Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I teach writing and yoga at the College of Southern Maryland. My poetry and short fiction have been featured in several literary journals and anthologies. The Persistence of Memory trilogy is my first set of novels.
To the editors: My author pages on Amazon, social media, and the author website are still in development at this time. I’ll be happy to send the links when they’re ready.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Persistence of Memory. It was inspired by my love for mythology. Super heroes are our contemporary, larger-than-life, mythological gods. And, like the gods of so many myths, they struggle with the same issues we mortals do, but on a much bigger scale with much more at stake.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always had a wide range of interests. My background is an MA in English, so my influences run the gamut from Shakespeare to contemporary fiction. I especially love literary fiction, romance, and books based on myths and heroes.
What are you working on now?
After receiving many requests for stories about other characters from the series, I’m working on a prequel to the trilogy. It features two characters from the trilogy, and has cameos by a few others.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I WILL have a website, www.karenjanowsky.com, and I will have other social media pages like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but those sites’ development are still in progress. Meanwhile, I am on Goodreads and my books are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Apple i-books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persevere. Even on days when your creative well has run dry, and you don’t want to face your computer screen, develop a discipline and do it anyway. And, be prepared to hear things about your work you don’t want to hear. Learn to take it in stride so that you can decide what kinds of feedback and constructive criticism are helpful, and what kinds are not.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
About writing–sit down and do it. About life? My father always advises, “never turn down a compliment or a breath mint.”
What are you reading now?
I’ve just finished reading The Pisces, by Melissa Broder. It was excellent!
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve got a few things in the works. I am putting together a collection of short stories and poems, I’m collaborating on a script and a long, epistolary poem, and, of course, I’m working on the prequel and marketing the trilogy.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, Stardust by Neil Gaiman, Franklin Flyer by Nicholas Christopher, and Burning Your Boats by Angela Carter