Interview With Author Karen Andrea

The Creator of The Enchanted Library Talks to Suite 101

May 12, 2009

It is often said that variety is the spice of life and author Karen Andrea is living proof of this. Her work is a celebration of diversity and the power of imagination.

With an eclectic upbringing, legal training, travelling the world and a period spent in a yoga retreat it is perhaps no surprise that Karen Andrea's debut children's book reflects the patchwork, melting pot world in which we live.

The Enchanted Library has a main character who is bullied at school and retreats into the world of books. What was your inspiration?

When I was primary school aged, my mother had a premonition about the descent into drugs and gun culture that would soon ravage our gritty Manchester estate, and moved us to a more salubrious mainly all-white area. Whilst I recall my childhood as happy and free, race and being different was always an issue.

I would take solace in books. I was also a daydreamer, and would retreat into the world of my imagination. The Enchanted Library is a celebration of the power of books and the power of the imagination to transport us to other worlds and transform our reality.

How long did it take you to write your book?

It took me about eight months to write the first draft and just as long in getting feedback and rewriting.

I wrote in London where I live, and also whilst travelling in India, but the original inspiration came to me whilst living in Northern Spain. During siesta, I would visit a local bookshop to remind myself of my dream of becoming a published author. The bookshop was promoting Cervantes during the 400th anniversary of the publication of Don Quixote, and also Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s Shadow of the Wind as the best selling Spanish authors of all time.

When I began pondering the key to Zafon’s success, an image came to mind - Cervantes’ spirit instructing Zafon across the veil of time. That night I dreamed vividly of a young boy discovering the magic of an abandoned library and reawakening its spell.

Do you have any marketing advice for newly published authors?

Know that you’re in it for the long-haul; it isn’t going to happen overnight!

It’s up to you to generate continuing awareness for your book in order to generate on-going demand, and this takes time.

Whilst many adults read kids’ books to satisfy their inner child, children aged 8-12 are the real target audience for The Enchanted Library. My primary readers spend at least 25% of their free time on the internet, so much of my marketing is focussed online.

It’s also good to have ‘real-world’ marketing strategies. I am focussing on building word-of-mouth support, especially amongst teachers and librarians, those on the front-line of children’s literacy, and upon whom parents and kids’ relatives rely for good reviews.

You are an Afro-Caribbean author who grew up in England and travelled the world. Has this mix of influences had an impact on your writing?

I was born into a family of working class immigrant West Indians. Growing up, Home meant many things – mostly for my parents it meant Back Home, the islands and lives they had not quite left behind in the Caribbean. The ghosts of Back Home peopled our lives and home, living behind my parent’s eyes and in their hearts.

I get inspiration from everywhere and everyone. I love new peoples and places and this definitely informs my writing. My stories seem to about being an outsider. I love the rich cultural melting pot that London is and find it such a wonderful and exciting place to get creative.

I am mindful of inclusivity when writing my own books, in terms of my characters’ backgrounds and heritages. I try to reflect the colourful and diverse world around me.

The main character in The Enchanted Library is a mixed race/ biracial boy, fostered by his white English grandfather. Modern families take all shapes, and I wanted to reflect a ‘non-traditional’ situation in a positive light. From my working with schools I have learnt that this tends to attract inner city children to the narrative.

You decided to Print On Demand. Do you have any POD advice for authors?

The publishing industry is undergoing many changes, given the recession and the challenges posed by the end of the Net Book Agreement, the rise of supermarket retailers, and increasingly digital media. This can create many opportunities for writers willing to be flexible.

I was motivated mainly by the delays in getting responses from traditional publishing houses, and the incentive of free online publication in a matter of months, during a time when there are numerous literacy campaigns – which tied in with my book’s theme.

I was attracted to POD because of its green credentials. POD books are printed within 24 hours of being ordered online.

Going POD also allowed me creative control of the entire project – from the cover design and illustrations, to the font and page layout!

The system has its critics, but in this digital age it is a great way to showcase emerging talent. The enormous potential of POD is now being recognised by some of the large publishing houses that are turning to this model.

It was very hard work, but it was one of my proudest moments when I laid my hands on the first printed copy of my beautiful book.

The advice I can give is just to make the right choice for you, ensure that you select the right company and team to work with on producing the best book you can.

To contact Karen Andrea to arrange a children's workshop you can email her at karenandrea.writerATyahoo.co.uk (when emailing this address please replace the AT with an @)

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