Please help me welcome Author Karina Gioertz to my blog today!
What is your name? Do you use a pen name (if so, why?)?
My name is Karina Gioertz. I’ve used a pen name in the past, but gave that up pretty quickly.
Tell me a bit about yourself:
Well, aside from being an author, I am also a mom to a beautiful 5 year old little girl. I tell everyone I named her after my great-grandmother, but really, I named her after my favorite princess, just so happens I got lucky and they had the same name... I’m an animal lover (dogs and horses are at the top of my list), I wear flip-flops pretty much everywhere I go, I would rather stay awake until 5 am than get up at 5 am, if I can, I’m going to the beach and I will always be nice to people who bring me chocolate.
What type of genre do you write?
I am what you might call a genre - jumper. I have written both fiction as well as non-fiction. Have dabbled in Women’s Contemporary, Thriller/ Suspense, YA Romance, Children’s Lit and most recently - YA Fantasy/Fairy Tale
What genre do you personally read? I read the same way I write, if the story interests me I’m all in. Doesn’t matter what genre it is. The only genre I probably wouldn’t pick up is horror...I’m a big ol’ scaredy-cat.
Tell me about your latest?
My latest is titled The Final Descendants And The Well Of Wishes Lost. The story follows a young girl named Bryze whose life gets pretty interesting when she learns she has ties to a secret world of fairy tales because she’s Cinderella’s descendant. An adventure ensues as she meets other descendants and discovers that their world has been jeopardized by an evil Jester.
What sparked your passion for books and the art of a good story?
I’ve always loved a good story. Whether it’s a book, or a movie or just something swirling around in my own head. I guess I’ve just never been very good at being bound to my reality. Why settle for just one life when you can live it a hundred times over and a hundred different ways?
Is there a particular book that changed or affected your life in a big way?
There’s been many. Some of the first were way back when I was just learning to read. Back then, pretty much every book I picked up had a horse in it. I loved horses! Desperately wanted one :-) For years, I read those books and had very little contact to actual horses. When I was 17 my family (through a random twist of fate) wound up living on a horse ranch. Needless to say, all the years of absorbing every written word of horse related material came in pretty handy at that point :-)
Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?
I hope that it will serve as a reminder to girls of all ages that we don’t need a knight in armor to slay our dragons. Having help is awesome, but having someone do it for you just deprives you of the experience and the confidence you gain from knowing that you did it yourself.
What challenges have you faced in your writing career?
I think the biggest challenge most of us face is finding an audience. And when you jump from genre to genre like I do, it’s even harder to keep it once you get it. Even if people read and enjoy one book, they might not necessarily even be interested in any of my other books. So, yeah, that’s my challenge...
What has been your best moment as a writer?
When my daughter told her teacher that she wanted to be a story maker like her mama when she grows up.
Who is your author idol?
Currently, J.K. Rowling. If I have even an ounce of her ability to create a magical world everyone wants to be a part of, The Final Descendants will be well received ;-)
Do you see yourself in any of your characters?
I think it’s hard to separate yourself from your characters. Or, at least the main character. Do I see myself as a 14 year old girl who finds out she has ties to a secret world of fairy tales? No...I mean, I kinda wish I did sometimes, but no. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t aspects of my personality or experiences from my own life intertwined with hers. It tends to happen to me quite a bit. I would dare say, that those who know me well could probably spot me in everyone of my books thus far.
Do you feel like your dream has come true or is there much more to do?
Both. When one dream comes true, it just makes room for another. And I’m always dreaming, so I’ll be busy for a while ;-)
What does your workspace look like?
I LOVE my desk. My stepfather built it for me and then I decorated it myself by covering it in this beautiful scrap-booking paper. It’s all artsy and funky looking and it just screams ‘my style’. I try to keep it fairly organized, but then, I’m just not very organized. So, there’s usually a pile of notebooks and papers on one corner, and a pile of cords and usb cables and head phones on the other...add to that whatever my five year old leaves behind and the ever present empty water bottle from the night before beside my lap top and you have my workspace.
Have you ever had a day when you just wanted to quit?
No. Even if I ever considered to stop publishing my work, I can’t imagine ever NOT writing.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
When I’m not writing, I’m hanging out with my daughter. She’s by far the coolest person on the planet and there’s no other way I’d rather spend my time than with her.
What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?
You know, I don’t think I know...which worries me a bit because it suggests that perhaps I have not been very successful in remaining sane as a writer....
Did you have a moment when you realized you were meant to be a writer?
It kind of crept up on me. My entire life up until a few years ago, I believed I was meant to be a singer. Only problem was, I hated singing in front of people...and I went for long spurts of time without singing at all. The only thing I have never ever not done is create stories. Even when I wasn’t writing them down, they were there. Finally it just seemed like I ought to be using them for more than just my personal entertainment.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Go for it! Don’t wait, don’t over think it, just do it! Trust me, it will feel AMAZING.
After this book, what is next?
Well, for sure Book Two of The Final Descendants - Et Calceum. I’m also trying to squeeze in a sequel to one of my earlier novel’s (Lucky In Love) titled Getting Lucky.
Other websites? www.facebook.com/friedgatortail
Where can your book be found?
Please thank Karina for joining us today! Check out her links and her new book!
Keep Writing!
Jodie Pierce
