Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Author Interview: Karina Fabian

Today we learn a little about Karina Fabian and her latest book, Mind Over Mind.  Come back tomorrow to read my review of the book!

Jennifer: Where can we find out more about you and buy your book?



Karina: For more about all my books (and me, if you're really interested), go to http://fabianspace.com. In the books sections (arranged by genre), you'll find links to purchase the books from the publisher or Amazon.

To purchase my latest, Mind Over Mind:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Over-Karina-L-Fabian/dp/1897942362

Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Over-ebook/dp/B005D94LI0


Tell us about your book.


Karina: Deryl Stephen’s uncontrollable telepathic abilities have landed him in a mental health institution, where no one believes in his powers.

But when Joshua Lawson, a student of neuro linguistic programming, takes part in a summer internship, he takes the unique step of accepting Deryl’s reality and teaches him to work with it. As Deryl learns control, he finds his next challenge is to face the aliens who have been contacting him psychically for years—aliens who would use him to further their cause in an interplanetary war.


What do you find most rewarding in writing a book?


Karina: This sounds terribly conceited, but I love to go back and reread my work. Even when I'm in the editing phase, I love re-experiencing my characters as they move through the story. It might be because I'm a pantster, so I let the characters dictate the progress of the story, so I'm not reading my writing so much as their stories.


Tell us about your previous work.


Karina: Where do I start? I write comedic horror, funny fantasy, serious science fiction, often with faith themes. I've written a devotional, and nonfiction.

I write in several universes: In DragonEye, PI, our world is linked to the Faerie though a interdimensional gap, and magic and technology don’t mix well. The Rescue Sisters universe centers around an order of nuns who do search and rescue operations in outer space. Neeta Lyffe's world is about 30 years in our future, where zombies have become real and real pests. (Neeta is a zombie exterminator.) Mind Over Mind is a present-day fantasy, though the next two books will take place on the planets of Kanaan and Barin.

The best thing for readers to do is check out my website, http://fabianspace.com and look at my books. The website is organized by genre, so you can explore what you like best.


What other projects do you have coming up?


Karina: In April, the next DragonEye, PI novel comes out, Live and Let Fly. It's super-spy spoofing with a dragon and a magic-slinging nun on a mission to protect our world from a demigod intent on bringing Armageddon to our world. To get ready, I'll be posting some serial stories on my website. The second Mind Over book is with the publisher, but I've not heard anything back yet.

In September, I have a story coming out in Mother Goose is Dead, coming from Damnation Books. "The Faerie Truths Behind the Fairy Tales" is Vern's article on some of the common fairy-tale scams going around our world. I also have an article in The Complete Guide to Writing Paranormal, coming from DragonMoon Press in September or October.


Do you work with a writing group or mentor? Why or why not? If you do, what do you get out of it?


Karina: I would love to have a mentor. However, right now, I have a group of trusted friends who are excellent writers who critique my work for me, and I sometimes go to one of my many groups and ask for crits there. The objective set of eyes is vital to me--they find plot holes, show me where readers get confused because they don't know all I know--and they find my typos! I've not found a writers' group, mostly because I'm so busy at home, and we move every couple of years (Rob is in the Air Force), so I've not put much effort in finding a live group.


What have you done to develop your writing craft?


Karina: Practice. Get critiques--tough critiques. Take workshops. I learn best by doing and having my mistakes pointed out to me, rather than reading about theories or methods.


What was the hardest part: writing the book, getting it published, or marketing it? Why?


Karina: Marketing. I was never much of a salesman, and never was in the popular crowd. Again, this is where I know all the theory, but putting it into practice isn't as easy. Wish I could find a marketing critique group, LOL. On the bright side, usually once someone buys one of my books, they love them, so I have a loyal fan base.


Tell us a little about your non-writing life. Family? Pets? Hobbies?


Karina: Last year, my family and I decided to try a new marital art, haidong gumbdo. It's Korean sword martial arts. It's the first time I've done anything like that, and I enjoy it. We had the first Pan American games this summer. Rob and Amber, our 16-year-old, participated, but I was heavy into writing my latest books and didn't practice, so I bowed out. I'm a green belt right now. I'm hoping to work up to my black belt this year, though, and maybe I can participate in the next Pan Am games--unless Rob talks me into our going to Korea for the World Cup. Talk about intimidating!


What is your favorite genre to read? To write?


Karina: I have fairly eclectic tastes, but in general, I prefer fantasy and science fiction both to read and to write. I like escaping reality.


If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would it be, and with whom?


Karina: Rob and I want to make it to Greece one day, preferably on a cruise, but really, anywhere I go with him or one of the kids is a great time for me. In August, I took my daughter to the Catholic Writers Conference Live in Philadelphia, then to New York for a weekend. We had such a wonderful time together. I loved the mother-daughter time, and we shared it with my friend, author Michelle Buckman, and her daughters, which made it extra fun.

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