Karly Lane - Author Interview: Debut Novelist

What kinds of fiction did you read as a child and teenager, and did you have some favourites?

I was an avid romance junkie! I started collecting the various teen romance books that were popular, like the Sweet Valley High series and then later, as a young adult I would devour bag fulls of second hand Mills and Boon. It wasn’t until much later that I ventured out and began reading single title, main stream fiction. The Thorn Birds is probably the inspiration behind writing rural fiction for me, it had an enormous impact on me and still does to this day.

Would you say your childhood and teenage reading has had a distinct influence on how you write fiction now, and why?

I believe it has. I’ve always written some form of romance, be it romantic suspense or rural fiction—but there is always an element of romance in whatever I write and I guess this has come from reading primarily, romance based novels throughout my teenage years.

What did you do before you became a published novelist, and how did you come to write your first novel and get it published?

I was married young, so I’ve pretty much been a stay at home mother and house wife. I eventually started work in the health care industry as a pathology collector until only recently when I gave it up to concentrate on writing. I’ve been writing on and off between having children and working, I’ve always written stories, even as a young child. It wasn’t until I began to get bored with my Mills and Boon obsession that I decided I was going to write the kind of story I wanted to read…eleven years later I actually got that very first novel published!
I did a correspondence writing course over a number of years and spent about eleven years on and off, writing and rewriting, subbing my manuscripts to various competitions and even to Mills and Boon, but was rejected more than once. I eventually discovered Romance Writers of Australia online one day, I joined and it was like someone turned on a light inside my head! I suddenly had a support network and resources to turn to and within nine months I had my first book published with an American ebook publisher. I had three books contracted in that first year, before working my way up to submitting to a major Australian publisher, Allen & Unwin, who published my rural fiction book, North Star in April 2011.

How would you describe your style of fiction or your approach to writing fiction?

I write rural fiction with a touch of suspense, a dab of mystery, a bit of romance and a little bit of humour to balance it all out.
I want my books to be enjoyable to read, to draw the reader into the characters world so they can love, laugh and cry right along side them. I try to write realistic characters that most people can relate to. They aren’t rich or famous—they’re usually ordinary people, dealing with every day problems, but with a secret in their past somewhere.

Is your first published novel standalone or part of a series, and what advantages or disadvantages does this present for you?

North Star is a stand alone novel. I tend to write all my books as stand alone. I guess a disadvantage to stand alone is you have to continue to think up fictional town names! This is harder than it sounds! One of the advantages to a series I suppose would be having that automatic reading base—people want to keep buying the series if they love the characters just because they’ve invested so much time in following the series to begin with.

Have you found writing your second novel easier or more challenging than writing your first novel and why?

I’ve since gone on to write another three books since writing North Star, but because I’d written them before North Star actually got released, it’s only been when I started the fourth novel that I’m beginning to feel the pressure. Publishing is such a long, slow process—I’m working at least two books ahead of what’s being released, so I’m finding now, with the approaching release of my next novel, that I’m constantly thinking, ‘what if it isn’t as good? What if people hate this one and never buy anything else I write!’ However I find that my writing is improving with each manuscript and that’s been because of the lessons I’d learnt from the editing process of North Star. I am aware of so many more things now than I was with my first book.

Who is another novelist whose fiction writing you admire and why?

I am a huge fan of Bronwyn Parry. I love the way she brings her characters to life and even though they’re sometimes not very nice people—you can’t help but get a sense of what each and every one of them is about.

How would you summarise your debut novel in one paragraph?

Since her divorce a year ago, Kate Thurston feels like she's lurched from one disaster to another. Her teenage daughter, Georgia, seems to have morphed into a monster overnight, and her son Liam breaks her heart with his sad brown eyes. When Kate receives news that her grandfather has bequeathed her North Star, the vast property that has been in her family for generations, it feels like the perfect opportunity to flee the hectic pace of city life for a calmer rural existence. But just as Kate finally feels like life is going right, her ex-husband comes to town and triggers a series of events that will change her life forever ...

How would you describe the appeal of this novel to readers?

This novel appeals to a wide range of readers. Although originally targeted to women, I’ve had men writing to me to let me know how much they’ve enjoyed it too. I think the appeal is in the fact that it isn’t just a romance or just a suspense—it’s got something for everyone.

Summarise a chapter from your debut novel in one paragraph?

Kate finally thinks she has it all. Her unexpected romance seems to have survived it’s initial rough patches, her teenage demon child daughter is finally, resembling a civilised human being and her sad eyed little boy has began to smile once more. Yep, things were definitely looking up…that is, until her ex-husband shows up on her doorstep and sets in motion a disastrous chain of events that will affect them all.

How would you describe the contribution this chapter makes to the novel?

It’s the turning point of the whole story. This is where the secret Kate’s kept for over sixteen years is finally revealed. It tests relationships and loyalties to breaking point and beyond.

Author website: http://karlylane.com