Welcome, all! I recently had the pleasure of interviewing up and coming Romance Author Karen Ferry! We discussed her soon-to-be released new-adult, romance novel, Make Me Believe, and her ambitions for her writing career. Check out my interview, and connect with her today!
AWRW: Hi Karen, thank you for allowing me to interview you on A Well Read Woman Blog. Please tell us a bit about yourself and your background.
KF: Hi April! Thanks so much for having me.
Well, I’m married to a really sweet, laidback man – according to himself, anyway 😉 – and we have a daughter who will be turning two this coming May. I am Danish, a self-proclaimed anglophile – so apart from the cooking, I LOVE all things British!! Lol. – and I am a HUGE bookworm. I come from a home where it was encouraged by my parents and grandparents to read every chance I could get, and so I did. I am also a romantic, but I tend to be cynical about it at the same time. (I do not know how that is possible, but there you have it.) I am fiercely protective of people I love, got a rather nasty temper on me – but it is not let loose that often – and I am told that I am a bit weird. *shrugs* In a good way, of course.
AWRW: What are your ambitions for your writing career?
KF: Oh, dear…this is a hard question. Okay. I am very ambitious, so I would be lying if I said that I do not hope to be able to make a living of it. Because I do. And I want it pretty badly. However, I also know that the journey towards this goal can be long, hard, and filled with obstacles, but that does not dissuade me in the least. And it may take 5 or 10 years, but that does not matter: I am a fighter. I will get there. Eventually. Whether it will be as a self-published or traditionally published author…only time will tell.
AWRW: Excellent! Keep up that tenacious spirit and you will go far! 🙂 Which authors inspire you?
KF: There are so many authors who inspire me, so my apologies if this list gets rather long. 😉
One author in particular whose work always manages to evoke a wide range of emotions in me is Kristen Ashley – her words are just magical. Other authors I would have to mention are A. L. Jackson, Nina Levine, Deborah Harkness, Renee Carlino, Tillie Cole, Tina Reber, and Pepper Winters. (This list could go on and on, but I will stop here.)
All of these authors have their own, unique ways of telling their stories; they are amazing storytellers, in my opinion, and their passion for writing is part of why they inspire me so much.
AWRW: Please tell us about your current work-in-progress.
KF: My current WIP is titled “Make Me Believe”, and it is about a 23-year-old woman, Emma, who has some serious issues to work through but is in denial about them. Meeting Daniel, however, happens to set off some events that force Emma to realise that she has to fight…She is pretty stubborn, though. Oh, she is also a bit of a goth girl, and she has a couple of tattoos and piercings as well.
Daniel, in turn, is dyslexic and has his own battles to conquer. He is a geek, quiet, incredibly shy and he does not know how to handle a girl like Emma who seems to be his opposite in every way. He is quite a “preppy” guy, completely different from the men Emma usually takes a fancy to.
Both Emma and Daniel revise plans of their own in order to reach their goals, but the question is if they will be willing to take a chance on each other?
I would also like to add that even though parts of my story are inspired by true events, it is important to remember that the book is still a work of fiction! (Just want to make that clear in order to prevent any misunderstandings.)
Make Me Believe
Synopsis
Sometimes, a chance meeting is just the push you need in order to break free from the darkness within…
My name is Emma, I’m 23, and I’ve never been kissed. I’m no virgin…But kissing is too intimate, too intense, and I don’t want that – not ever. I like sex, though, and most of my hook-ups don’t seem to mind the no-kissing part.
But then I meet Daniel, who’s such a geek, and definitely not the kind of guy I’d normally take an interest to. He’s the shy, quiet type, but with such a charming smile, and he makes my heart race – something I’ve never experienced before.
Daniel has his own issues to work through, and I know my hardened heart shouldn’t melt when he looks at me. I really shouldn’t be falling for him, either, but somehow, he manages to tear down my walls, and I’m scared…because once he learns my secrets, he’ll want nothing to do with me.
All I know is that Daniel makes me feel things that I have never felt before – but do I dare let down my walls and confide in him?
Will I let him be my first kiss?
This is my story, and I’ll reveal everything in my own sweet time…
Just don’t expect all the hearts-and-flowers stuff.
Life is messy, and mine is no different…
INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS
***Due to possible ‘triggers’ and adult situations (yes, there is lots of sex in this book) it is not recommended to persons under the age of 18.
AWRW: Karen, thank you so much for sharing your current work in progress! I look forward to the release of Make Me Believe! And I absolutely love that it is told in first person! I think this creates an intimacy between the character and the reader, and I wish more authors would write in first person narrative!
What genre is your current WIP?
KF: New Adult / Contemporary Romance.
AWRW: If a movie adaptation was made of your current WIP, what actors/actresses would you like to see play your characters?
KF: Good lord, I have no idea! Hahaha! I am actually pretty horrible with actors/actresses and seldom compare my characters to any of them. You see, I am the kind of writer who, initially, does not always have a clear image of my characters in my head when I first start writing. And I am still at that stage, actually. So I am sorry, but I cannot really answer that…
AWRW: Hahaha, I understand! Who is designing your book cover? And do you think a book cover plays an important role in the book buying process?
KF: Louisa Maggio of LM Creations – this lady is so amazingly talented, it is quite scary! We have had a few brainstorming sessions, and I have no doubt that she will be able to design a cover that fits my book perfectly,
Le sigh. I really wish that I could say no, but, sadly, I have to say yes: the cover most often play a big part of making a reader decide if he/she wants to read your book; the cover is what makes a reader take notice and helps you decide to take a look at the synopsis. Personally, though, a book cover does not have to attract me just because it depicts a sexy couple embracing each other; no, the book cover has to reflect your story instead. That is key, I believe.
AWRW: Are you self-publishing? If so, have you run into any obstacles on your self-publishing journey?
KF: Yes, “Make Me Believe” will be self-published. As far as obstacles are concerned…well, I would not say that I have come across any major ones just yet. However, researching how to go about self-publishing, and getting the word out about me and my book? Those are definitely challenges that can make me feel a bit insecure and overwhelmed sometimes, and I am positive that said challenges are part of why I find a new grey hair when I look at myself in the mirror every morning. 😉 (Joking. Maybe…) Nevertheless, I am part of a couple of author groups on Facebook, and all these amazing authors are a fountain of information. I do not think that I would have the faintest idea of how to do this if I did not have them to turn to.
AWRW: When can we expect your books to hit the shelves/ e-readers?
KF: I have set the release date of “Make Me Believe” to 27th of April this year. (The ebook – the paperback, I hope, will be available the following week.) I have to confess that I am a bit uncertain about it – I am really nervous that I will be unable to meet my deadline – but, nevertheless, that is what I am aiming for.
I also hope to release another book, an adult contemporary romance, when we reach fall/winter (that one is currently untitled, however, so it is not set in stone).
AWRW: Wow! You certainly have been busy writing! I will cross my fingers for you in hopes that you will meet your deadlines.
How can your fans get in touch with you?
KF: I can be found on various social media sites, and I have listed them below – please come say ‘hi’! 😉
“Karen’s Fairies” (Street Team/Fan Page)
Goodreads Link to “Make Me Believe”
Thanks again, April!
AWRW: Thank you Karen! Lovely to have you on A Well Read Woman Blog!
Karen Ferry is an aspiring author, a wife to a quiet, laidback man, and a mother to a gorgeous, stubborn, redheaded girl 
who will turn two years old in May. Even though Karen is Danish, she has always felt more at ease writing stories in English, and she has not read a book in her native tongue in over ten years.
Karen tends to have a short fuse if she does not get a proper caffeine fix first thing in the mornings, but she is, in fact, a gentle person deep down.
Karen loves Italian food and wine, travelling, and spending time with her family. When she is not writing, she reads – her favourite genres are New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Erotica and Romantic Suspense. Oh, and a bit of PNR as well. She can never get too much romance. Or too many book boyfriends, either.
She can be very outspoken and a complete fangirl of other authors online but will, in fact, be very shy once she meets you in person.
A Well Read Woman 