Author Interview- Karina Fabian

Hello everyone, here is an author interview for you all. This time, our author is Karina Fabian who writes science fiction and christian books.

TRIVIA

Favorite color- Don’t really have one.
Favorite author- Terry Pratchett
Favorite book- Don’t have one.
Zodiac sign- Aries
Your motto- Fiction, Faith and Fun!
City of your dreams- One with great mountain views, just about whatever I need within a short drive, friendly people and addresses that make sense. So almost the city I live in now. Layton’s street system is weird.

Now the real questions

RC- First of all, thank you very much for doing this interview with Review Carnival. We are really honoured. The first questions is: When did you decide that you wanted to be a writer? Is the life of a writer like you had imagined it to be?

Ans. It’s a cliché, but I’ve always wanted to be a writer. However, I first started working to make that dream a reality in 1995 when I was out of the Air Force (still in the Reserves) and the mother of toddlers. I needed an outlet and hoped to make a little money on the side.

I didn’t really know what to expect, but it’s certainly not been what I could have anticipated. Most of my good friends have come from writing, and doing work via the Internet has become such a big part of my life. I’m also working with a lot of small press publishers rather than an agent or one or two big publishers like I’d thought I would. However, I’m also writing a huge variety of stuff—from devotionals to science fiction to horror. I’d still love to get an agent or better yet a contract with a big publisher, but I’m pleased with how my career is progressing.

RC- Who has influenced you/your writing style/choice of genres the most?

Ans. As far as authors, the fantasy/comedy writers: Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Piers Anthony. However, I find my husband and friends really have a say in content. We start talking about something and Light Bulb! Story idea. Also, when I’m stuck, I turn to Rob and he always has the perfect response. I am blessed to be married to a brilliant, creative man.

RC- Fantasy and Sci-fi are genres that require a lot of imagination. How do you get so many ideas? Do you ever have the dreaded writer's block? How do you deal with it?

Ans. I honestly don’t understand how people can NOT get ideas. The world is full of them. For me, the problem is selecting which idea to tackle first. When I have writers’ block, it’s really because some aspect of the story intimidates me or because something else in my life is affecting my confidence. Then the only answer is to sit at the computer, give myself permission to write crapola and start writing. Usually, it ends up pretty good, after all, and I can always edit the rough bits once it’s out of my skull and on the computer screen.

RC- What kind of characters/settings do you like the most?

Ans. Depends on the story, really. I have a cynical dragon who’s a noir-style detective that is a blast to write.. He has the best voice, loves punning (in multiple languages, at the same time), and has a wonderful, superior view that gets him in trouble. He’s perfect for my comedy mysteries. (DragonEye, PI novels and stories: www.dragoneyepi.net) Then I have Neeta, who is an exterminator. Yeah, she specializes in zombie extermination, but otherwise, she’s quite ordinary—problems with romance, a bit of a clean freak, prone to self-doubt. She’s the main character in Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator (www.zombiedeathextreme.com) I also have a very troubled psychic who has a hard time coping with his abilities and has spent most of his teen years in an asylum. He’s great for using all those awful middle school experiences as fiction fodder! (Mind Over Mind comes out in September from DragonMoon.) wonderful nun who operates on a whole different plane of consciousness it seems. Remember how River in Firefly would say things that don’t make sense because she was four steps ahead of the crew? That’s Sister Ann, but with religious overtones. Ann’s also an engineering genius, but has a hard time just relating to people on a casual level. She is a challenge to write, because she quotes saints and engineering manuals a lot. She’s in a WIP called Discovery.

RC- Thanks for being with us and giving so much of your time. The last question is: What message would you like to convey to your fans?

Ans. Tell your friends? LOL. Seriously, though, I love reader feedback. You can keep up with what I’m doing at www.fabianspace.blogspot.com. Each Thursday, I blog about my writing experiences of the week. I usually include a lesson learned, as well. My books are listed at www.fabianspace.com. I’m also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/karina.fabian. So please, check out my stuff and if you enjoy it, let me know.

I do send out autographed bookplates to people who ask, as well!

Thanks so much for hosting me!