 Every
summer, my husband and I take the boys to what
we consider a slice of heaven on earth ...Charleston,
SC. Walking down the streets in the historic district
is like taking a step back in time. Imagine what
it must have been like during the Civil War. Within
the walls of each well-preserved, Charleston home
lie heroic stories grounded in history that have
defined the charm of the Old South. But as any
Charleston native can tell you, some of those
tales have yet to be told.
It has been said that Charleston, often referred
to as The Holy City due to the number of churches
found there, has its fair share of ghosts in residence.
Karen White, this month’s Jen’s Jewels,
has conjured up her own set of spirits in her
latest release entitled THE HOUSE ON
TRADD STREET. Beautifully written, it’s
the story of a woman who inherits one of the finest
examples of Charleston architecture complete with
its own coterie of ghosts.
As part of this interview, Karen has donated
five copies of THE HOUSE ON TRADD STREET
for you, my readers, to win! (Thank you, Karen!)
So, don’t forget to look for the trivia
question at the end. Go ahead and light a candle,
lock all the doors and windows, and get to know
the truly gifted storyteller, Karen White.
Jen: As children, we believe that the sky is the
limit as we search for our calling in life which
we hope will ultimately bring us true happiness.
Without a doubt, you have found yours. So that
my readers may have a better understanding of
the journey that led to where you are today, please
give us a brief overview of your educational and
professional background.
Karen: It’s probably not what you’d
think! I grew up with three brothers—meaning
I spent a lot of time avoiding them by holing
up in my room and reading. I was a voracious reader
from the first moment I read my first book. I
went to college and graduated cum laude with a
BS in business management (go figure!). I worked
in the business world (I was an operations manager
for a software development company as well as
a media buyer in an ad agency) before starting
my family and staying home with my babies. Because
I’d been encouraged all my life by teachers
and friends to ‘write a book’, I decided
then was the time. So I did. I started my fist
book in 1996 and it was published in 2000.
Jen: It’s interesting to hear an accomplished
writer’s take on the publishing business
as a whole. As a debut novelist, authors envision
glamorous book tours and six figure contracts,
which can happen! From your perspective, what
has surprised you most about the publishing business?
If you could go back and change one thing about
your career, what would it be and why?
Karen: I’ve had lots of ups and downs so
far and when I look back to see if there’s
anything I would change, I’d have to say
no. Everything has been a learning experience
(even the painful things—including being
dropped by a publisher) and it’s all led
up to where I am now. I’m in a really good
place now and I honestly can’t say that
I would be here if I hadn’t climbed (usually
kicking and screaming) over those hurdles.
As far as what’s surprised me the most
about this business—it’s how unpredictable
it can be, and how cyclical. I don’t know
a single writer who hasn’t been at the top
and the bottom of their game all within the same
career! It’s definitely not a business for
the thin-skinned or weak-hearted.
Jen: Your novels have received many awards such
as the National Readers’ Choice Award and
the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence not to mention
being a finalist for the Romance Writers of America
Award for Best Novel. In terms of your craft,
how have you grown as a writer?
Karen: I’m much more confident now than
I was as a first-time novelist. I trust my instincts
more. Not that I buy into my own press <g>,
but I feel all those awards must mean something,
right? I have found that as my career has progressed,
I’ve learned how to write faster—and
better, I believe. I’m much more concise
and efficient in my words which make for a stronger
novel.
Jen: From conception to completion, approximately
how long does it take for you to write a novel?
Do you outline the story? Plot first or characters?
What is the most challenging part of the story
to write? Which part of the process is the most
rewarding?
Karen: The time it takes me to write a novel
depends on what contracts I have due. Seriously!
I’d love to take a leisurely year to write
a novel, but have written my last two (and best
selling of my novels) in six months. Ideally,
I’d like to have a minimum of nine months
to go from plotting to the final draft.
I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer which means
I have a pretty fleshed-out main character and
a germ of a story and I just sit down and start
writing. Sometimes I have to provide a synopsis
to my editor but she understands that it will
bear no resemblance to the final product. I recently
signed a two-book contract completely on spec—meaning
that neither of the contracted books is yet a
twinkle in my eye!
For me, the worst part of the book is the dreaded
middle (Is it too slow? Is there enough information
already to move toward the end? Will I be able
to finish?). The very best part of any book is
typing THE END!
Jen: As my readers
know, Charleston, SC is one of my favorite places
to visit. I was so thrilled to see that you once
again chose this city as the locale in your latest
release, THE HOUSE ON TRADD STREET.
Not only did I fall in love with the story, but
I felt as if I were right there with your characters
as they strolled along the historic streets. First
of all, why Charleston?
Karen: Because it was easier to research than
my next favorite city, Venice. <g>
Seriously, though, I love great architecture
and southern cities. This book was originally
planned for New Orleans (I lived there for 4 years
while attending Tulane so I knew the city well)
but then a little storm called Katrina happened
and I had to change plans. As with most things
in this writing business, it was serendipitous.
I can’t imagine a more wonderful setting
than Charleston for this book (and its sequel,
THE GIRL ON LEGARE STREET). Coupled with my love
for the lowcountry, it’s hard to believe
that I ever planned on using another city for
these books.
Oh, and also because it’s supposedly one
of the most haunted cities in America.
Jen: And secondly, how did you arrive at the
premise?
Karen: I honestly don’t remember. I do
a lot of day-dreaming (probably because I live
with two teenagers and daydreaming keeps me sane).
But with all my books, I try to find a story that
I’d want to read and about something I’m
interested in learning about and/or am passionate
about. The city of Charleston is in both of these
categories, as is the possibility of ghosts. Melding
the two of these elements gave me the germ for
my story about a Realtor in Charleston who sees
dead people. Once I had that premise—the
rest just followed.
Jen: One could make a case that truly the main
character of this book is the actual house on
Tradd Street. Does it really exist? And if so,
what can you tell us about it that was not revealed
in the story? And if not, why then did you choose
that particular street for your story?
Karen: The house on
the book’s cover actually does exist—at
number 125 Tradd Street. This house was for sale
and listed on an historic real estate site online
(that I frequently visit while daydreaming. Since
it’s a typical Charleston single house I
used it for the exterior descriptions of my fictional
Tradd Street House. When my editor was going into
cover conference she asked me for cover ideas,
I simply emailed her the real estate listing and
voilà! We had our cover. The art department
did make a few changes (i.e. the color of the
door and added the gate and swing-since they’re
both a major part of the story) but it’s
basically the same house on the outside. I’ve
never been inside the actual house and I don’t
know the history behind it at all. So, all of
the interiors and background of the house in my
book are completely elements of my own imagination.
Jen: Visiting a city is one thing. Capturing
its essence is another. I have to commend you
on your portrayal of Charleston. You absolutely
nailed it. Approximately how much research went
in to the writing of this novel? What was the
most fascinating bit of information you discovered
along the way?
Karen: The old adage for writers is to ‘write
what you know’. I’d like to add to
that ‘write what you love.’ And I
love the city of Charleston. Believe me, it was
no trouble to visit the city to ‘research’!
I’ve been visiting (and falling in love
with) Charleston for over ten years now. I always
take a different walking tour, visit historic
homes and cemeteries, and stay in bed & breakfasts
to get a genuine feel for the city and its character.
Charleston does have a reputation for being a
bit focused on family—and how you’re
not really considered a native unless your ancestors
were living in the city by the time of the American
Revolution. My favorite story concerns a well-respected
and well-known statesman who was not allowed internment
next to his wife on one side of the church’s
cemetery because she was ‘old-Charleston’
and he wasn’t—and even marrying into
an old family didn’t guarantee you could
be buried with them!
Jen: A question I just have to ask… were
there really missing diamonds from the Confederate
Treasury? And if not, was this part of your story
inspired by a similar event in history?
Karen: At the time I was writing the story, I
was not aware of anything in the Confederate treasury
other than the lost Confederate gold. I later
discovered that a lot of jewelry—donated
by stalwart Confederate wives and widows—was
also rumored to have been included in the treasure.
It’s all nebulous enough to be believable—and
certainly had the makings for a great story!
Jen: I have to admit…I
am not a big fan of paranormal books. There’s
something about the supernatural that makes me
a little leery about buying into that kind of
storyline, but not so with THE HOUSE ON
TRADD STREET. Your ability to incorporate
the ghosts into the novel was quite impressive.
Bravo! How did you do it?
Karen: As I attempt
to do with all of my novels, I try to create a
story and characters that are both believable
and real. In TRADD STREET, just
about everybody is a ‘doubter’—so
I had to make the events realistic enough for
the characters to believe the unbelievable. I
placed myself in their shoes so that I saw everything
from their perspective and wrote the story accordingly.
Jen: Melanie Middleton, the protagonist, is such
a quirky yet lovable character with many “issues.”
The same is true of her potential love interest,
Jack Trenholm. What is their biggest obstacle
to overcome in relation to accepting the cards
they have been dealt? What makes them so good
together?
Karen: I absolutely love Jack and Melanie! And
I’m so thrilled to be writing at least one
more book with them carrying on. They’re
the typical Type A (Melanie) and Type B (Jack)
personalities. Melanie’s a control freak
obsessed with order and predictability (stemming
from her mother’s abandonment when Melanie
was a small child) and Jack is laid-back and charming,
refusing to allow his heart to get involved (due
to his being left at the altar on his wedding
day by the love of his life). They’re both
so vulnerable and doing a great job of hiding
it from everybody—but not from each other.
They’re perfect together and I’m wondering
how many books it will take before they’re
allowed to figure that out for themselves!
Jen: If you don’t mind, please share with
us a little more about the sequel. I can’t
wait to read what happens next!
Karen: THE GIRL
ON LEGARE STREET will be out in November
2009. I’m in the middle of writing it now
and I love it as much as TRADD STREET.
The only thing I will tell you about it is that
Melanie’s mother comes back, asking for
Melanie’s help. We’ll find out why
she left when Melanie was only six, and there
will be a little romance between Melanie’s
divorced parents—which annoys Melanie no
end, of course, since it doesn’t fit into
her neat and orderly world.
Jen: Please tell us about your website. Do you
participate in author phone chats? And if so,
how would my readers go about scheduling one?
Do you have e-mail notification of upcoming releases?
Do you blog? And scheduled books signings and/or
scheduled appearances?
Karen: Wow—that’s a lot of questions!
J Firstly, my website is www.karen-white.com.
You can sign up there to be on my mailing list
to receive a postcard to announce my new releases
and also to receive my rare but occasional newsletter.
Also on my website you’ll find an ever-growing
list of appearances as well as a list of my ‘virtual
book tour.’ I’m being sent around
the Internet blogging and the blog sites will
be posted on my appearances page by the first
of November.
I’ve never done a phone chat before but
I’m open for anything! You can reach me
at authorkarenwhite@aol.com
for scheduling.
Jen: Thanks so much for being a part of Jen’s
Jewels. On a personal note, it was such a pleasure
being able to finally meet you in Dallas last
year at RWA. You truly epitomize the meaning of
a Southern belle. Hopefully one day, our paths
will cross again. I wish much success in your
writing career!
Karen: Thanks for having me—you ask great
questions!
I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Karen.
Please stop by your favorite bookstore or local
library today and pick up a copy of THE
HOUSE ON TRADD STREET. It would also
make a perfect teacher’s gift for the holidays!
If you’re feeling kind of lucky, why not
win your very own copy instead? Be one of the
first five people to e-mail me at jensjewels@gmail.com
with the answer to following question and you’ll
win! Good luck!
Name the title of the sequel to THE HOUSE
ON TRADD STREET.
In December, I will be bringing to you my interview
with New York Times Bestselling Author Cherry
Adair. You won’t want to miss it!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Jen
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Meet
the Author: featuring Jen's Jewels