Happy
Wednesday morning everyone! Hope it’s cooler where y’all are than it is in
Texas this mornin’. Today’s gonna be another scorcher—well over 100—stock ponds
are beginning to dwindle a little! But we have a truly cool author with us—Susan
Karsten! Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Susan. Y’all grab a glass of sweet tea
and let’s find out about this delightful writer and her new release.
Good
morning everyone, so glad to be a first-time guest on the Diamond Mine.
Q.
Susan, when did you first realize you
wanted to write? And what’s the first thing you ever wrote? (Love notes
excluded) 😊
A. The first story I wrote was in grade
school, entitled Tiny Tillie. At the time, I was well-steeped in fairy tales,
and if I’m not mistaken, my story was written for one of those “Write whatever
you want” assignments.
Q.
Tell us about your family, where you grew up, and where you live now.
A.
My husband, who is a Realtor, and I are approaching our thirtieth anniversary
this month. Our three post-college children, a boy and two girls, are throwing
us a party. My son is married and has three children. My middle child just got engaged. My “baby
girl” got married last fall. I live in a small town in Wisconsin, and my
children all live within a one-hour radius.
You
are so blessed to have your children (and grandchildren) so close. Ours are
military and scattered.
Q.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A. I wanted to be Miss
America – for the gowns! That desire fits with my subsequent career as an
apparel designer.
Oh! Didn’t we all. How
interesting that love of yours developed into a career.
Q.
What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing?
A. My favorite pastime is sewing. Especially making quilts. I've been sewing since the age of ten and quilting for thirty-plus years. My sewing area is my happy place.
A. My favorite pastime is sewing. Especially making quilts. I've been sewing since the age of ten and quilting for thirty-plus years. My sewing area is my happy place.
Painting
and photography are mine! Writing comes in a close tie.
Q.
What is the greatest life changing moment in your life to date?
A.
Even though it was a process, the most pivotal moment was the moment of my
conversion to Christ.
Q.
Do you have a particular scripture you view as your life’s verse?
A.
My life verse, Ephesians 2:13 says:
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once
were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” And in
the day-to-day, I cherish the verse, Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
I’m
sure we have newbie writers with us this morning, please give them the counsel
you wish you have received when you first entered this writing journey.
I
was given wise counsel to know the proper word count—to shoot for a certain
publisher perhaps, and to write the length the industry wants. I didn’t take
this advice to heart and ended up with two manuscripts that I had to lengthen
by over 20,000 words! That was a struggle.
Q.
I notice you write in several genres…what’s your favorite?
A.
Though writing a cozy mystery (yet to find a publishing home) was fun, I have
to say Regency romance is my favorite genre to write and to read. I love
reading and writing about the bygone era of England in the early 1800s, and the
social structure of those days lends itself to a lot of romantic folly,
conflict, and tension. When I sit down to write a Regency romance, the words
flow out of my fingertips. I also am a student of Regency fashion, which I find
fascinating with its high-waisted dresses, dancing slippers, and shawls.
And
all the ladies reading this interview sing a chorus of “Amen!”
Q.
Now would you share a little about your new release, “A Refuge for Rosanna.”
And when it’s due to be released and where they can find a copy.
A.
“Refuge for Rosanna” was released July 9 of this year. It’s available on
Amazon, and can be easily found by searching for the title or my name. A Refuge
for Rosanna is the second book in a three-book series and is about a young lady
who’d lost her first love, and thinking she’d never love again, seeks refuge in
the country. When two neighboring gentlemen start pursuing her, she finds the
course of her life changed. Through several adventures and some danger ….
That’s all about that – I don’t want to spoil the fun. I can add that an actual
historical person appears in this book—Sir Walter Scott comes to a dinner party
at Rosanna’s home. He was one of the century’s best-selling authors, and one of
the first novelists. I hope you enjoy finding out more about all my characters,
from Rosanna to Sir Walter Scott, and everyone else you will meet in the pages.
And
by the way, I’d love to have all of you follow and like my facebook author
page: Susan Karsten – Author.
Susan,
It’s been such a delight having you with us on The Diamond Mine today. And as a
special treat to the readers—I’ve just finished reading “A Refuge for
Rosanna.” This was my first book of yours to read, Susan; but it certainly
won’t be my last! And now for those reading our interview—here’s my review of “A
Refuge for Rosanna.”
“Lords and Ladies—early 1800’s culture and
customs—high society and elegant country living—author Susan Karsten displays
her flare for historical research and knowledge in her latest captivating
novel, “A Refuge for Rosanna.”
This page-turning story weaves an exciting
tale of love, greed, and lies sprinkled with a smear of scandal, of course by Ms.
Karsten’s bad-to-the-bone antagonist, who incidentally made my skin crawl.
Rosanna’s innocence and boldness made me
cheer this young woman’s character and faith in that man’s world period of
history.
Susan Karsten’s words paint an intriguing
image of life at Honor’s Point and the plight of the handsome Peter Winestat. I
visualized the gorgeous surroundings inside and outside this beautiful English
estate as well as the great cast of colorful, multi-dimensional characters. An
exciting story I didn’t want to end. Perhaps Ms. Karsten would consider a
sequel—I’d be first in line to read.”
Thank you again, Susan,
for spending time with us today. I hope “A Refuge for Rosanna” sells a
million copies!
It's been a pleasure to be with you and all the readers of the Diamond Mine! Here are my websites for the books and my Facebook page too. Hope to hear from you.
It's been a pleasure to be with you and all the readers of the Diamond Mine! Here are my websites for the books and my Facebook page too. Hope to hear from you.
A Refuge for Rosanna:
A Match for Melissa
The web ID to my facebook page:
1 comment:
Thank you DiAne, for the wonderful post you created! Susan
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