CATHERINE KARP

THE INTERVIEW

Lillian: What genres do you write?

Catherine: Mainstream historical fiction with elements of romance and suspense. My work-in-progress also involves the paranormal.

Lillian: What genres would you like to write?

Catherine: I actually wish I could write contemporary stories, since agents, editors, and Hollywood executives have all told me modern tales sell much better than historicals. As far as what I’d like to write, I’d enjoy exploring other time periods before completely switching to another genre, or else trying out other historical sub-genres (mystery, children’s lit, etc.).

Lillian: Where do you get your ideas?

Catherine: The basic plot of my debut novel, Gilded, which is primarily about female liberation in 1897 Massachusetts, came to me while I was still in high school, for that’s when I fell in love with 19th-century literature. I became a fan of novels such as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Madame Bovary, and The Awakening. The study of literature also involves the study of social history, and learning about the behind-the-scenes lives of seemingly refined and elegant late-Victorians spurred my imagination and eventually resulted in the first draft of Gilded.

My novel-in-progress, which I’ve tentatively titled Voices Airy, came about after reading a Smithsonian article about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s vehement belief in spirit mediums.

Lillian:  Do you pattern your characters after any real people?

Catherine:   One of the central characters in Voices Airy is a conglomeration of several real-life spirit mediums from the late 1800s/early 1900s. Other characters throughout my fiction have probably been influenced by people in my own life, whether I’m conscious of it or not, and a little bit of myself tends to go into my female protagonists.

Lillian:   What authors do you admire?

Catherine:   I love classic authors such as the Bröntes, Austin, and Dickens, but I’m also a fan of contemporary novelists such as Margaret Atwood, T.C. Boyle, Elizabeth McCracken, and Sheri Holman, the author of the novel I’m currently reading. As a writer, I tend to be a critical reader, so when an author comes along and makes my jaw drop with his or her gorgeous, highly sensory prose, inspiring me to jump on the computer and write better and better, then I’m in awe.

Lillian:   What authors do you read?

Catherine:   I usually judge books by their content more than by the author, and I have numerous books in my must-read pile that have been written by authors whom I’ve never even heard of before—their plots and opening scenes intrigued me. I’m also starting to read e-books, since I’ve met so many electronically published authors during my own online promotional efforts.

Lillian:   What genres do you read?

Catherine:   Mainly historical fiction—but the types of historicals one would find in the general fiction section of bookstores instead of the romance aisle. So many people tend to think that historicals are only romances, but there is a wide range of historical fiction sub-genres. I tend to like books that are a bit quirky or dark. For example, the novel I’m reading by the aforementioned Sheri Holman, The Dress Lodger, centers around a prostitute and a surgeon during the 1831 cholera epidemic in England. It’s certainly not a typical love story, but it is engaging and often even humorous. I think that’s the other misconception of historical fiction: if it’s not a romance, it’s dull and only entertaining to history professors.

I don’t only read historicals, however. Some recent contemporary books I’ve read are Bridget Jones’ Diary and Chocolat--and I read both long before their respective movies debuted (all right, maybe I didn’t read them that recently).

Lillian:   What other genres do you see yourself writing?

Catherine:  I can see myself writing children’s books, especially since I now have a daughter who’s almost two. I particularly adore fairy tales and even studied them in college.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I can also see myself writing erotica. Human sexuality is simply an interesting subject—for both the writer and the reader.

Lillian:   What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?



Catherine:   Still writing novels. I’d also love to venture into script writing. I won an award affiliated with the Hollywood Film Festival last year, and, because of it, I had the chance to pitch Gilded’s film rights to two major studios. Unfortunately, both places turned it down because they were only looking for modern stories at the time, although having an actual screenplay in hand would have helped my chances, for the studios wouldn’t have had to take the time to search for and pay for another writer. I took playwrighting courses in college and loved them, so I’ve told myself that one day I’ll get back into scripts.

Lillian:   Do you see yourself ever not writing?

Catherine:   Only if I’m not breathing.

Lillian:   What books do you have planned in the near future?

Catherine:   I tend to take things one book at a time, so it’s hard for me to look past my work-in-progress. I’m a slow writer, and I’ve become even slower now that I have a little one in the house, but that’s not to say I don’t have a large supply of ideas stored in my head. Once the current novel is out of the way, I can make room for the next one.

Lillian:   How did you get started writing? What age were you when you started to write?

Catherine:   I’ve always been a writer. I wrote my first story before I even knew how to spell: I simply sounded out the words and jotted them down on paper. I became a prolific writer when my second-grade teacher had us write one story per week, and she strongly encouraged my work and made me feel like I possessed a talent. I started attempting novel writing when I was about 9, and I won a trophy for a short story in a county-wide competition when I was 13. I used to take writing for granted: it was something I did along with eating and breathing. I used to think I wanted to be a famous actress, and writing would be simply something I did on the side. Now I take it much more seriously and realize it’s what I’m meant to do.

Lillian:   When is your next book due?

Catherine:   I don’t have a multi-book contract with a publisher, so I’m pretty much free to finish Voices Airy whenever I want. However, I have already generated a lot of interest in the book, so I want to finish it and have it available as soon as possible. I tend to be a perfectionist, which slows me down.

Lillian:   Was there any author or authors that helped you get your start in writing, or helped you break into the field?

Catherine:   Not really. Like I said, I started writing in childhood, and I never knew any other writers while growing up. And I miraculously obtained my New York agent completely on my own. However, now that I have a book in print, the help of other published authors whom I’ve met on the Internet has been invaluable. They’ve led me to reviewers and readers and opened the door to numerous marketing opportunities. In fact, I learned about this site through another writer.

Lillian:   What do you feel makes your books unique or stand out from others in your genre?

Catherine:   I suppose it’s the elements of suspense that I throw into my novels. I like to keep readers on the edge of their seats, which is one of the reasons why New York editors said Gilded could never completely fit into the romance genre: they wanted books that followed a specific formula, and my plot takes several unexpected twists and turns. It’s not a thriller, per se, but I can honestly say that no one will entirely predict the ending before reaching it. The best praise I’ve received from readers and reviewers (and even from the NY editors who ultimately rejected Gilded for marketing reasons) is that people are staying up late to read the book because they can’t wait to see how it turns out. I can’t tell you how ecstatic that makes me feel!

Lillian:   What made you choose the genres you write?

Catherine:   Reading classic literature and wanting to jump back in time. Plus, I think we can view problems and concerns of modern-day people a little more clearly when the same issues are set in the past. For some reason it’s easier to see our own weaknesses when they’re not sitting right in front of us.

Lillian:   Do you have a special sub-genre?

Catherine:   I write in a sub-genre that’s often labeled romantic historicals: love stories for readers who enjoy history and want to be immersed in period details and historical events. My agent tried to sell Gilded as a Masterpiece Theatre-style romance, which is a good way to sum up the sub-genre. Because it’s so much harder to publish and promote such books, since they don’t always follow the genre romance rules, I created a site devoted to them: http: //www.HistoryandLovers.com. I think of it as a specialized online bookstore, and responses to it have been wonderful.

Lillian:   In what order do you write? For example starting beginning to end, combining parts, in random order or in development cycle?

Catherine:   On paper, I write from beginning to end, but in my head I jump all over the place. I don’t always work with an outline, but I do like to create a calendar for my years of choice so I can keep the passage of time straight. My characters usually take me down roads I never even expect to travel when I first start the drafts, which is why I like to write in order. It’s easier for me to let the characters develop on their own.

Lillian:   Do you feel that the e-books afford authors a bit more freedom of expression in their books?

Catherine:   Oh, yes, definitely! Even though I had a reputable agent, the New York belief that mainstream historical fiction is "unmarketable" kept Gilded from getting through their doors, so, after winning two awards for the book, I published it on my own, with the help of the award money and editor friends. I then learned that many historical authors went through the exact same rejection experience, big-time agent and all, and they were all picked up by e-publishers.

PART OF THIS ANSWER HAS BEEN DELETED DUE TO CHANGES SINCE THE ORIGINAL INTERVIEW.

Lillian:   What do you feel is, or isn't being done to promote authors?

Catherine:   I think too much of an emphasis is being placed on promoting guaranteed bestsellers, namely books by established top-selling authors or "hot" new titles with potential movie tie-ins or guaranteed commercial appeal. Lesser-known authors, even ones published by large publishing houses, are being forced to do most of the promotion on their own, which is why many of them are turning to self-publishing and e-publishing. If you’re going to do all the work anyway, you should at least enjoy freedom of expression, as well.

Lillian:   Do you feel that the marketing departments have their finger on the pulse of readers?

Catherine:   I’m positive of it. I’ve talked to so many historical authors about their own rejections, and they’ve all been due to marketing reasons. Common phrases: "You chose an unpopular time period," "Historical fiction has been dead since the ‘80s," "You need more romance and less history in order to be published," "Westerns are the hot things to publish at the moment." And the same is true of other genres: there’s marketing-based rules about what types of sci-fi will be accepted, what sub-genre of horror is the current hot sell, and so on. Even when editors are ecstatic about a manuscript, the marketing department has the final say. Glowing rejection letters are not uncommon.

Lillian:   How do you feel about review rating systems?

Catherine:   As long as reviewers write honest reviews, and rate a book as accurately as possible, I think rating systems are fair and advantageous to readers, especially nowadays when so many thousands of books are being published due to the new technologies. Books are best sold through word of mouth, so reviewers are essential for finding one’s way around new titles.

Lillian:   Through what venues do you feel most of your books are being sold?

Catherine:   So far, most of my sales have been from online venues. I’ve found most of my readers through Internet discussion groups and book-related Web sites, so it’s easy for readers to pop over to an online bookstore and make a purchase. I have some booksignings coming up soon, so hopefully that will help my brick-and-mortar store sales.

Lillian:   What do you feel is the best part of the publishing industry?

Catherine:   The emergence of alternative means of publication. It’s taking us back to the old days when bold authors like Mark Twain and D. H. Lawrence took publishing in their own hands and produced their works themselves. Art and fearlessness are once again merging together, which is thrilling for both authors and readers.

Lillian:   What do you feel needs to be changed about the industry?

Catherine:   Large traditional publishers need to stop rejecting quality books because they’re afraid they won’t be able to market them successfully. I know money and art don’t always make compatible bedfellows, but by resurrecting the mid-list level of books of the past, publishers could take on riskier books without hurting themselves. As a reader, I get fed up with being told which genre and sub-genres I should read, and I’ve begun to do my shopping elsewhere, frequently turning to smaller publishers and e-publishers who aren’t afraid to take chances.

Lillian:   Do you think small press and e-books will be the wave of the future?

Catherine: If small publishers and e-publishers can stay in business, make a little profit, and prove their credibility, then they’ll have a huge impact on the publishing industry. The big hurdle right now is that the big-time publishers are still the only ones with money, so they can afford to promote their books in ways the little guys can’t. However, because the Internet offers so much affordable advertising, it’s not entirely impossible to have these smaller books making a big splash. After all, I’m a little-known author in California and, with hardly any marketing budget of my own, I’ve generated interest from readers in far-away places like Bulgaria and Georgia (the country, not just the state), simply because of the Web.

Readers are a key part of the future, as well. If more and more people realize what treasures lie outside the esteemed gates of New York, and are willing to try out a book even if it’s not endorsed by Oprah or topping the bestseller lists, then maybe the little guys will have a chance. I’m always one to root for the underdog, so I’m hoping with all my heart that the independents give commercial pubs a run for their money.

Catherine Karp

Karp's debut novel, Gilded, won the Hollywood Film Festival's Opus Magnum Discovery Award and took first place in the Authorlink New Author Awards Competition Published title: Gilded, ISBN 0738825530 The E-book version of Gilded is coming soon Novel-in-progress: Voices Airy Gilded Catherine Karp Reviewed October 2000. INTEVIEW CONDUCTED BY LILLIAN CALDWELL

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