Michelle Karl Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.
A. Thanks for having me back! Short form is: I’m an author from Ontario, Canada who loves animals of all kinds, whose house is slowly being taken over by stacks and stacks of unread books, and who would definitely like whipped cream & sprinkles on that, please.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
A. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, and that’s not an exaggeration! My earliest memory of success was a writing contest I entered in grade two (that’s “second grade” for you American types). My poem won me a t-shirt and publication in a little local newsletter booklet. I don’t remember what the poem was about, but that experience certainly confirmed my aspirations very early on.

Q: Do you find certain themes reoccurring in your books? If so, what are they and why? If not, what is the theme in your current release?
A. I think my readers would be better equipped to pick out reoccurring themes than me! I don’t use reoccurring themes on purpose, but if they’re there, it’s a subconscious inclusion (which wouldn’t be surprising, I think it happens to a lot of writers). In WILDERNESS PURSUIT, there’s a strong emphasis on the theme of second chances—which, now that I think of it, shows up in some of my other books too. There you go!

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release WILDERNESS PURSUIT?
A: When archaeologist Kara Park is attacked at a dig site in northern British Columbia, she’s rescued by her former sweetheart, Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer Sam Thrace, whom she hasn’t seen for over a decade. It quickly becomes clear that someone is trying to sabotage her controversial evidence uncovered on the site – and her and Sam’s only chance to right a terrible wrong is to escape into the remote Canadian wilds and make their way back to civilization with the evidence… while trying to protect their hearts, too.

Q: Where did the idea for this story come from?
A. I went to university for archaeology, and for a while have wanted to write an archaeologist heroine! I set up the possibility in my book UNKNOWN ENEMY, and kept it in my back pocket for a chance to use it in the future. And when my editor tweeted that she wanted to see books featuring “heroes on horseback,” I thought about the situations that might bring an archaeologist and a hero on horseback together and figured… what better way to do that than with an RCMP hero in the middle of the Canadian wilderness?

Q: Who/what has influenced your writing career the most?
A. I’d say that my grade school teachers were the most influential, which might sound strange, but… without their encouragement of my writing in my early years, I likely would have never even pursued writing as a career in the first place.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?
A. I’m actually in between projects right now! This year I have three books coming from Love Inspired Suspense in my Mountie Brotherhood series, but those are all finished and I’m currently in the “figuring out what’s next” phase.

Q: If you were a dessert, what would it be and why?
A. Tiramisu, because I have many layers. I contain multitudes! 😉

Q: Is there something about you most people wouldn’t know?
A. I don’t like spaghetti. The texture of the noodles makes me feel like I’m eating a plate of worms… wait, is that too much information? Sorry if I ruined spaghetti for anyone.

Q: Is there a place you have always wanted to visit? A vacation spot, historical monument, overseas, etc?
A. I’d love to see Pompeii before it’s destroyed again! Geologists have been saying for years that Vesuvius is bound to erupt again someday, so here’s hoping I get there before then.