Part II of An Interview with Karen Barnett, author of” Out of the Ruins”

Part II of An Interview with Karen Barnett, author of” Out of the Ruins”

Whether because of grief, guilt or a feeling of inadequacy, many of us find ourselves pushing God away during the time we need Him most. Abby Fischer, the heroine in Karen Barnett’s new novel, Out of the Ruins, comes face to face with grief and anger that causes her to question her faith, something the author herself has done for similar reasons.

Q: How about your leading man, Dr. Robert King? Is he patterned after anyone you know in real life, and what will make readers fall in love with him?

Robert is partially based on my husband — his generous nature, his kind spirit and his beautiful brown eyes. But Robert also struggles with pride and a desire for recognition, as well as a tendency to put God on the shelf in favor of science and self. I’ve seen many people struggle with these issues, and it felt very natural to work them into Robert’s character. He desperately wants to be the hero but needs to learn to step back and let God work.

Q: Are you an author who draws on real-life experiences to create your characters or is this work of fiction entirely from your imagination?

I definitely take from real life. Abby is a mirror of my younger self: a complete lack of self-confidence and struggling with extreme shyness. I base many of my plots on anecdotes I discover in historical research, but I always spin them in a new direction. My first novel, Mistaken, is actually based on an old family story, whereas Out of the Ruins was originally inspired by a documentary.

Q: Out of the Ruins is the first in a series. What can readers expect as the series continues? Will you pick up with the same characters or will readers meet new characters in each book?

It’s actually a little of both. I’ve always loved reading series because I grow attached to the characters and hate letting them go.  Robert and Abby will appear in all three books, but new characters (or side-characters) will take the main stage. In the next two novels, a beloved character from Out of the Ruins will have a chance at love, and we’ll also be meeting two of Robert’s sisters.

Q: Both Out of the Ruins and the next book in The Golden Gate Chronicles series touch on medical research at the turn of the 20th century. How did that element come about and did you learn anything interesting in your research?

I’m fascinated by this early 20th-century time period because technology was changing so quickly — automobiles, telephones, electricity, early airplanes, etc. When X-rays were discovered in 1895, it changed the face of medicine. By 1906, doctors were toying with the concept that X-ray radiation could be used to treat cancer. This research is what brings several of my characters together. I remember a cold chill washing over me when I read how early doctors tested the equipment before using it on their patients. The correct radiation level was achieved by testing the rays on their own skin; you wanted the skin to be slightly pink but not burned. As you can imagine, many of these early researchers ended up dying of the very cancers they were trying to cure. Tragic, yes, but their research led to many of the treatments used to treat cancer today.

Q: This is your second novel, but your first time writing a series. How does that change the way you approach the writing process?

Writing is sort of like gardening. With a single novel, you plant seeds (like themes and characters), nurture those ideas and collect the harvest at the end of the book. I learned that when you write a series, you have to plan ahead. Each book needs to stand alone and complete, but you also sprinkle in a few story lines that will last throughout several books. I planted ideas and themes in the first novel that won’t play out until the second and third. I can’t wait to see that happen!

Q: What do you hope readers will walk away with after reading Out of the Ruins?

My dream is for readers to recognize that despite our feelings at the moment — joy, grief, anger, etc. — God is always beside us, as close as our next breath. He desires a deep relationship with us. Not just basic belief, but intimacy. As a young person, I thought of God as more of a Santa Claus; if I were good, He’d answer my prayers. Now that I’ve walked with Him for years, I’ve learned God wants more than my recognition; he wants my heart.

Q: How does a former park ranger become an author? Can you tell us a little something about your “former life”?

I think what’s unique about me is how much I love both research and teaching. As a park ranger, I was fascinated by nature, especially what made specific plants or animals unique and how they thrived in their own niche. I also loved sharing that information with others, putting it together in an entertaining package through guided hikes, evening campfire programs and school programs. The trouble with park careers is you have to be available to work when everyone else has their playtime: weekends, evenings and holidays. Since my husband worked an office job, it was challenging being on opposite schedules. I turned to writing at that time but didn’t get serious about it until our kids were both in school. I found that my thirst for knowledge fed well into writing. I could throw myself into historical research and put what I learned into story form. It’s not so different, really, except now I can wear my slippers to work.

To learn more about Karen Barnett and her books, visit www.karenbarnettbooks.com , become a fan on Facebook (KarenBarnettAuthor) or follow her on Twitter (KarenMBarnett).