Southern Ghost | Wanda's Book World

Not Quite 20 Questions with Karen White

Posted by Wanda in Authors as Guest Bloggers on October 2, 2010

Karen White, The Girl on Legare Street, SIBA Fiction Nominee is the bestselling and sleep-deprived author of twelve “grit lit” novels and Southern ghost stories.

Favorite book as a child? Time at the Top by Edmund Ormondroyd

What are you reading right now? Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Why that title? The book involves a house on Legare Street in Charleston and a female ghost so I didn’t have to think that hard…

Why independent bookstores matter? They are the sugar in my sweet tea. Knowledgeable, passionate, dedicated—and unparalleled!

Favorite part of writing a book? Typing “The End.”

Least favorite part of writing a book? The middle. That’s about the point in the book where I think to myself, “this sucks.”

Are you working on anything new? I’m currently working on THE BEACH TREES, set in Biloxi, Mississippi, which will be out in May, 2011.

Do you have any superstitions, lucky charms, or rituals around your writing? My dog, Quincy. He’s four years old and since he was a puppy he’s glued himself to my side while I’m writing.

Comment on the writing life… If it were easy, everybody would be doing it.

Hardest part of the creation to publication experience? The copy edits. When I type The End I, really don’t want to see it again.

Why do you write? Because I can’t imagine not writing. Because hearing from readers who have been touched by my writing is the icing on my cupcake.

When do you write? Whenever I can. I love writing early in the morning the best, though, and wake up super early 7 days a week to do that.

When did you know you were a writer? I’m still trying to convince myself… Seriously, until about my 12th book, I thought this whole “writing as a career” thing was a fluke!

15. What, or Who, will you dish on, as in gossip about, at dinner? Wanda Jewell. There is SO much material there.