There have been terrible storms across the UK this week. This morning it’s still chucking it down with rain. Me and my dog have spent ages getting all the mud off, but now my coat’s drying on the rack, the kettle’s on, there’s some bacon sandwiches on the go – and we’re ready to welcome this week’s guest!
Nice to meet you, author Karen Leppert! I’m glad you made it through the storm!
Where do you live, Karen? I live in Belcamp, Maryland, about forty minutes from downtown Baltimore City.
And where is your favourite place in the world? At the risk of sounding cliché, there is no place like home. Everyone and everything that is important to me is here, with the exception of my daughter, Jessica, who moved to Texas over a year ago. Sure, travelling is nice—I have been to Hawaii, Bahamas, St. Thomas, California, Florida—they are all beautiful but home is…just that…home.
You’ve visited some great places, but you’re right. Home is where the heart is, and you can’t deny the cliché!
Being a writer is a great job. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? I worked as a telephone solicitor for an air conditioning company when I was seventeen years old.
I’ve no idea what that involves, but it doesn’t sound a great job! At least you could give it up when you were seventeen :)
Do you remember the first book that kept you up all night reading? What was it? As a child, I did not read much but one of my teachers read Charlotte’s Web the last ten minutes of class. I remember watching the clock, eager to hear what happened next. The other book that became an obsession for me was The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton.
I loved Charlotte’s Web when I was little!
What’s your favourite song? This is a tough one. I have favourite songs for different moods or places. I am a fan of The Dave Matthews Band, but also like country and pop music. Marcus Foster is an artist I have been listening to lately. Kings of Leon too. The Way We Were by Barbara Streisand is a favourite from my youth. Goodbye Lover by James Blunt always makes me cry.
If you could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you say to them? Jesus. I have a lot of questions and hope I get to ask them someday…not too soon, though.
What’s your happiest childhood memory? Well, it’s probably not from my childhood but rather my teens. My neighbour was in the seminary and travelled to Italy. He brought a priest back with him. My family and neighbours gathered every night during his stay for barbecues. An eclectic mix of people led to engaging conversations and lots of laughter.
That’s a lovely memory!
What’s the most important lesson life has taught you? Tell your family and friends you love them often. You never know when someone won’t be with you anymore. I lost my sister, Kathy, when she was just eighteen years old; my Godfather, Uncle Joe at 45; a cousin, Katie (3l years old) and her son Wil (eight years old) were killed in an automobile accident; a friend from high school, Tom, who suffered with kidney disease died when he was 30, and a neighbour, Billy, died at 24.
I’m sorry for all your losses, Karen. You seem like a strong person to have come through such terrible tragedies. I know it’s not much, but I hope the memories of your loved ones in their happiest moments bring you some comfort
I’m sure your loved ones would be proud of your achievements as a writer. Please tell us about your latest book, where we can find it, and where we can find your blog/website
My book, reGUARDing GRACE, is a paranormal romance.
Jack Elliott is an Amalgamate, a person possessing three alters with superhuman abilities. Under his leadership, Jack excels in the coveted position of Guardian of the Delacroix Institute. His mission is to facilitate the successful integration of a host with his alters.
Unlike Jack, Grace Evans does not know she is an Amalgamate. Her alters are transitioning with more frequency which puts her at risk of exposure to humankind.
Although male Guardians do not receive assignments to female hosts, Grace is an exception. Jack assumes the role of a transfer student at Mansfield High School as a way to meet Grace.
The task of integrating Grace with her alters is wrought with problems: rebellion, revenge, forbidden love, and an alter who channels the dead—some possessing dangerous motives.
reGUARDing GRACE is available as an e-book from the MuseItUp bookstore and all major retailers of e-books.
That sounds an intriguing and unusual story, Karen! Thanks for coming all this way to talk to us. The storm clouds seem to be going now, so I hope you have a safe and dry journey back to Baltimore!
If you have any questions for Karen, or any comments at all, please let us know. We’d love to hear from you!
Helena Fairfax 
Morning, Helena. I’ve been worried about you with the reports of the terrible storm over your way. Glad to hear you’re okay. Nice to meet you, Karen. Your book sounds like it’s right what the YA audiences are looking for. Great premise.
I live in Texas. Where is your daughter? Perhaps if you come to visit her, we could get together. (Okay, my Romantic Suspense mind thinks that just sounds creepy. LOL I sure don’t mean it, too.)
Good luck with your book. I’ll FB and Tweet. Stay safe Helena.
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Hello, Marsha. My daughter lives in Houston. I would love to meet if possible. It’s always nice to talk with fellow authors-share ideas. Thanks for reading my interview and taking the time to make a comment.
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Hi Marsha, thanks for dropping in. Strange to think how two authors can meet in Texas via my blog in rainy Yorkshire! We’ve been lucky here in the north of England, Marsha, but in the south it has been bad. My daughter emailed me a photo of a tree that blew down on her double-decker bus in London – luckily before she got on it, and no one was hurt, thank goodness. The winds have died down now, so I can stop worrying. Thanks for coming by, and for thinking of us.
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Good to hear, Helena. One of the joys of the MIU family is…well, the family. :)
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Hi Helena, once again a lovely post. I agree home is always the best place to be, even though it is great to venture out to pastures new now and again. Karen’s book sounds like a fascinating read. Our part of the Midlands missed out on the storm fortunately and we are just battling the seasonal dose of coughs and colds. Hope you are well. :)
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Hi Tina, glad to hear you escaped the worst of the weather. And the colds always seem to come around half term! Hope you all recover soon, and stay dry and warm :) Thanks for your comment and for coming by!
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Thanks Tina for your support and making a comment on my interview.
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Amalgamate used in this instance is a new term to me. Did you take that word to use it in this way or is it a paranormal term? Cheers to you if you made that up yourself. Your story is quite intriguing. I have a friend who has been diagnosed with multiple personalities, but doubt any of her alters are super human!! Best wishes on your YA story! Helena, any bacon sandwiches left? I love BLT’s–bacon, lettuce and tomato. Are they similar to that? YUMMY!
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Hi JQ, I agree, Karen’s story sounds intriguing. She has a great imagination! And bacon sandwiches (or bacon butties as we call them in the north) are made with hot bacon from the frying pan. I don’t know if our bacon is the same as in the States, but my brother lives in Canada, and he says he can’t find our bacon there. Whenever he comes back to England, the first thing he does is make himself a bacon butty. Tomatoes are a healthy and delicious addition!
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Dear J. Q. Rose, I cannot take credit for making up the word “amalgamate”. I simply went to the thesaurus and asked for words which mean a “combination” because my main characters have several alter personalities living within their body. Instead of integrating the personalities into one person, they “live” with them; let them out occasionally to live their own lives, but the host is always in charge—or should be. Grace Evans, the female protagonist, has a female alter who can channel the dead-some who have sinister motives.
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Karen, your book sounds fascinating – what a thought-provoking premise. Helena, please pass the sandwiches!
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Help yourself, Heather – and there’s brown sauce as well! Thanks for coming by from your book (s) launch!
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Dear HFBrainerd, Thanks for reading my interview and taking the time to make a comment.
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Hello Helena! I am related to Karen. My mother and Karen are cousins. I am an avid reader. My favorite author is Jodi Piccoult but I love to read paranormal books. Most paranormal books right now are all about vampires, werewolves and demons so reading “reGUARDing Grace” was such a good read because it isn’t the typical story. It has young forbidden love, paranormal characters, a twist on the human psyche and chapters you just don’t want to stop at. I can’t wait for the next book! And I’m not saying all of this just because we’re family. ;-) Everyone will just have to read it to see for themselves!
Have a great day!
Kerry
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Hi Kerry, what a great comment! Karen’s book does sound really different from the usual paranormal shape-shifting story. I’m so glad she agreed to appear on my blog! I too like Jodi Picoult – and I love to hear fron avid readers! Thanks so much for coming by and supporting your talented cousin. Have a lovely day!
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