Karen Monahan Fernandes graduated from the University of
Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in English, and spent her junior year
studying abroad in the UK. Since then, she has written professionally as a
newspaper journalist, an editor in educational publishing, and a software
technical writer. Writing Strega was a true adventure, and one of her
favorite journeys.
Your
real name and pen name?
One and
the same.
Please
share some of the best memories of your childhood
Some of
my best memories from childhood are with my dad. He always took time to enjoy
the simple, fun moments with me. He always pointed out the beauty around
us—singing birds, flowering trees, the full moon. Even when the world is
crashing down around me, I can always see a glimmer of light. I have my dad to
thank for that.
About
your education? What career did you plan during your education days?
I’ve
always wanted to be a writer. I fell in love with literature and writing in
high school. I went into college very open-minded, but I naturally migrated to
English literature classes. At one point, I was a Wildlife and Fisheries
Conservation major. I love nature, animals, and biology. But my love for
literature won out in the end.
What
languages you can speak and write?
English
is the only language I can confidently speak and write. I took years of Spanish
in high school and college. My in-laws are from Portugal, and I’ve been
passively learning Portuguese for years, but Rosetta Stone is definitely in my
future!
What is
your biggest source of inspiration in life
My
husband and my son. They inspire me to be the best I can be every single day.
What
hurts you most in this world
Children
that suffer physical/emotional abuse of any kind. It breaks my heart like
nothing else.
What is
the biggest challenge you have faced? How did you overcome it?
I’ve
faced quite a few challenges in my life (major health issues, losing my dad,
losing my brother), and the way I overcome them is to focus on the positive
things in life. There is always something to appreciate, admire, be thankful
for, be in awe of. When we keep our eyes on the darkness, we slip into despair.
So I turn my eyes to the light when I need to rebuild myself.
If you
had to live a day of your life as one of the living or dead personality, who
would it be and why?
Cleopatra.
The world was such a different place back then (in good and bad ways), and I’d
love to witness and experience all the subtle nuances. Cleopatra was as
compelling as any fictional character, so hers would be interesting shoes to
step into for a day.
What is
your favorite genre and why?
I love
just about any story that involves a little magic. Supernatural. Paranormal.
Mystical. Fantastical. Epic. Anything that takes me out of my world and on an
awesome journey.
When
did you start writing? What is the purpose of
your writing?
I’ve
been writing since I could hold a pen in my hand. I’ve been a sponge for good
stories my whole life. I love to write (and read) as an escape into a different
world. Writing allows me to express the ugliness of real-life struggle and pain
with beauty and grace. Creative expression (writing, art, music, anything
creative) is magical, transformative, and so therapeutic.
Which
of your work has been published so far? Would you like to share a synopsis of
your work?
I just
published my first novel, Strega (Book I of the Strega Series), in
December 2013.
Synopsis:
When
high school senior Jay Bonifacio finds her grandmother brutally murdered in
their small-town home, the scar left by the death of her parents years earlier
is ripped open. She is devastated, but she is not nearly as terrified as she
should be. Jay is a Strega. Like her mother and grandmother, she is a
descendant of the original Strega of ancient Etruria—gifted women of the woods
bestowed with godly power, and the world’s first witches. With the truth
withheld from her all her life, Jay is blindsided when her power is unbound.
Demons are coming for her. They killed the people she loved most to get to her,
and they won’t rest until she is dead. Forced to embrace her identity if only
to survive, Jay uncovers a past life when her ruthless enemy’s hatred for her
was born, and she rediscovers an eternal love that has burned throughout
lifetimes. Fighting for her life, she is drawn back into an ancient battle between
the virtuous and the wicked that threatens to destroy her and all of humankind.
What
are your forthcoming writings? What are your future plans?
I’m
working on Strega Book II now, which will be released in October 2014.
What
four top most things you take care of while writing a book?
Pace.
Plot points. Character development. General awesomeness.
Pace: I
like a fast pace when I read, so naturally I like to write that way too. I love
when a book makes me wish I didn’t have to put it down, and that I had enough
time for just one more chapter.
Plot
points: Plot points are essential – the way they present individually and the
way they are woven together. If I don’t care about the plot points in my story,
I can’t expect that my readers are going to care either. I have to be excited,
scared, fascinated, swooning, longing, if I want to conjure these feelings in
my readers.
Character
Development: My characters have to feel real, like you could potentially run
into them on the street they feel so genuine. My characters are constructed
from fragments of people I’ve met throughout my life, people that fascinate me,
terrify me, mystify me, and generally make me feel something special or unique.
So they are, in essence, real to me, and I try to write them with that genuine
integrity.
General
Awesomeness: After all these essential elements fall together, I run through my
manuscript countless times, making sure that everything I’m trying to say is
said with hand-picked, perfect words and phrases that make me erupt with the
exact emotion I’m after.
Your
dream destination on Earth?
Tuscany.
There’s a reason I’m drawn to write about the ancient cultures and lore from
this region of the world. Something about it fascinates me. I dream of a
month-long vacation there with my family, and riding a bike through the Tuscan
hillside (stopping for a bit of wine and cheese along the way).
Your
origin of birth and other countries you have visited/ stayed. What best things
you liked in these countries around the globe?
I was
born in the US. My family is from Ireland. My traveling resume is far from
complete—there are so many places I want to visit. I’ve been to Ireland and the
UK. I love seeing the world through different perspectives. I love meeting new
people and stepping into their everyday normal lives (immersing myself in new
foods, music, art, landscapes).
Your
favorite time of the day?
I love
quiet mornings. I love having coffee with my husband before the rest of the
world around us is awake. I love seeing the sun come up each day. It’s always a
miracle.
Your
zodiac/ sunsign?
Cancer.
Your
favorite color and why?
Green,
because it’s the color of new life. Even in the dead of winter, green reminds
me of spring and all the new life that will soon pop up out of the soil.
Your
favorite book and why?
I love The
Hobbit. I was so young when my big brother Tom read it to me (a treasured
memory), and it really shaped my imagination. Adventure. Dragons. Noble quest.
What more could a girl ask for?
Your
favorite celebrity and why?
My
favorite celebrities are charitable, philanthropic ones. With so much money and
power that could be used selfishly or selflessly, it is admirable when they
take the high road and use their reach to help make the world a better place.
Your
favorite food?
Chocolate
anything.
Some
quickies: Sun or Moon, Laughter or Smile, Morning or Evening, Coffee or Tea,
Mountain or Sea, Long Drive or Short Drive, Silence or Conversation, Water or
Fire, Air or Earth, Mars or Jupiter, Moon or Sun, Tulip or Rose, Red or Blue,
Left or Right, Glance or Stare
Sun or
Moon: Sun
Laughter
or Smile: Laughter
Morning
or Evening: Morning
Coffee
or Tea: Morning coffee; afternoon and evening tea
Mountain
or Sea: Sea
Long
Drive or Short Drive: Long Drive
Silence
or Conversation: Conversation
Water
or Fire: Fire
Air or
Earth: Earth
Mars or
Jupiter: Jupiter
Tulip
or Rose: Tulip
Red or
Blue: Blue
Left or
Right: Left
Glance
or Stare: Stare
What
three words come to your mind for each – Technology, Life, God, Humanity,
Terrorism, Racism, Childhood Abuse, Love, Parenting, Old age
Technology:
power, reach, connection
Life:
beauty, love, light
God:
power, light, magnificence
Humanity:
raw, challenging, evolving
Terrorism:
rattling, darkness, pain
Racism:
ignorance, insecurity, fear
Childhood
abuse: punishable, horrific, unforgiveable
Love:
precious, gift, miracle
Parenting:
privilege, gift, miracle
Old
age: wisdom, journey, gift
State
your signature line/ tagline/ best quote
Be
epic.
The
last line of your autobiography would be…
She
loved fiercely, treasured every moment, annihilated every obstacle in her way,
and she lived happily ever after.
Links:
Website/Blog: http://karenmonahanfernandes.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KMFern
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