Welcome back to my blog, Karina. I must say that it is always a pleasure to get emails from you. I believe you are quite a bit younger [...]]]> Well, it’s a bit late but as one says, better late than never, so finally after a 10 day delay here is the interview with Karina. . .

Welcome back to my blog, Karina. I must say that it is always a pleasure to get emails from you. I believe you are quite a bit younger than I am, but your comments like “sweetie” are nice after a tiring day at work and sure do make me feel good.

Glad you’re back just in time as we’re off Tues to the East Coast. So without further ado please join me in welcoming Karina Fabian.

Gloria: Karina! There you are! How was the move?

Karina: Crazy. The week before we left, my 8-year-old broke his arm, we got hit by a drunk driver, and my new laptop died, taking a week’s worth of data and all my e-mail addresses, etc. with it. (I had them on back up, but the drive was packed.) Then, of course, we were on the road, with intermittent Internet. Once we got here, we had some problems getting my e-mail to send out. Crazy times, but we’re here at Minot AFB; Rob loves his job as Squadron Commander of the 91 MOS; the house is beautiful; the kids are loving school (a big concern after having home schooled for 5 years); and I’m fully connected to the Internet.

Gloria: Wow. Are your moves always this eventful? The most important thing is that you made it safely to your new destination.

Karina: Not really, and the upside is things have gone very smoothly here in Minot. It’s a small town and a small base, so we already know our neighbors. We also got our household goods the day after getting our base house—an amazing feat. I’m now alternating between working and unpacking boxes. Boxes are going to go a lot slower now that I have my beloved connectivity, though! Plus I have several assignments due, including workshops and a manuscript.

Gloria: More sci-fi?

Karina: No, this one is a fantasy comedy about a dragon detective and his image partner who have to chaperone the magical creatures at a human Mensa convention in Florida. The story I’m basing it on, “Magic, Mensa and Mayhem” just won an award.

Gloria: Congratulations! Well,tell us about your science fiction anthology,Infinite Space,Infinite God, which came out Aug 15.

Karina: Infinite Space, Infinite God, an anthology of fifteen stories about the future Catholic Church, explores the future as it impacts the moral and religious issues of our time, using the Catholic Church as its “lens”. Experience the Church’s struggle to evangelize aliens and lost human colonies and to determine the soul-status for genetically modified humans, genetically-designed chimeras, and clones made from the Martian sand. Discover religious orders devoted to protecting interstellar travelers or inner-city priests. Experience technical advances that allow monks to live in solitude on the Moon and help one criminal learn the true meaning of Confession. Learn about the present and future advances that will affect Catholic doctrine in introductions by the editors.

This is not just sci-fi for Catholics, however. The stories are strongly plot and character driven, not preachy or evangelizing in nature. It won the 2007 EPPIE award for best science fiction, and has received great reviews from readers of all faiths. If you like thought-provoking stories that recognize that faith will continue to be a part of the human condition, Infinite Space, Infinite God is for you.

Gloria: Is this a book for adults only, or is it something kids can read?

Karina: None of the stories are very violent or sexual, but some of the concepts do get a little deep. I’d say 14 and up. I have had some folks comment that teens should read this because of its treatment of modern and future issues. In fact, one mother went so far as to say that all kids should read it before they reach voting age.

Gloria: Did you intend to write a social commentary, then?

Karina: Actually, no. Rob and I wanted to put together a fun, exciting read of science fiction that recognized that the Catholic Church would still be a viable presence in the future. That so many have found it valuable in this regard is icing on the cake for us. However, that is what good science fiction does—makes you think.

Gloria: Thanks, Karina, for checking in. Where can folks learn more about your book?

Karina: Thank you, Gloria, for your patience! To learn more about Infinite Space, Infinite God, go to http://isigsf.tripod.com. You can order it directly from the publisher at www.twilighttimesbooks.com or from www.amazon.com. If you like bookstores (we do!), you can order it by the ISBN number: 978-1-933353-62-3. Libraries can order it, too. (Ingrams and Baker and Taylor are the distributors.)

Gloria: Well, as always, it was great having you here today. Looking forward to having you visit again.

Till next time,
Gloria

Let’s have the drum roll–the winner is Karina Fabian.

Your prize is going in the mail and you should have it really soon. I hope you enjoy it. By the [...]]]> With many apologies for the delay in the announcement, we finally have a winner in the random drawing for a copy of Kathryn Porter’s book on de-cluttering.

Let’s have the drum roll–the winner is Karina Fabian.

Your prize is going in the mail and you should have it really soon. I hope you enjoy it. By the way, it was nice talking to you on the phone today.

On another topic on most people’s minds today I would like to remind all who have not yet filed your tax returns: Don’t forget the long distance phone tax refund! Tonight on the news they announced that of the returns already filed, one third forgot to include this. So please remember to claim this refund.

And since I am on the topic of news reports tonight I must tell you about this. A pregnant young lady painted ubid.com on her pregnant belly. I was shocked. How did we come to this? If a young pregnant girl can’t keep her baby there are options available to help her out (and I don’t mean abortion) but, give me a break, not putting the baby up for bids. What do you think? Is this okay or is it shocking that someone would even think of something like this?

Till next time
Gloria

Good morning Karina and thanks for giving me this opportunity. Let’s get straight to the interview.

Gloria: How long [...]]]> I am honored to host an interview, on the topic of writing with children around, with Karina Fabian, author of Infinite Space, Infinite God, as part of her Virtual Tour. Join me in welcoming Karina to Gloria’s Corner.

Good morning Karina and thanks for giving me this opportunity. Let’s get straight to the interview.

Gloria: How long have you been writing?

Karina: I’ve been making up stories since I was a child and writing them since I could put two sentences together. In high school, I started writing SF–mostly Star Trek fanfic. I wrote my first novel in college. It was a stinker, but a few years ago, I went back to it and reworked it into the trilogy that I’m shopping to publishers.

Gloria: When you began writing did you have young children to tend to? If yes, how old were they?

Karina: As a matter of fact, I started writing as a profession when Steven and Amber were toddlers–about one and two and a half. I was working part-time in the Air Force reserves, but writing was a way of my having something that was particularly mine.

Gloria: When children are young, how does a parent find time to be a writer as well?

Karina: I used nap times (though mine weren’t much for naps) and when they watched videos or played. When we were stationed near my parents (Rob’s in the AF), my mom came and spent half a day with the kids so I could write. I also make a point of writing a little something before bed.
Now that the kids are older, they’re better able to fend for themselves, so I have a lot more freedom. However, with homeschooling, I don’t always have much more time…

Gloria: What type of things do you write?

Karina: It’s varied over the years depending on what’s going on in my life. I’ve written articles on parenting, pregnancy, homeschooling and religion. I’ve interviewed authors, artists, businesspeople and priests and other religious. I’ve written about community events, international organizations, and things that are going on in my life. I’ve also written three craft books for Catholic Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs. (www.eccehomopress.com)
As Rob’s progressed in rank and our finances have improved, I’ve devoted more time to fiction, both short stories and novels. I generally stick to science fiction and fantasy, though I’ve written a few comedy pieces, some romance and mystery. A lot of my stuff is cross genre. I have several short stories published in magazines, and one coming in Firestorm of Dragons. I’ve written three novels and two anthologies. Infinite Space, Infinite God is my latest is an anthology of science fiction and deals with Catholics and the Catholic Church of the future and the challenges genetic engineering, time travel, alien encounters, and dystopias pose for those trying to live their faith. It’s out in e-book by Twilight Times Books and will be out in print in August.

Gloria: Karina, are parent writers more slanted to children’s books when writing than other writers?

Karina: I don’t think so. I have a couple of stories I made up to entertain the kids on the subway that I want to make into books, but for me, writing is a way of having “adult time.” My audience is 17 and up.
On the other hand, I share a lot of my stuff with my kids and my godchildren, particularly my Dragon Eye, PI stories. (ages 6-13) It’s kind of funny, because you can tell how deeply Rob and I have “indoctrinated” our children into the fantasy/SF genre. They get all the jokes.

Gloria: Is it possible to have organized time and space for writing with small children around?

Karina: Is it possible to have organized time and space for writing with small children around? I know there are women who can do it, but I’m not one of them. If you have a child who is scheduled, you can work with the schedule.
My kids, however, defied scheduling, so I learned to be flexible and creative on the fly. I also stayed up late, which suits me fine as I’m a night owl.
I also have help. Rob is great about handling bedtime routine when I’m on a roll. My mom took care of the kids 4-5 hours a day when we lived near her. I also have a housekeeper who comes in twice a week. Not only does she keep the place scrubbed, but it forces me to pick up everything the day before she comes. Otherwise, the house gets trashed.
My space varies with where we’re living and what I’m doing. When I was doing a lot of interviews and non-fiction work, having a study was a great help. Now that I concentrate more on fiction, I find I prefer to write on my laptop while reclining in bed.

Gloria: How does a writing parent handle business calls without interruption by the kids?

Karina: By having a very understanding interviewee! I usually warn the kids that I’ll be 20 minutes and for the oldest to help the “youngers,” but inevitably one has to come down for something. I just excuse myself, handle the issue quickly and gently boot the child out. I tell the person I’m interviewing that I have young ones and they’re usually sympathetic or even charmed. The only time it was ever an issue was when I was interviewing for a freelance job researching stories for a radio producer. She seemed doubtful I could balance work and kids, but gave me a chance and seemed quite satisfied with my work.

Gloria: What clues can a parent pick up from listening to their young children that are helpful when writing?

Karina: I often wrote articles based on what was going on with the kids–whether it was potty training or learning to read. If you’re having a problem or a question about childrearing, no doubt others are, too! In fiction, I’ll ask my kids for ideas, bounce scenes and stories off them. Sometimes, I’ll translate an event in their lives into a scene for a story, though I’m really more apt to use what’s happened in my past.

Gloria: Is it possible to train a child to become a writer?

Karina: Depends on what you mean. My parents did nothing to “train” me to be a writer. They listened to my stories when I shared them, but all the writing I did was for school and the reading I did was on my own. What they did do, unfailingly, was love me and give me a safe, stable home. (Although, from what you hear about other famous authors, that may have been a disadvantage!)
I struggle to teach writing to my kids. I am a writer by trade and love, yet I can’t seem to get my kids to use simple grammar in a paragraph–and making them write a story or essay for school can be cause for fights and tears! I often think, “Where have I gone wrong?” Nonetheless, when left alone, my 11-year-old started writing songs, and my 13-year-old has started a Pokemon saga. (Last month, he reported, “I think I’ll add some romance–but not for my character!”) So they are writers in their own right–but did that have anything to do with me?
I think you can give a child an appreciation for writing and you can try to teach them the rules, but writing comes from within. Oh, but do give them a loving, stable home. Whether or not it helps their writing career, it will help them grow into loving adults.

Gloria: Is it easier to write with young children around or with adolescents and teenagers?

Karina: Older kids. They respect my quiet time a little better. (That answer may be different for moms who have kids that actually nap, though. I seldom got 2 hours’ uninterrupted time.)

Gloria: Do the same strategies for parents who write hold for writing grandparents who care for their grandchildren?

Karina: I think whether you’re a parent or grandparent, if you’re raising a child, how you fit writing in will depend on your relationship, your home, and your energy level. It’s not an age issue.

Gloria: As we approach the end of this section of your tour I’d like to ask you what advice can you offer to newbie writers who are parents dealing with children and family obligations?

Karina: #1 Make sure your spouse understands that this is important to you. There will be times when a story takes precedence over cleaning the house or cooking a meal from scratch. I was lucky; before we met, Rob had seen a poem I’d written with a friend in a Star Trek convention program–and had cut it and kept it! He knew I was a writer and has always supported that.

#2 Be flexible, be realistic, but be committed. Don’t talk about writing, don’t just read about writing, write! One paragraph a day, one article a month, whatever you can fit in. My writing output varies from 2000 words a month during busy times to 2000 words a day during National Novel Writers’ Month. Have a notebook or laptop for writing–something you can take with you. Last month, I wrote while cooking.
#3 Know what you want from your writing. If you want to make money, you need to spend time researching markets that pay and gearing your writing toward those markets. If you’re more interested in writing for the love of it and aren’t as concerned about being published, then you only need to please yourself. If you’re somewhere in between, you can start with smaller, nonpaying markets that can help you grow as a writer. (If you’re inexperienced, these can be a good idea anyway.)
#4 Lower your standards on some things. Before I started writing, I used to clean the dishwasher on a regular basis, that’s how clean I kept the house. Now, we’re lucky if the floor gets swept once a week. It used to bug me, but not writing bugs me worse and something somewhere had to give. I use the money I make writing to have a housekeeper.

#5 Keep loving your spouse and raising your kids your #1 priority.
In 18 years, you’ll still be able to write–but you won’t be able to pull your little one into your lap for a story or watch them as they ride their bike without training wheels for the first time or have that heart-to-heart chat that will mean so much to them later. And when you set that pen down, there’s nothing better than a loving spouse to cuddle with!

Thanks for offering something like this. Thank you for hosting me! I’ve enjoyed having this chance to examine my own writing life and hopefully share something of value to others.

I’d like to invite folks to my blog, www.fabianspace.com, where I talk about parenting, writing and homeschooling. If anyone has questions for me, they can contact me there. Finally, if anyone would like more information about Infinite Space, Infinite God, check out http://isigsf.tripod.com.

Gloria: Well, Karina, the time has come for us to part. It has been a pleasure hosting you today and perhaps we can do it again sometime in the future. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your Virtual Tour and to you and everyone else I offer my wishes for a fantastic holiday season and a great year for 2007.

Till next time
Gloria