1. What made you want to write your memoirs? My first memoir, Looking for Normal I wrote for my three adult children. They never met my father and he was quite a character–kind, comical and fun loving. I wanted my children to know him. Initially, I began by telling his story of riding the rails at the age of 13 and his many adventures and then it only seemed fitting to write about my mother. They had a wonderful marriage aside from the fact that she was bipolar, which explains the book title. My second book, Where is My Happy Ending – A Journey of No Regrets was inspired by the Me Too Movement. I felt that many women would be encouraged by my story. I ventured out on my own at 17 during the height of the disco scene. I became a fitness instructor when leg warmers and curly perms were the going trend, but after getting tangled up with many unsavoury characters, I ended up on welfare as a single mom with two little girls…you’ll have to read the book to find out the topsy turvey, eclectic details of my life. But, my main goal in writing it was to tell those who are struggling they are not alone. My third memoir, Fat and Beautiful – A Story of Love Pain and Courage, was written about my sister for my sister, because she asked me too. Her life began with loving parents (our mom and dad) but because she was a larger little girl she was terribly bullied. Her only way of coping was with humour and delivering cutting jabs to her tormentors. She had many struggles throughout her lifetime and found comfort in western shows on television; horses and eventually moving to the Cariboo to live a life amongst cowboys and rodeos.
2. What were the most difficult subjects to reveal? It was difficult to write about my first marriage in my second book, Where is My Happy Ending – A Journey of No Regrets. Even though my husband was an alcoholic he was a kind man and I stayed close to his family after the divorce and after his death. My editor helped me get through the hard bits, because I wanted to be transparent, but at the same time I have children with this man so I wanted to paint their father into the sweet man he was. Unfortunately, addiction takes away our loved ones and replaces them someone they did not intend to be.
3. How did you decide on the format for them? My first book, Looking for Normal I wrote by the seat of my pants, I had no idea what I was doing. I am pretty good at describing things, as in giving visuals, but other than that my editor helped me format it. She has always been a patient, kind teacher in addition to editing all five of my books. As we move forward in life it has come to my attention that we often look back… sometimes for nostalgic purposes and other times for reflection and healing. So, when I am formatting my books, I like to write in order of events but always make room for flash backs. As the saying goes, it is not uncommon to walk three steps forward and four steps back. The other day my middle daughter reminded me that I taught her the glass is half full rather than half empty. I recently had the epiphany that there are no mistakes…for a long time I inwardly dwelled on the woulda, coulda, shoulda’s–my writing has helped be happy and proud of my resilience, positive outlook and wisdom I have learned the hard way.
4. Before starting had you written extensively before, or not? This question almost made me laugh out loud. I was an insecure, shy C student in school. My guidance counsellor told my parents I was not cut-out for a higher education. I wanted to be a model, or an airline stewardess. In some ways, being an aerobics instructor and disco diva were the next best things. When I was a single mom at the age of 32 I went to College and became an EA (education assistant). In my 50’s I began travelling with my son (he had become a YouTuber and an Influencer). He was still young and needed a chaperone. We travelled to Belgium, Germany, Holland, Paris and Amsterdam. Followed by visits to Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali Indonesia. It was while we were travelling that I began composing emails home. I enjoyed describing the people, places and things. I threw in humour and sticky situations. The responses were so kind and encouraging–almost everyone told me I was a gifted writer.
5. Did you seek courses to aid your writing career? I went to a weekend memoir writing seminar at UBC. I hired acclaimed author Betsy Warland for a one day private coaching session and the rest of the time I wrote with passion and an ambitious spirit. There has been period’s of trial an error, as I mentioned my editor has also been a teacher to me. During my day job as an EA working in high school, I always paid close attention whenever I was in an English class with my students.
6. Were you surprised at the response to your stories? YES, I was pleasantly surprised and very pleased. The positive feedback just made me want to write more. I was thrilled when people could relate to my personal situations, or said how much I had inspired them. Or how much they laughed, or cried.
7. When did you realize sharing your experiences could propel you into teaching and presenting? Some might say I have the gift of the gab. I have always enjoyed telling stories and making people laugh. Before I became a writer, I had taught fitness for 35 years. So, I was comfortable standing up in front of people. My father was a story teller and I have now noticed that myself, and siblings all have the ability to weave a tale. But, when it comes to writing, I truly believe that everyone has a story to tell. We have all had heart wrenching and hilarious experiences. None of us are alone in our grief and yet many people choose to keep everything bottled up inside. I know there can be fear, so in my courses and coaching sessions my number one goal is to help people find their voice and face their fears about writing and publishing their books.
8. From writing non-fiction to fiction, what were your obstacles? And what challenges did you have? When I made the switch from non-fiction to fiction I was nervous because with my first three books I had all the stories already playing out in my brain. I wondered how on earth I was going to drum up a storyline, characters and plots out of thin air. And then I remembered one of my favourite things to do is to watch movies. From a very young age my mother took me to afternoon matinees on Granville street in Vancouver. More recently I enjoy an episodic series on one of the networks. So, while writing fiction I pretend that I am watching a show. I love getting to know my characters to see what they will do next. I also take from real life, people places and things.
9. Do you have a message for anyone thinking about writing? Yes, start with one memory, whether it’s happy, sad, or even traumatic. Begin by writing three paragraphs. Then go back and try to think about how old you were, what time of year it was, what the weather was like–was it a frosty, cold morning, or a sweltering afternoon. Think about the fashion trends of the time and what was happening in the news. What songs were popular? This may require research. Most of all have fun with it, set the scene, pull the reader in and tell to make them visualize and feel. Lastly, even if you are great with sentence structure and grammar, always hire an editor.
10. Where can readers find you and your books? My first three books, Looking for Normal, Where is my Happy Ending and Fat and Beautiful, are available at four local libraries in North Van and West Vancouver. All five of my books including my fiction Class of 78 and Class of 56 are available online where books are sold. Amazon, Indigo, Chapters, and Barnes and Noble. I also have copies–a collection of all five that I sell.
Lastly, read other non-fiction and fiction books and make a list of what you liked each one. Become the kind of writer you would want to read from.
Bio:
Since publishing her first memoir in 2018, she has dedicated herself to helping others find their voice and share their stories. As the author of three memoirs and two fiction books, she has guided many individuals through writing and publishing their biographies, memoirs, and fiction works. Through numerous memoir-writing courses and seminars, she empowers people to document their journeys and bring their stories to life.
As a speaker and educator, Karen has delivered multiple seminars at Capilano University, led numerous speaking engagements across British Columbia, and shared her insights through radio and television appearances. Her work spans various topics, including mental health, diversity in fitness, and the art of storytelling.
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