Karen
Childress
Writer ~ Romance, Women's Fiction, and Non-Fiction
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Karen
Childress Writer ~ Romance, Women's Fiction, and Non-Fiction
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FAQs - Questions somebody might ask some day
How did I get started? I might have been an English major if I'd stayed in college, but the lure of life swayed me in a different direction. Eventually, in my late forties, I started putting ideas and stories on paper, and with the encouragement of friends, I took my first writing class - Writing Romance with Carla Cassidy. I was hooked. What do I write? My goal is to write books that entertain, give a message, and leave the reader smiling. I'm currently working on a book that fits more into the Women's Fiction genre', so there's no telling what I might try next. I'm also submitting freelance articles. Where do I get my ideas? I write what I know, or what I think I can get away with. I get a lot of inspiration at the grocery store, when I travel, and by watching people. There are stories everywhere, and most people are more than happy to share snippets of their lives. I visited Sedona, AZ and had to write about it. I love the bridges of Madison County, and I wrote about them. My daughter says she can't tell me anything because it might end up in a book. She's right. :) Am I in a critique group? I am in a critique group that we gleefully named Squatters, because we "cop a squat" on Thursdays. We not only critique our work, we love to eat out and travel together. RWA National Conference in New York City was a sightseeing treat. We drove to RWA - Dallas in 2004, singing our way there and back, and to Reno (with day trips around Lake Tahoe and to Virginia City) in 2005. The Squatters are the best, and when I get published, they're going to be getting accolades in the front of the book, because I couldn't have done it without them. Their names? Teresa Hoy, Sue Friedly, and Linda Kaullen Perkins. Click here to read more about the Squatters. I highly recommend a critique group experience, but it has to be a comfortable fit of members or it won't work. Do I attend conferences? I started the workshop/writer conference circuit in 2000 at Maple Woods Community College in Kansas City. Since then, I've also traveled to Colorado Springs, Denver, New York City, Dallas, Reno, and back to Kansas City this year. I hope to make it back to the RWA National Conference next year in Dallas, and The Pike's Peak Writers Conference in Colorado Springs. Traveling is great fun, so I'd love to go to more workshops and conferences. The networking is invaluable, but for me, it's a matter of finance and scheduling. Why wasn't I born rich? What's my next book? I'm working on Hot Flash and collecting tidbits and quotes for Renaissance. You can read about both on my Bookshelf.
If you have questions, feel free to ask. Email me here:
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