Author Archives: Karen

And Now for a little Venting

Posted on by
Reply

I had high expectations for Carols Christmas. I’d hoped that the fact I was donating money to charity would help with sales. Except they haven’t.

It’s not the first time I’ve had my expectations blown out of the water. All of my books have done worse than I thought they would. I think Second-Hand Daughter is a slight exception, but not by much.

I wonder if I’m writing boring shit, or stuff that people don’t want to read. I know that I have fans who like my work, and I deeply appreciate all of you.

But this time, I wanted to raise money for Breast Cancer New Zealand, because it is one of the charities I support (the other one being Daffodil Day at the end of August).

As of 19 October, I’ve raised $16 to be donated to Breast Cancer New Zealand. I wasn’t expecting to donate hundreds of dollars, but I had a goal of $50 – I’m not even half way there.

I realise that things are tough financially for a lot of people at the moment, but sometimes I really wonder whether writing is worth the pain that I constantly put myself through, but then I have way too many ideas going through my head to not write. I just don’t have enough time or energy to write everything I think about. (I do make notes of these ideas.)

Thank you for listening to me carry on. I just needed to get that off my chest. Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

RIP Diane Keaton

Posted on by
Reply

Today, I learnt a sad fact of life. Everyone dies. Even those that you love and respect, and aspire to be like.

Today, 12 November 2025, Diane Keaton died. Self-titled as ‘the kooky actress’ she won a lot of accolades and awards for her roles over the years, whether they were serious or comedic. She wasn’t a comedian, she just managed to make things funny, by stating it as fact, or through her timing.

She had a tomboyish clothing style and favoured wearing vintage men’s clothing and often wore hats and different coloured lenses in her glasses. Whether this was because she liked the look or not I can’t find out. But I love yellow lenses which brings light into your eyes when it’s dark out.

The first movie I really saw Ms Keaton in was the First Wives Club – with Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn who are also favourite actresses. She plays someone who was really loved her husband and didn’t believe that he really wanted a divorce. She really seemed to have her head buried in the sand, but once she realised it was for real, she really came into her own.

In Something’s Got to Give she co-starred with Jack Nicholson, and Keanu Reeves. She wasn’t so ditzy in this movie, which was about forgiveness and discovering one’s own joys in life.

I especially loved her in The Book Club, and it’s sequel – really showed her quirky style and insecure nature.

I watched her being interviewed by Ellen and it was hard to say if she was playing a role on the show, or if she actually is like that in real life. She seemed nervous, anxious and high energy all at the same time. She laughed freely, and seemed embarrassed by simple questions. It made me really relate to her.

She never married, but had relationships with many of her co-stars. She adopted children on her own, and she seemed content to be on her own.

I shall miss her refreshing style, someone who had nervous anticipation and yet managed to always look on the bright side of life.

Being a Girly Girl

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve always been one to get into shorts and jeans rather than skirts and dresses. Don’t get me wrong, I love to dress us and feel like a girl, but I tend to be a bit tomboyish.

But since I’ve finished up gardening, and started my new job, I’ve discovered my love for all things girly all over again, and now I’m wearing dresses and skirts, and even started to wear makeup!

I didn’t expect this to be a positive of working in doors. The main reason for working indoors was that it was warmer in winter, and also it would be easier on my body. But actually getting to wear dresses and skirts, and lovely blouses and getting out of my trousers and shorts has been quite refreshing.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love my trousers and shorts, because I don’t like being cold, but where I work is climate controlled, the temperature needs to be at a certain temperature, so as long as I have warm gear going into and out of the office, I can wear skirts and dresses to my little hearts content.

And I’ve started getting my nails done again. I love having long nails, and while I was gardening, it just wasn’t feasible to have them, dirt got under them, they would look chipped and ratty in no time at all, but now, because I’m only typing at the most, I can have the elegant nails.

And I’m wearing mascara! and Eyeliner! I don’t tend to put makeup on unless I was going out for the evening, but I’ve even been experimenting with tinted moisturiser and eyeliner!

It’s nice to be in touch with my more feminine side for a change. So I’ll continue to buy nice dresses and makeup and keep my feminine side happy.

Finding New and Inspiring Things To Do.

Posted on by
Reply

I joined a gym, not long after I started my new job, and it was a little hit and miss to start with, but I got into a program, and had a personal trainer (who also runs the bootcamp that I go to) and started to really get into it.

On discussion with my personal trainer, I decided to up the ante a little and now I am in a three day a week program. It isn’t about building muscle, because that isn’t what I want to do, at this stage. Instead we are doing some corrective work, and then some muscle work to help.

Corrective work is because we discovered I have hyperextension. I always knew I was a little kookie with weird elbow angles, and knees that want to go backwards, so I’m doing exercises to help strengthen those muscles to prevent injuries from happening. I’m also doing exercises for my Archille’s that I slightly ruptured in December last year.

As a result, my mental health has improved, and my brain is just buzzing with ideas, which keep flowing, and I can’t keep up! I have a notebook with story ideas that I might have to get a ghost writer to finish for me!

Overall, I’m really enjoying the gym visits. It helps with my mental health, and I listen to podcasts while I’m exercising. I’m starting to get into a rhythm of attending three day a week, and settling into a routine of writing, editing and gym visits as well as my work schedule.

A Big Push

Posted on by
Reply

The stars are aligning and things are happening and I’m caught in the middle!

First of all, on the 30th September, I have to get the edits for Finding Faith, my first Racing Harts novel to my editor. I’m working my way through these at the moment, and have 9 days to get through about ten chapters, which isn’t too bad. And I’ve already started editing Gaining Grace. If I can do at least two a day, I’ll be happy, except I have work on Saturday and Sunday, which doesn’t allow me to do those two days, so I have to try and sneak in 4 extra edits somewhere into my calendar.

And then on the first of October, I have the launch of Carol’s Christmas, my breast cancer story. I can’t wait to get this out into the world, and start raising some funds for Breast Cancer New Zealand. $5 from every paperback and $1 from all ebooks will go to the foundation for all books sold throughout the month of October. I’m really looking forward to being able to send the money to Breast Cancer New Zealand and tell them that there are lots of lovely caring people out there who contributed towards the donation.

So, I had better knuckle down and crack through these edits so I can focus on selling as many books as I can.

Living Your Best Life

Posted on by
Reply

It has been obvious to me lately that we need to be living our best lives.

So what does that look like for me?
Living my best life is being with those I love, doing the things I love, and not taking things for granted.

Stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new isn’t something that I do often, but when I do, I’m always grateful for the opportunity to try something new. I always yearn to do the things I love, and I’m slowly getting back into doing those things again.

Writing is something that I’m passionate about, and as long as I can write, I will continue to do so. But recently I’ve decided to go back to writing the slightly off the wall books that I’ve always wanted to write, like fantasy and science fiction. Why? Because that is where I really enjoyed the story telling and developing a whole new world (worldbuilding). To a degree I get to do that with Tuivale and my Men in Kilts series, but it doesn’t have that fantasy aspect that takes the story to the next level, adding elements that are otherworldly, or just out of this realm of possibility.

I will continue to write contemporary romance and Womens Fiction, because I still have a lot of what if questions that need answering, but I have a need to express my inner weirdo to get it out of my head and onto paper.

Sickness and Writing

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve been sick this week, and as a result, very little has been done.

You’d think with having time off work because of sickness would allow me more time to get jobs done, which yes, I did clean the house, do the laundry, the multitude of dishes etc, but writing…nothing was done.

This is it takes a certain energy to write, edit, process when I’m writing, and when I’m sick, it’s like my brain is scrambled eggs. It can’t quite comprehend what I am supposed to be doing without trying to figure out who is chasing who, who is using what weapon, and weather cold spaghetti is worth eating…and that’s in my writing.

As I have two stories on the go at the same time, it’s hard enough keeping storylines straight without being sick. Being sick adds a whole new dimension of “what was I thinking” to the entire endeavour.

But never fear, I’m feeling much better. Better enough to get out for a walk and clear my head.

Introducing Quin and Stef

Posted on by
Reply

Let me introduce you to Quin and Stef. They both work at Fixit Engineering

Stef is outgoing and enjoys partying, with Mel and Jody. She has a block of land which she lives on in her caravan. But winter is coming, and her house hasn’t been started yet… Stef doesn’t do cold (sounds familiar) and doesn’t want to live in the caravan over Winter.

Quin lives on his own in a two bedroom house. He plays social rugby on a Saturday over the winter season for the Tuivale team. He’s a bit of an introvert, but doesn’t mind hanging out with his friend Jake.

Quin can pay his mortgage, and his bills, but has very little left over. He needs a flatmate to help him out.

When Stef says she needs a place to stay, Quin makes the suggestion that she move it. It’s only until her house has been built.

I have been pantsing a lot of this story, which is quite strange for me, but I do have a plan for these two. Unfortunately, they’re against fake dating, which was my original plan for them, instead they want to keep their relationship hidden from their workmates, friends and family. This is proving to be very interesting.

Celebrations

Posted on by
Reply

My son has just turned 21, which is always a big celebration, no matter where the in the world you live. But do we celebrate other things, like Book Birthdays?

I am probably one of the worst of celebrating. Christmas was never my thing, but I’ve always made a celebration of other people’s birthdays. I like to make people feel special. I’m up for celebrating anything, whether it is finally getting IT to finally do something we asked them to do 6 weeks ago at work, or a friend finally managing to get their wardrobe cleaned out.

But one thing I don’t do enough, is celebrate my own successes. I mean, I’m not raking in the money yet, which would be cause for a celebration, but I don’t really celebrate the release of a new book. By the time I’ve got a book released, I’ve read it over a hundred times and I’m ready to move onto the new and shiny project – which I think every writer can relate to. I’m excited that I’ve released a new book out into the world, but I struggle to really make the release something to celebrate.

And then book anniversary’s. I know what year a book was published, but until recently, didn’t keep track of the month it was published, so while Cursed Love was released eleven years ago, I can’t remember what month I released it. (And eleven years ago, my son was ten!)

When I finish a book, I don’t tend to celebrate, because I’m ready to move onto the next project and start the new shiny idea that is glowing (and growing) in my brain.

A friend of mine, who is a life coach, tells me that we need to celebrate those small achievements, the moments when we have done what we set out to do. We need to remind ourselves that celebration is normal in everyday life, and we should celebrate, and uplift and encourage others to celebrate too.

So I intend to start celebrating a bit more vocally about my books. I’ll tell people more about them, celebrate the topic I’ve chosen to write, I’ll spend time creating posts that celebrate what I’ve achieved, and help others celebrate their wins in life too. Because publishing a book is a win, in a world with AI bots churning out books by the day, any little writer knows that to write, edit, drip blood sweat and tears over a book, and then release it, is worth the celebration.

Writers block aka Creative Block

Posted on by
Reply

Sometimes when writing, you come to a crashing halt, and you can’t write anymore. Some call it writers block. It’s like when you paint yourself into a corner. There is little option of getting out without making a mess of the work you’ve already done.

I like to think of it as a creative block, because subconsciously, my story is telling me something isn’t right. I recently had this happen in my Romantasy story I’m writing. I’d successfully finished the first part, and just started on the second part, and I was three chapters in, but the third chapter just wasn’t resonating, and felt forced. So I sat back from it.

The thing is, when I’m out walking, I generally let my mind wander in my stories to see if there is a better way, or to find the direction it wants to move in. But unfortunately, it’s been stubbornly blank.

Until Saturday.

On my drive into work, I realised what was wrong. I’d already written that they needed to do surveillance around this person, but then I’d already written that it wasn’t possible, hence painting myself into a corner.

But there is more than one way to do surveillance on a person – such as using their own surveillance against them. They would be able to hack into their security system and see what was going on.

It was rather obvious, but for some reason I was trying to rationalise them having to stay in apartments above the property, which would give them a clear view, yet somehow be obscured. The rule is, if you don’t believe it, your readers won’t either.

Hacking into the security system it is. And the whole story is starting to flow again. And I can’t wait to get them mixed up in a new set of problems that will only be concluded in the third book.