Reading by Deb: INTERVIEW with SOPHIA KARLSON

I want to thank Sophia Karlson for taking the time for this interview!

BIO:

Sophia is an award-winning author who writes sensual, emotional and evocative contemporary romance.

When she's not writing, she can be found binge-watching the latest TV series, walking the dogs, or planning the family's next trip into the wilds.

She has a healthy addiction to tea, takoyaki (Japanese octopus balls), and chocolate.

When and how did you know you wanted to be a writer?

When I turned 13 I knew I wanted to be a writer. I even wrote a book that is somewhere in longhand and well hidden from the world. Life took many twists and turns, but I believe I’m meant to be writing.

Did you have any influencing writers growing up?

Tracy Sinclair is one romance writer that comes to mind – I still have some of her paperbacks which I love re-reading.

Are any of your characters based on people in real life?

No, fortunately not! My characters are a mix of ideas and traits that have gathered over decades of tidbits shared by people.

Where do you draw your book inspirations from?

The smallest things can trigger a story. My first published book, Perfect Mistake, was triggered by me being a passenger on a De Havilland Twin prop aircraft.

I watched as the two pilots pushed the throttle together to get the plane in the air, essentially holding hands and I thought “Jeez, that’s intimate. What if you don’t like the person…what if you are in love with the other pilot…what if you fall in love over this small touch.” The rest is history, so to say.

Do you use have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?

In the past, I had ideas of where I’d like the story to go, but now I tried to plot an outline and stick to it. The characters tend to come in and voice their opinions…I chose to listen or to ignore.

When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?

This is a lesson learnt – I now have book covers before I even have an outline.

It’s so much easier to have a photo to use for a cover than to try and match a photo to your idea of the characters. So yes, I do work with photos for inspiration.

Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?

I love reading and binge-watching TV.

Also being outdoors in nature hiking and camping. In winter, I love skiing.

Who are your favorite current authors to read?

I love reading all the big names – Emily Henry, Tessa Bailey, Beth O’Leary for romance. For historical fiction I love Kate Quinn and for mystery I can live in a world created by Lucy Foley for many a happy hour!

What are your favorite books by others?

Romance: The Rosie Project by Graham Simsion and Tangled by Emma Chase are my firm favorites.

Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?

Oh yes. My first books were all about location – I used to live in Tanzania and have two books based there.

I have a deep love for everything French and have a book set in Paris, and then one of my favorite places in the world, Arniston in the Cape in South Africa, is one of my locales in The Shrink.

Do you write in single or multiple POV?

I do duel POV with hero and heroine.

What do you find to be your best research tool?

Visiting a place and experiencing it for myself is always gold, but if that’s not possible, good old google earth and internet research.

Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?

I write under one pen name, Sophia Karlson.

What genre do you write and why is this your preference?

I love writing romance because I love making people happy, and if it’s romance it must have a happy ending. I would love to tinker with a mystery/thriller in the lines of what Lucy Foley writes, but I’m not sure my head is geared for that.

Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky trait...what led to you being you?

I have seriously itchy feet – I used to work in the travel industry and that got me going.

I’ve lived in six countries and can speak four languages…and English isn’t my mother tongue.

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

Don’t give up! Giving up is the easiest thing to do when it comes to writing.

How do you deal and process negative book reviews?

I read them and learn from them what I can.

Sometimes they’re just an angry rant, and then I hope the person’s day/life/year improved.

What is the most difficult part of your writing process?

Writing through blocks and hiccups. I’ve come to realize that Writer’s Block is more like something is wrong in the part you’ve written so far and I need to fix that before I can carry on…

What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you focused?

I used to write with my kids around while they were small, now I enjoy quiet and little disruption, but my life isn’t like that. I have interruptions all the time and it doesn’t matter; I just carry on.

What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?

Chocolate…so much chocolate…

If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose? And why?

I would love to spend a day with Georgette Heyer.

She is the queen of Regency Romance and she said there is so much of her in her books and didn’t like doing interviews (If you wanted to know her, read her books was her opinion).

I would love to get into her head as regards how she plotted her books plus I think we would have a lovely time over a cup of tea!

What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or drink?

I write best between 9 and 12 in the morning and then again between 1 and 3 in the afternoon. The rest happens in drips and drabs during which I will drink copious of tea.

Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of music is your favorite?

I like music to set the mood and love anything composed by Chad Lawson.

Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?

I don’t have cats that get onto my keyboard, but I have two beagles that constantly want to go in and out of the house…

What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?

Having to deal with admin that never seems to stop – I’m now at a point where I try to narrow the gap between knowing things need to be done and actually doing them. Not putting something off forever is very liberating!

Have you ever killed off a character that your readers loved?