In the no-man's land between cultural myths and emotional vulnerabilities, superstitions can devolve into delusion. . . but where does that lead?
Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature author Karen Hulene Bartell and Indigo, the first in her Cryptid Charisma series. We’ll begin today’s post with manuscript editor Raluca Olson.
Good morning, Raluca. Thanks for spending time with
us. Tell us a bit about yourself. I
was born and raised in various suburbs on the south side of Chicago. I hadn’t
traveled much before inheriting a remote cabin, so leaving the Windy City for
the backwoods of Northern Wisconsin was more an act of desperation than
courage.
Tell us a bit about Indigo. It is the story of my second chance. Reeling after my
fiancé dumped me, I inherited a rustic cabin from an unknown relative. Eerie
incidents and rumors of a mythical windigo alarmed me, but before I flipped the
property, I was determined to learn the truth about my dysfunctional family.
Surrounded by shady real-estate agents, ruthless
threats, and a treacherous ex, I was overwhelmed—until a rescued puppy and a
shocking spark with a local named Dylan McCoombs set my world on
fire…literally…
After a series of of creepy happenings, I began to ask
myself…What does a demonic half-beast share with a psychosis and porphyria? Are
monsters born or formed? Is it nature or nurture? Is a windigo spirit genetic?
More importantly, if so, do I carry the windigo gene?
What did you think the first time you saw Dylan? When I first saw him, with his thick, curly hair,
square jaw, full lips, and gunmetal-blue-gray eyes, it was lust at first sight.
I was infatuated, but after what I’d been through with my ex, I couldn’t trust
my instincts.
Lust at first sight is always intriguing, but what was
your second thought? His
looks and demeanor were captivating. When he invited me for a drink, I had all
the finesse of a tongue-tied tween. Unable to manage any witty repartee, I
could only nod mutely. But his generous personality quickly put me at ease.
Was it love at first sight? In retrospect, yes, but I was gun-shy…still recovering
from being dumped on my thirtieth birthday, just days before my wedding.
What do you like most about him? Unlike my ex, Dylan puts others first, puts me
first. He listened to me. He helped me tile the bathroom and paint the dock. Working
with roofers and the insurance company, he effected a new roof on my antiquated
cabin. Then he helped me find a reputable real estate agent, and he stood as a shield
between me and my ex and whatever lurks in the woods nearby.
You’ve already described him physically; what about
his spirit? He’s a giver, not a taker…and
a perfect gentleman--even after we become cabin mates—which is a very long
story.
How would Dylan describe you? Despite having an easily shattered bravado, I’m
persistent, tenacious, and—as he puts it—cute.
What made you choose manuscript editing for a career? I could work remotely from the cabin, 350 miles from
my office in Chicago.
What is your biggest fear? I’m afraid of what lurks, shrieks, and screeches
outside my cabin at night. I fear what has glowing, tawny eyes, leaves mutilated
animals on my doorsill, and smears blood across the door and porch. I’m afraid
of a neighboring meth house and the fires that mysteriously appear near my
cabin.
How do you relax? Dylan installed deadbolts, which put my mind at ease initially,
but when the drama stepped up, he moved into my cabin.
Who is your favorite fictional character? Matilda Wormwood from Matilda because she
overcomes a life run by uninvolved caretakers.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? “Love makes a person do peculiar things they’d never
consider otherwise.”
Thanks again for this, Raluca. Now we’d like to chat with Karen.
What movies or books have had an impact on your career
as a writer? Under the Tuscan Sun,
Fried Green Tomatoes, and Joe
Versus the Volcano.
Is there an event in your private life that you were
able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Several events: I walk my dog past a nearby cemetery,
where I saw a “devil’s chair;” a creaky, hanging sign; a bare patch with just a
footstone, a “hanging tree;” swerve marks on the road beside it; a mailwoman
who chewed and spit; and a neighbor who swore the events that happened in Indigo
actually happened to her in another cemetery. Truth embellished with imagination
is what impacted Indigo.
Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear
about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? Six years ago, I was looking for a publisher for a
book I’d drafted called Wild Rose Pass, named for a pass through the
Davis Mountains of West Texas. It was fate when I found The Wild Rose Press was
open to queries because, in the past six years, they’ve published the last six
of my books: Wild Rose Pass, The Keys, Kissing Kin, Fox Tale, newly
released Indigo, and Blue Dog to be released this fall.
What books currently rest on your TBR pile? Death by Coconut by Susie Black, Bondwitch by Chelsey Ortega, and Recipe for
Murder by Marla White.
Last, what's up next and when can we expect to see it
on the shelves? Indigo has just been released, and
Blue Dog, another book in the Cryptid Charisma series, will be
released this fall.
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/3kRlWn
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Indigo-Cryptid-Charisma-Hulene-Bartell-ebook/dp/B0GHZHM1WQ
Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/indigo-karen-hulene-bartell/1149708480
BookBub:
https://www.bookbub.com/books/indigo-by-karen-hulene-bartell
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249818067-indigo
Walmart:
https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=9781509265251
BooksAMillion:
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781509265251
Indie Bound:
https://bookshop.org/p/books/indigo-karen-hulene-bartell/d36bdd344e121211
iTunes:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/indigo/id6760712664
Karen Hulene Bartell can be found at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenHuleneBartell
MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/karenbartell
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HuleneKaren
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/karenhulenebartell/
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/611950.Karen_Hulene_Bartell
Website: http://www.KarenHuleneBartell.com/
Email: info@KarenHuleneBartell.com
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/author/karenhulenebartell
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/karenhulenebartell/
BookBub:
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-hulene-bartell
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenhulenebartell/
AUTHORSdb:
https://authorsdb.com/community/17847-karen-hulene-bartell
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