We’re talking today to Karen Simpson, author of the contemporary speculative fiction novel Act of Grace. Karen is passionate about the craft of writing fiction, the art of quilting, and the discipline of historical research. She received her bachelor’s degree in Animal Husbandry, M.A. in Foreign and International Trade and a M.S. in Historic Preservation. A historic preservationist trained in heritage interpretation and administration, the subjects and themes of her fiction are often taken from the stories she discovers while doing research for museum exhibits. In 2009 Simpson was awarded the Speculative Literature Foundation’s Older Writers Grant. She is lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Act of Grace is her first novel.
Thank you for this interview, Karen. Can you tell us a little about yourself and how long you’ve been writing?
Thanks so much for inviting me. I’m a lifelong resident of Michigan. I was born in Detroit, and now live in Ann Arbor, a university town that is a great place for artists of all kinds to live and work . Since the age of five, I considered myself a writer but I didn’t get serious until about ten years ago when I started working on Act of Grace.
Can you tell us briefly what your book is about?
Act of Graceis the story of Grace Johnson an African American high school senior who saves the life of a Klansman named Jonathan Gilmore. Everyone in her hometown of Vigilant, Michiganwants to know why. Few people, black or white, understand her act of sacrifice especially since rumor holds that years ago a member of the Gilmore family murdered several African -Americans including Grace’s father. Grace wants to remain silent on the matter but Ancestors spirits emerge in visions and insist she bear witness to her town’s violent racial history so that all involved might transcend it.
Who is your intended audience? Have you been able to crossover into other audiences as well?
Act of Graceis a contemporary fantasy that deal with issues of race, and it was my hope that it would appeal to readers who wanted to think about justice, community, tolerance, love, family, struggle and healing in new and different ways. I also hoped that my novel would enable readers of all colors and backgrounds to have more honest and hope filled conversations about these universal issues. I have been pleased to find that my novel has inspired many such conversations, especially during book clubs.
Why did you choose your particular genre?
I love reading and writing speculative fiction. For those who might not have heard of the term, speculative fiction is use to describe the breadth of fantastic literature, ranging from hard science fiction to epic fantasy to ghost stories to horror to folk and fairy tales to slipstream to magical realism to modern myth-making and more.I write speculative fiction, in part, because it offers innovative avenues for looking at the world’s problems.
Do you ever experience self-doubts with your work?
Oh, I’ve had so many doubts about my work. I think all writers have them. I sometimes think that doubt is every writer’s middle name because you just never know if what you are writing will be well received or understood.
Where do you write? Do you have a favorite place?
I tend to write my first draft in long hand on my couch.
What kind of research did you have to do during the writing process?
I did a lot of research on Michiganhistory and I made it a point of traveling to the small town Grace is from to look around.
Who is your publisher and how did you get accepted by them? Did you pitch your book yourself or go through an agent?
My Publisher is Plenary Publishing an independent publisher of multicultural fiction and nonfiction. I queried them after my agent was unable to place my novel with a larger publishing house. I am very grateful for the opportunity they provided me to get my work out into the world.
How are you promoting your book thus far?
I’ve been approaching independent bookstores. So far my best promotional tool has been word of mouth. I have been doing quite a few book clubs and appearances at local independent bookstores. I’ve also recorded a pod cast for the Ann Arbor District Library. This summer I was selected to be one of the featured speakers at the Ann Arbor Book Festival. I haven’t done any radio or TV yet but I hope to do so in the future.
If you could give one book promotion tip to new authors, what would that be?
Whether you decided to publish traditionally or self publish read as much about the marketing of books as possible so that you understand what it is going to take to get your work out into the world. Have a detail business plan don’t just expect that your book is going to sell well without a huge amount of work on you, the author’s part
What’s next for you?
Currently I’m working on a new, so far untitled, work that one of my writer friends describes as a historical novel with paranormal sprinkles. I also plan to do a sequel to Act of Grace.
Thank you for this interview, Karen. We wish you much success!
You can visit Karen Simpson’s website at www.karensimpsonwrites, her blog at www.lafreya.blogspot.com or connect with her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lafreya1
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