Welcome Karen, tell us about your new release, Following the Sparrows.
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How much of the book is based in real life? Every author draws on their own life experiences, and that is true for me as well. Pine Springs is a fictional town, but I’ve spent most of my life in Pennsylvania, so the setting is a familiar one to me. Kathryn is a chemist, as I am, and with the exception of what she found herself involved in in California, the references to her job are true to my own life. The difficult job situation she experiences later in the book came directly from my own experience. Personality-wise, I like to think of myself more like Anne than like Kathryn, however. While I do work full-time, I spend a lot of time with family and friends, and have made hundreds of chocolate chip cookies. I also like to think I’m a pretty decent cook, unlike Kathryn! |
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What do you do when you're not writing? Quite a bit! Writing is a part-time job for me. I fit it in around the rest of my life. I work full time as a chemist, where, like Kathryn, I contribute to making medicines we hope will help people. I love to spend time with my wonderful husband and two teenage boys, and we enjoy camping and hiking together. We also spend many evenings playing board games. We have a dedicated game closet in our house with close to 100 games. I also love working with the children at our church. I volunteer with AWANA, a children’s club that emphasizes memorization of Bible verses, and with our yearly vacation Bible school, where I run the science station. The science station is dear to my heart, because I love illustrating gospel truths through science demonstrations. It is important for kids to realize God created science and they can believe both science and the Bible. I also love to walk through the neighborhood, preferably with a friend, or while on the phone with my mom, my biggest supporter. |
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What does your family think of your writing? That depends which family member you ask. |
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How can readers connect with you? I love to hear from readers! The best way to follow my writing journey is to subscribe to my email list at www.KarenMalley.com, where readers can learn more about me, the next books in the Pine Springs Series, and read short stories on my blog. Readers can email me at [email protected], or send a letter to PO Box 55, Devault, PA, 19432. I’m happy to answer all questions. I can also be found on Twitter at @KarenLMalley. Looking forward to hearing from you! |
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What is the spiritual takeaway for your reader? Following God’s will is the only way to find peace. |
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Is there anything edgy/possibly controversial in your book? An unmarried man and woman spend the night together, although one’s on the sofa and the other’s in a chair. |
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What is your hero's main character flaw? He is impatient with God and wants all the answers right away. |
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What is your heroine's main character flaw? She believes she can do everything on her own and doesn’t need anyone else or God. |
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What can readers learn from your villain? We don’t meet Charlie, who led Kathryn down a dangerous path, but from him, we can learn not to be charmed by those who seem impressive. |
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What makes your hero heroic? Adam truly cares about others. He seeks to follow God’s path for his life and helps those around him. He is an excellent listener. |
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what makes your heroine heroic? Kathryn is strong and independent and learns over time how important it is to open your heart to others. She seeks after the truth. |
Following the Sparrows is the first book in a three-book series. The main characters reappear in the later books in the series. If you fell in love with the residents of Pine Springs, stay tuned for A Second Chance for Grace!
thank you for sharing with us.
