Welcome, Karen. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. I write bits of myself into many of my main characters. They may have opinions I share and habits that I have. I write my favorite meals into my books as well as habits I had as a child.
What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? The quirkiest thing
I’ve done is having our house painted vivid blue when my husband was
out of town. He was surprised by how “blue” it turned out. I love blue!
When did you first discover that you were a
writer?
I became a writer before I could write. I made up stories and told them to
my older sister so that she could write them down. Then,
I wrote my own stories in elementary school.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you
enjoy reading. I
enjoy a variety of literature. I like clean contemporary and historical
romance, Christian romance, and psychological suspense.
How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run
world?
I don’t. There are some days I hardly have time to get a drink. I
still make time to write or to record audio books each day. That is
one of the things that keep me sane. The other things are my faith in God and
the company of my family.
How do you choose your characters’ names? My characters’ names
must fit the role and personality they will have in the story. I
try different names and imagine them with the name. If
it doesn’t fit, I try again. I know when it matches how I
imagine them.
What is the accomplishment that you are most
proud of? I
am most proud of raising four God-loving children. If all of my
other dreams had come true and yet my children were not people I respected, I
would not feel proud of anything.
If you were an animal, which one would you be,
and why?
I believe I would be a cat. Cats lie around and do exactly what they
please. Our cat hops up to get petted when she feels like it. She gets service
as soon as she lets me know she is hungry, and she tells me when she
wishes to play with her favorite toy. What a life!
What is your favorite food? My favorite food is
baked potatoes. I have loved them ever since I was a young child. My
mother made them with crusty skins, and she put butter, salt, and
pepper inside. They always tasted amazing.
I love baked potatoes, too. I put grated cheese
in mine for the protein. What is the problem with writing that was your
greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? My greatest roadblock
has always been finding time to write. I’ve found that if I can
snatch a moment here and there, and sometimes, a larger block of time, I can
make progress on finishing my novels.
Tell us about the featured book. This novel is a contemporary Christian romance. In the story, a young woman is transferred to a small city to further her career. Her grandmother lives in the city and Lissa stays with her. She never expects anything to stand in the way of her driving desire to be successful in her career and make a salary that will make her feel secure. She does not expect to meet a man who can make her question her consuming devotion to her work.
Please give us the first page of the book. Here it is:
Lissa
Davis descended the puddle-jumper’s narrow stairs to arrive on the tarmac, then
stopped and took in a deep breath, before exhaling. It had been a bumpy ride
from
“Lissa?”
She turned
her head, startled by both his warm voice and strong, good looks. “Yes.”
“I’m Jason
Carlisle.”
His
friendly smile disarmed her while his crystal blue eyes captured her gaze. She
and Jason stepped out of the way and she extended her hand. “You must
be Grandma Mandy’s friend. I hope it isn’t a bother to give me a ride.”
“None at
all. Let me help you with your bag”.
She shook
her head. “This one isn’t bad. I could use a hand with the luggage.
She indicated the baggage claim station. How’s Grandma Mandy
feeling?”
The
masculine scent of his sandalwood aftershave drifted to her as Jason followed
to collect her bags.
As they
waited for the carousel to deliver the bags, he said, “She’s over the worst of
the stomach bug. She’s disappointed she’s still too weak to pick you up today.”
Lissa
glanced over her shoulder. “I appreciate you helping us out.”
“It’s my
pleasure.” He gave her a killer smile that piqued her curiosity as to
whether his inner core was as attractive as his outer.
Grandma
Mandy had mentioned he was single when she told Lissa that Jason would be
giving her a ride to the house. Perhaps she had plans to set them up.
If so, she’d be disappointed. Since Lissa would be returning to
Jason
brushed a hand through his short, blond hair. She wondered what he was thinking
when his gaze locked with hers. Though some men were deterred by her breezy
manner, it didn’t seem to give him a moment’s pause. Since she knew
no one in this small city except Grandma Mandy, having him for a friend might
be nice.
She
pointed out two canvas, navy suitcases for Jason to snag. He got each on the
first try and swung them beside him. He pointed to the plate-glass doors. “I’m
parked out front. “It’s this way.”
Glare from
the fall sunlight and the crisp, dry air greeted her. Squinting, she rustled
through her purse and found her sunglasses.
The view
atop the airport mesa revealed more scant foliage, low brush,
and scrubby trees she didn’t recognize. In contrast, the
“A lot of
people can’t see the beauty of the desert right under their noses.
The color of the rocks and the varying hues of sage are only part of
the scenery you don’t see in the rest of the country.”
They had
an awkward moment of quiet. Then Jason changed the direction of their
conversation. “Mandy told me you’re a petroleum geologist. What does a
petroleum geologist do?”
“I find
the location and size of crude oil deposits by taking samples of surface rocks.
Then, I go back to the lab to evaluate them for hydrocarbons and other minerals
that indicate they’re oil rich. I also, use computer technology
to analyse the region and read well logs. Then I can advise the company where
to drill.”
From what
she understood, they had several potential wells to consider. She would be
expected to make a recommendation about which to pursue and advise the boss.
“Your work
sounds interesting. I think it’s great you transferred to be close to
your grandmother. She’s happy to have family here.”
Lissa bit
her lip. “I love Grandma Mandy with all my heart, but I took this job because
my boss told me it would help in getting a raise and a promotion in the
Again,
there was an uneasy silence.
“This is a
nice car. What do you do for a living?” she asked.
“I’m an
artist.”
“Oh.”
Lissa raised a brow. “That sounds interesting. What kind of artist?”
“Landscape,
mostly. The southwest is my favorite subject matter. As far
as I’ve seen, it has the most beautiful scenery on earth. I’m blessed
to spend time outdoors admiring God’s creation and capturing it on canvas.”
He
grinned, showing even white teeth. “I get paid to do it, too.”
“I can’t
imagine how you compose a painting. It sounds fulfilling to pick up a brush and
make scenery come to life. It must be a natural gift. What else do
you do?”
He tilted
his head. “What do you mean?”
“For a
job?”
“That is
my job. I’m a full-time artist.”
She blinked. “That’s impressive. You’re young and you’re making a living in a difficult market. What if it doesn’t last? It doesn’t have the security of working for a company.”
“I believe God called me to it. I trust Him to take care of me as long as I’m in His will. I’ve never missed a meal.”
Lissa
contemplated his apparent faith in a job that could dry up any time
the public stopped buying his work. “I admire your confidence. I prefer a
career with a steady paycheck.”
It took
more courage than she would ever have to take a route like that.
She didn’t have that much trust in a Divine Deity or her
understanding of what God wanted for her. She’d dreamed of a singing
career when she was in high school. Her teachers had encouraged her to take
voice lessons and perhaps go to a fine arts college.
She gave
herself a mental shake. She couldn’t let her thoughts go there. There
was one fact she’d learned from her mom. Adults stayed focused and
put their time into work and saving for the future.
“Do you
like art?” he asked.
“I do.
I’ve never met anyone who does it full-time.”
He’d seemed
like an average sane guy until he mentioned his job. As he took a road past the
city terminal and downhill to an area of handsome older homes, she wondered how
he could stand the insecurity of such a risky profession.
They drove
along a street where trees clustered in low areas beside the road. “We must be
close to water,” Lissa observed.
Jason
nodded. “We’re passing an area called The Glade. Rainwater washes through here
from
“That’s
what we have in
She liked
frequent rain showers. Her stint here would be a trial. Jason seemed to
believe there was something of beauty in every part of
creation. Perhaps he was right, and the area would grow on her.
“I didn’t
bring rainwear,” she continued. “However, I was told to bring a warm coat. I
can already tell it will get plenty of use.”
They
turned onto a wide street and passed shopping strips with small stores, and a
large grocery store. To break the silence, Lissa said, “I’ve never seen where
Grandma Mandy lives. She and Granddad came to see us after they moved. We never
came here to visit. Dad’s great-grandfather raised his family in the house
where Grandma now lives. Before that, aunts and uncles lived in it until it
fell back to Granddad.”
Jason
waved a driver over who needed to change lanes. There was more to him than
striking blue eyes and a strong jaw. He had manners. “The old family home has a
rich history, then?”
“Yes. It
means a lot to my dad because it’s been in the family for several
generations. Grandma Mandy lived there as a little girl.”
They
passed a large brick church and turned into a neighborhood with
mostly gravel landscaping. The houses were stucco, and many had flat roofs. He
pulled into the driveway of a beige house with a large plate-glass window.
Moments later, her grandmother opened the door and stepped onto the flat
concrete porch. Lissa hurried from the truck to greet her.
She looked
thinner than Lissa remembered. They clutched each other in a hug. “You’re as
pretty as ever,” Grandma Mandy said.
“Thanks. I’ve missed
you. Are you feeling better? I was worried when you told me you’d been sick.”
How can readers find you on the Internet? My books are carried on
all the major online sites. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Karen-Cogan/e/B001JSB9XE%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Apple
Books: https://books.apple.com/us/author/karen-cogan/id393752956
Audio
available on Apple site.
Barnes and
Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Karen%20Cogan
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6 comments:
This book sounds captivating, special and unique. The characters, the setting and the story interests me greatly. Thanks. Anne in NM.
I enjoyed the excerpt and look forward to reading this memorable novel. The grandma and the granddaughter interest me as well as the artist. Love the locale. Pearl - NM.
Thank you for sharing. I enjoy reading your interviews. Blessings from WV.
Thanks so much, traveler, petite, and Lucy. I am so happy you enjoyed the interview. I hope to see you on karencogan.com.
Enter me!!
Conway SC.
Best of luck to everyone who enters!
Karen Cogan
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