Q&A with Karoline Bethea-Jones, Author of
"Fragile Heart", "Someone to Love", and soon to be released "Deception"
Q: When did you decide you wanted
to write?
A: I always had a
love for writing and I kept a journal since I was about fourteen years old. A few years ago after I wrote my first novel,
Someone to Love, I realized writing was something that made me happy and I wanted to do it all the time. It's very
exciting to create a character and mold them into real people that others can relate to and care about.
Q: How many novels in all have you
written?
A: I have written 4 novels,
two have been published and a book of Short Stories has also been published as well.
Q: How long did it take you to write
your first novel?
A: The story was burning
inside of me and I think I sat down at my computer everyday and wrote. It took 8 months for me to complete the first
segment. I knew that it was going to be broken down into three parts.
Q: Where do you get your inspiration
for your stories?
A: My inspiration
comes from lots of sources. I can't tell when or where I'm going to get the inspiration to create a specific character.
Sometimes I'll dream about a character and I'll jump up and write it all down and then later build upon it. Mostly I
people watch. If someone seems interesting to me I observe them and build a character around them.
Q: Are the characters
based on real people?
A: My characters are sometimes
based on real people but I try to change things about each character to give them their own individual characteristics.My
character can be a combination of many people but they are never an exact replica of real people I know.
Q: After writing your first novel,
did you self-publish??
A: I had a strong
desire to publish the book myself because I wanted to be different from every other writer. I knew that if I published
the book myself, I wouldn't have to stay within a box. Being different or unique, was very important to me. I started
my own Publishing Company, Novel2go Publishing so that I could have complete control.
Q: If so, how was
that experience?
A: The experience was and
at times still is, overwhelming. There is so much to learn and I'm still learning. I had no idea how big
this was going to be, I was so inexperienced and at times got so frustrated that I almost gave up. Seven years, Three books
later, I am still hanging in there with lots of support from my family and friends who remind me that giving up is not an
option. I still have a lot of learning to do but I learned that if you are afraid to fall, you will never know how far you
can go because falling is necessary in order to grow.
Q: What feedback have you received
from fans?
A: For Someone to Love, the feedback
has been positive. Fragile Heart was just released on August 14th so the jury is still out on that one. Many
of the women enjoyed the short stories and is looking forward to the screenplay. Auditions are in process now.
Q: What authors do you admire?
A: Toni Morrison is my all time favorite author. I admire her as an author and as a women; she
is so classy. I read pretty much everyone though.
Q: Did one of them inspire you?
A: I am inspired by Ms. Morrison,
not that I am in her league, but as I improve on my writing I hope that one day someone will be inspired by me.
Q: Is writing your only passion?
A: No, it's not my only
passion. I would also like to do some film work. Behind the camera, not in front of it. I had an opportunity
to try my hand at directing with the book trailer for Someone to Love. It was hard work! but when I was
putting it all together, it felt so exhilarating. I also have a passion for teaching and I hope that, even with
my writing, I can utilize my teaching abilities to help someone.
Q: Where do you see yourself in
5 years?
A: I see myself with
5 more books under my belt and lots and lots of experience.
Q: What advice would you give aspiring
authors?
A: Definitely write everyday.
Find something to write about every single day. You will only get better. Learn all you can about as much as you
can. Don't be afraid to try new things. Develop your own style, don't try to be like anyone else.
Q: What would you like readers to
learn from your stories?
A: I want my readers feeling that they personally know the characters in my stories, I want you to care about them. I
would like for my readers to understand that our individual lives are about Choices & Consequences. As in
real life, my characters are presented with options and when they choose to go down the wrong path, they must ultimately reap
what they sow. Through my characters my readers can sometimes see a glimpse of themselves.
