A Perfect 10 with Karen Oberlaender

This week’s edition of A Perfect 10 features author Karen Obelaender. Karen tells us about her work and her inspiration.

Please enjoy this edition of A Perfect 10.

If you want to check out past interviews, you can find them in the following links:

A.C. Flory, Steve Boseley, Kayla Matt, Mae Clair, Jill Sammut, Deanna Kahler, Dawn Reno Langley, John Howell, Elaine Cougler, Jan Sikes, Nancy Bell, Nick Davis, Kathleen Lopez, Susan Thatcher, Charles Yallowitz, Armand Rosamilia, Tracey Pagana, Anna Dobritt

Also, if you are an author and you want to be part of this feature, I still have a few slots open for 2017. You can email me at don@donmassenzio.com

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Writing is rather energizing for me. As soon as the adrenaline kicks in, my writing juices are unstoppable – slight timeouts for coffee or the co-editing felines are always possible without interrupting the flow.

Do you ever write under a pseudonym? If not have you considered it? Why or why not?

There was never a need to use a pseudonym:

a) I do not write anything I would be ashamed of.
b) Most of my readers are spread around the globe; only a handful of them are in my vicinity.

Does a big ego help or hurt writers? Why or why not?

As nothing is ever completely positive or negative, the answer definitely is that it can hurt and help. A big ego helps in marketing one’s work, get in touch with everyone, believe in own capabilities. A big ego can hurt, though. Marketing and contacting others could be exaggerated; most of us are not fond of being hassled. Bragging about one’s capabilities is not well-liked either, it is way too easy to be categorized a show-off.

What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

As a writer, I spent the best money for – my computer. It is fast, has a big enough screen, and simply is ideal to work with. Other devices like tablets and smartphones are also used for minor tasks, my writing needs to be done on my computer.

What does writing success look like to you? Have you achieved it?

As I am not a full-time writer, writing success means that at least one reader likes my writing and – ideally leaves a review. More than one reader liked my stories; there haven’t been any reviews, yet. This means that I have not achieved my full writing success up to now.

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book? What sources do you use?

Research can be quite simply browsing Google Maps for a certain location or checking a bus schedule. In some cases, I searched in biographies to check if, when, and how two persons met. Depending on a story set, it is wise to read local papers, current and older editions, talk to the locals, etc.

Time spent for research so far was in a range between twenty minutes and a week.

How do you select the names of your characters? Have you ever regretted choosing a particular name? Why?

If I was inspired by a dream, I use that name. In other cases, there is a story idea first; I have a rough plot line, adding characters (two-legged and/or four-legged) and their names comes easy, flowing from my mind through the keyboard in my story. No naming regrets so far. If a name does not fit – it can be adapted.

What is the hardest type of scene to write?

Romantic scenes are the hardest to write. They take the longest because I debate with myself endlessly if they are way too sober. Luckily my husband is a great in steering me in the right direction.

If you could have dinner with four people, living or dead, who would they be and what would you want to ask them?

This would be an interesting scenario! I would love to have dinner with the (14th) Dalai Lama, Craig Boyack, Ali Isaac, and a Chinese cook my husband and I met in Bavaria (we discussed tolerance, peace, and compassion for at least two hours). We would chat, laugh, and I would ask them what makes them happy and – what we could do to achieve/support peace on Earth.

What platform has brought you the most success in marketing your books?

This question is difficult, as I only published one book so far. Most downloads were due to my daughter’s efforts; many due to my posts on my two WordPress blogs – thanks to my wonderful friends and readers.

Links:

Blog: https://mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress.com/

Blog: https://inasmallcompass.wordpress.com/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/okiewashere

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16149973.Karen_Oberlaender

AuthorsDB: http://authorsdb.com/community/profile/6832-karen-oberlaender

Buy/download links: http://books2read.com/u/m0zodW

twitter: https://twitter.com/okiewashere