Karly Lane - Author Interview: Story

Pick one of your favourites among your published fiction stories or a story which is an interesting example of published fiction. What makes this story one of your favourites or an interesting example from your fiction?

North Star. I have a strong connection to this story as many of the situations parallelled my own life. I also found it interesting that since it’s release, I’ve had so many women contact me to tell me how much they related to the story—particularly the teenage daughter/mother relationship that unfolds throughout the story.

What genre(s) do you consider this story primarily to be, or how would you describe this story?

The rural backdrop plays a vital part in the story, so it would definitely be classed as rural fiction and although there is elements of romance, there is also elements of suspense and a touch of humour, so it could also be placed in women’s fiction—the reader wouldn’t necessarily have to be a lover of rural stories to appreciate this book.

What is a published fiction story by another author you would compare this story to and why are they similar?

I think my rural fiction is very different to many of the others in the genre being that even though they are set in a small rural community, the story is not focused on life on the land as in many of my contemporary’s books. I would probably say the closest story to North Star would be Bronwyn Parry’s ‘Dark Country’ or ‘As Darkness Falls’ Bronwyn’s books are set in small rural towns but have a darker edge to them as does North Star at times. They involve police officers and a conflict of interest the officers inevitably have to face as situations unfold throughout the book.

To what extent did you use any pre-existing story formula, template, paradigm, plot design, archetype, or theory or principle of story/plot structure in planning, writing, editing or rewriting this story?

Very little. This was my first major novel and as such, I was learning as I wrote.
How would you describe the first chapter, scene or section of this story in one paragraph?

It’s very much the defining of Kate Thurston. In order to give her children a better future, she must return to the place she ran from sixteen years earlier and face the ghosts of her past once and for all.

What makes this chapter, scene or section an effective opening for this story?

It gives a sharp insight to each of the main characters and hints at the dark secret Kate has hidden for the last sixteen years.

What major stages, twists or turns does the story conflict take in this story before the conflict is resolved (or not resolved)?

Probably the biggest conflict in the story is Kate’s desire to keep her kids safe and the main reason she takes them to North Star. The city held dangers because of its size—but the country holds its own dangers as Kate knows only too well. It doesn’t seem to matter how far she runs—trouble continues to follow. Her inner battle to keep the horrors of her past secret, are in vane when her ex husband tracks them down to North Star and betrays Kate’s confidence—placing John, a cop who has fought to clear his reputation for corruption, in a position no policeman ever wants to be in.

How would you summarise the major sub-plot or sub-plots in this story?

The diary Kate finds belonging to her grandmother reveals a twisted tale of passion, heartache and torment in her family’s history.

What does the story gain from the sub-plot or sub-plots?

It adds suspense and helps to give Kate’s family, who have all died, a voice. It adds depth and helps to explain the flaws in the two most prominent people in Kate’s childhood.

To what extent would you describe your story discussed here as typical or atypical of your fiction stories?

The backdrop is set in a small rural community. The main character has returned home to the place she grew up in and is forced to deal with issues that were left unresolved.

Author website: http://karlylane.com/



Karly Lane - Author Interview: Characters

Pick one of your favourites among the characters from your published fiction stories or a character which is an interesting example from your published fiction. What makes this character one of your favourites or an interesting example of your fiction?

Kate Thurston, from my novel North Star, is one of my favourite characters for many reasons, but primarily because she represents a thirty something year old woman, most women can relate to. She’s a single mum with a teenage daughter, and small son, struggling to juggle life and make the right choices for her children.

What kind(s) of character do you consider this character primarily to be, or how would you describe this character?

Kate is a character who has had a terrible childhood and understandably has quite a lot of unresolved baggage—but she is unique in that her determination and strength of will when it comes to maintaining a normal life for her children, overrides much of her inner turmoil.
Kate is a character who appeals to those who want to fight for the underdog. The classic hard worker, that you want to see win. Had it not been for that one stable, good influence in her childhood, she could have easily followed the same dysfunctional road her mother had, but instead, and perhaps in spite of these bad influences she is determined to provide the kind of loving home for her children she yearned for as a child.

What is a character from a published fiction story by another author you would compare this character to and why are they similar?

I had to ask some friends about this question as I couldn’t think of one, and the general consensus was that Kate must be unique because no one else could come up with an example either!

To what extent did you use any pre-existing character formula, template, paradigm, character design, archetype, or theory or principles of making or analysing character in planning, writing, and refining this character?

I didn’t use any plan for this character-I literally developed her as I wrote the story—to the point of not even knowing what her ‘secret past’ really was until toward the end of the book.

How would you describe the first chapter, scene or section of this story in one paragraph?

The opening scene pretty much sets up the story. Here, you can feel Kate’s anxiety over the choice she’s made, you see the hostility in her teenage daughter and what she’s dealing with, you see the sad and frightened child her son has become and you know that Kate has a big job ahead of her to repair her broken family.

Pick one of your published stories. How would you describe the introduction of the main character, or one of the main characters, in this story?

John Cafferty wasn’t supposed to be in this story—I was supposed to be writing a story about a woman and her children, starting a new life, but this rather insistent character continued to push his way into the story, insisting he could help make Kate’s life even more complicated that it already was—so really, how could I refuse him a part in the story knowing that?

What makes this an effective character introduction for this story?

His occupation as a police officer unsettles Kate as she continues to protect the secret in her life, and John being the protector and alpha-like male he is, provides another layer and complication to Kate’s life. By the end of the story, he will be forced to rethink his principles and risk his career or lose Kate forever—a tough ask for a simple country cop who prides himself on his morals and steadfast belief in right from wrong.

What major changes does this character go through, or what major challenges does the character encounter and how does the character respond to them?

John is the quintessential bachelor—content with his life and committed to his career. However, with Kate’s arrival in town, his entire world is turned on its head. He finds himself drawn to Kate, and his instinct to protect and save is met with resistance, which frustrates him. He faces an enormous personal challenge in the story when he is forced to make a choice between the law and the woman he loves.

How would you describe the most important minor characters in this story and the changes in their character, or the challenges they encounter and how they respond them?

The two children in North Star are great examples of character growth. They’re struggling with the realistic fallout of divorce. They’re confused, angry, and adjusting to a new way of life which they have no control over. Georgia in particular provides a great insight to the mind of a fourteen year old girl in today’s society. Her freedom has been curbed by Kate taking her away from the bad influences of her old friends and the environment she was living in and being a fourteen year old girl—makes life a living hell for the entire family in return. Hormones, combined with a deep hurt and sadness over her parents divorce makes for one very angry teen.
Georgia’s character is a complex, yet highly realistic one, and parents of teenage daughters everywhere will be able to relate to this particular character extremely well.

What does the story gain from the minor characters?

Georgia and Liam, the two children in North Star, are Kate’s entire reason for moving back to her home town. So in this regard they are central to the plot of the story. They are Kate’s entire universe and everything she does revolves around ensuring her children are happy and safe—or in Georgia’s case, at least safe, since happy seems to be an emotion a fourteen year old girl is incapable of!

To what extent would you describe the characters in this story as typical or atypical of characters in your fiction stories?

All my characters in some way, shape or form return to the small rural town they grew up in. I’ve always found this aspect of life fascinating. Things we experience—views we have about life, as children and teenagers are vastly different when viewed through those eyes, as adults.

Author website: http://karlylane.com



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