My interview this week is with Karen Evans. She has been a member of the Enid Writers Club for many years and has held several offices. She is a great writer, as you can see from her piece in the anthology, https://www.amazon.com/Prose-Colored-Glasses-Enid-Writers/dp/B0BD2BK1T9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1H328Q2XURJKJ&keywords=prose+colored+glasses+book+enid+writers+club&qid=1669148845&sprefix=%2Caps%2C407&sr=8-1.

I had a few questions for Karen, and you can find her answers here.

PC: What drives you to write?

KE: Writing helps to clarify my own thoughts. It gives credence to the various voices of my imagination, seeking empathy or rebuke. Also, I can work out the problems of the world to my own satisfaction.

PC: How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?

KE: My ideas for plots almost always come from asking, “What if?” I like drama, so I imagined a scene where a young wife walks into her bedroom and finds another woman in bed with her husband. Most wives would simply walk out and seek an attorney, or they would look for revenge, but what if this young wife doesn’t react with anger? What if her husband truly regrets his behavior? How do they work through this?

PC: Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?

KE: My plots are character-driven. I put my characters in difficult situations, and it’s up to them to work toward a satisfactory conclusion. I make my characters flawed, so people can identify with them. Characters make the plot realistic.

PC: If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and….

KE: I don’t think I’ve ever had a perfect day, or one that I would like to relive repeatedly, but I have had many exquisite moments. The sensation of a heavy burden being lifted from my shoulders at the moment of salvation. The wonder of holding my newborn children for the first time. The joy of realizing I had married my best friend. The miracle of watching my wheelchair-bound grandson walk again without crutches. These are moments I cherish in my heart, and I do relive them over and over in my memories.

PC: Tell us about your latest work in progress.

KE: I have been working on my novel for at least two years now. The female main character touched my heart, so I have focused on creating a true hero for her. Flawed, of course, but with enough redeeming qualities to work through their problems to a happy ending. She finds salvation, and she helps him regain his identity in Christ. What I hope to show in my writing is how God might work in the lives of broken people.

Thank you for taking the time to answers my questions and letting people get to know you. You can find Karen’s piece in our club anthology.

What are you reading/writing this week?