several years ago took a creative writing class but it wasn't until I joined SMRW(charter member)that I even thought of trying to take writing seriously. I will also admit, I had never read a romance until that time. I read lots of mysteries instead.

2. How long did it take you to get published? How did it happen?

Years. I spent at least five or six years writing before I worked up the nerve to start sending in submissions. My first success was with a Christmas short story for The Wild Rose Press entitled, The Zebra in the Manger. Since then, I've had two novels accepted by TWRP, Pursuing Love(December 2009)and the soon to be released, Lessons in Love, the second in a trilogy.

3. They say hindsight is 20/20. Looking back on your career as a published author is there anything you would do differently.

Yes, I would have taken it far more seriously, written and submitted more, if only that my mother(who died in 2005)could have lived to see this. She would have been tickled.

4.What advice would you give others pursing a writing career?

Join RWA. Even if you don't write romance, this is one of the few professional organizations that welcomes the unpublished. It will open up a universe of support. Also, form a critique chapter and meet regularly. Finally, write a minimum of four times a week. Life happens, and can slow your writing, but if you don't do it, no one can do it for you.

5.Will you share with others how you come up with your story ideas?

If I knew, I would. The characters arrive in my head and demand a story. So far, all my stories(published)are set in the late Victorian era, which gives me some definite parameters. Sometimes, I'll find a bit of trivial history and try to weave a story around it. And I tend to have a 'mystery' in my stories.

6. Do you belong to a writer's group and or a critique group.

I belong to RWA, Smoky Mountain Romance Writers, and two critique groups.

7.Where do you see yourself in five years.

Retired from my day job and writing full time. Of course, it would be great to do that from London or Paris, but I think I would go into withdrawal if I left East Tennessee.

8.Where can readers find you on the Internet?

I have a website (www.karenhallbooks.com) and a Facebook page, and my works can be found at Amazon and The Wild Rose Press(www.thewildrosepress.com). I also have a Christmas Short story with Books to Go Now.

9.Do you currently have anything you are working on? Do you mind telling us a little about it?

I have an new trilogy of short stories I'm loosely calling The Heroes and am revising a novel.

10.What are your most recent releases? Where can your readers get these.

Pursuing Love(12/09)can be purchased at Amazon and The Wild Rose Press. I'm hoping for a release date any day now for Lessons in Love. I also have two short stories, Zebra in a Manger from The Wild Rose Press and A Christmas Proposal from Books To Go Now.

Thank you for sharing your time and wisdom with us Karen. We hope you'll drop by again to chat more with us again soon.