Hi, readers! I am beyond pleased to announce a very special post today on ILRB. We’re doing something a little different. This is our third official author interview on this romance blog! I know in the past, we did character interviews then switched over to the author’s take on it, but this approach is a bit unusual.
We have a real treat for you, readers. Today we get to speak one-on-one with the talented author of contemporary romance, Forgetting My Way Back to You. Please join me in welcoming Karina Bartow to ILRB! 🙂
Marie Lavender: Hello, Karina. Please have a seat.
Author Karina Bartow: Hi, Marie! I really enjoy your blog and your love of romance.
Marie: Aww, thanks! It’s such a pleasure to see you here!
I’m going to throw in some standard questions first.
Obviously, we know your occupation as an author, but some writers have other jobs as well. Do you have another occupation? Do you believe you’re any good at it? Do you like what you do?
I know I’m overloading you with questions, but we’re really interested in finding out more about you…
Karina: I’m a full-time author, and I write love stories and mysteries. I enjoy it very much, but you’ll have to ask my readers if I’m good at it!
Marie: (Laughs.) I’m sure your books are great, at least judging by what I’ve noticed so far. 😉
So, tell us…what is your family like?
Karina: My parents have been married for forty-five years, and I have an older sister. She and her husband have an eleven-year-old son, so I enjoy being an aunt.
Marie: Nice!
Let’s try something else, okay?
If it doesn’t bother you at all, can you let us know what your childhood home looked like?
Karina: It was a simple ranch when I was born, but we added a second story and turned it into a Cape Cod style. We live in the country with an acre of land, which gives me good space to drive my prized possession, my golf cart.
Marie: Awesome!
Do you have any hobbies, Karina? What do you enjoy doing?
Karina: Like any girl, I love to shop, but I have a sporty side, too, and I’m a big baseball fan. I also really enjoy listening to music and reading.
Marie: Wow! Such an eclectic blend of pastimes!
Shopping is my Achilles heel. If I have any spare money, I can get myself into trouble 😉
So…what is your greatest dream?
Karina: To have a family of my own.
Marie: Oh, me too! I can’t have biological children, so when my fiancé and I get married, we’ll have to get a little creative.
The closest I’ve come so far is adopting kitties. 😛
But I think life has a way of surprising you just when you need it the most. ♥
Let’s try another question.
What kind of person do you wish you could be? What is stopping you?
Karina: I wish I could be someone who, as they say, doesn’t sweat the small stuff. I don’t know what holds me back. Probably age and circumstances.
Marie: I know what you mean…I wish I could be a bit more casual about everything. I can get too serious about the stuff going on in my life.
Okay, I’m going to throw another random question at you now.
Not to pry too much, but who was your first love?
Karina: Dean Cain in his Lois & Clark days. Needless to say, it was unrequited!
Marie: (Laughs.) OMG, how did I forget that? I was nuts about him when I watched that show. Those dimples were to die for! 😉
Let’s try something else now.
What’s the most terrible thing that ever happened to you?
Karina: Frankly, my disability. I was born with Cerebral Palsy and have tried to make the most of my life, but it affects every part of it. I don’t wallow in that, but I can’t say I’m thankful for it, either.
Marie: Oh, no! 😥 I’m so sorry you have to deal with that, and I can’t blame you for getting discouraged. I have epilepsy, and I’ve definitely had to shape my life around that disability.
Let’s move on to something a bit lighter now, shall we?
[Karina nods.]
What was your dream growing up? Did you achieve that dream? If so, in what ways was it not what you expected? If you never achieved the dream, why not?
Karina: To be a published author, and of course, I did achieve it! It hasn’t been what I expected in that it’s not as glamorous as Hollywood makes it look. Unless you’re well-known, you don’t get a nationwide book tour or a call from Oprah. Authors have to put in a lot of time marketing their work, but I’ve come to enjoy that.
Marie: True enough! I don’t think most people realize how difficult it is to make a name for yourself in the publishing world.
So, who is your role model, Karina?
Karina: My parents.
Marie: Lovely! I know my folks were definitely an influence on my outlook with regards to how ‘love’ should be, and I can blame them for my interest in writing romance. At least a little. (Chuckles.)
Now, you’ll probably think I’m digging for dirt on the next question.
Is there someone you pretend to like but really dislike?
Karina: Nobody truly likes everyone they meet, but I try to be polite, regardless. Some test that, though!
Marie: For sure! But I like your attitude…we need more of that in the world these days. 😀
Let’s try another question.
What is your deepest desire?
Karina: To be faithful to God.
Marie: All right.
So, tell me something, Karina. What is your greatest fear?
Karina: Clowns!
Marie: 😯 Wow, I didn’t see that one coming! Though I guess they are a bit freaky.
I want to try something different next, Karina…
Readers, let’s shift somewhat and get the author’s perspective on one of her characters.
We’ve heard rumors about the heroine of your story, Charlee Stoll. Quite an interesting character. Can you tell us a little about her?
Karina: Charlee works as a physical therapist at a senior center, where her dad lives. She moonlights as a trainer for her alma mater’s football team. At age 29, she’s still single, quietly holding a torch for her high school sweetheart.
Marie: Nice! I love second chance stories!
So, what are your character’s greatest strengths?
Karina: She’s loyal and devoted to her family.
Marie: Commendable, of course!
And what are her greatest weaknesses?
Karina: She can act in haste, which sometimes leads to disaster.
Marie: Okay…
Let’s try something fun, shall we?
What are some of her favorite foods?
Karina: Brownies, coffee, and ice cream—anything sweet!
Marie: (Chuckles.) Oh, I definitely have a sweet tooth too!
How about another question?
What’s a positive quality that your character is unaware that he or she has?
Karina: She’s open-minded and trusts people, often giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Marie: Not such a bad trait!
Will readers like or dislike this character, and why?
Karina: I hope they’ll like her because of her mix of innocence, tenacity, and caring nature.
Marie: Works for me!
Now that we have a real taste of Charlee, we have a few questions for you as well as the author, about the writing process of your book.
What first gave you the idea for Forgetting My Way Back to You?
Karina: Forgetting My Way Back to You is comprised of parts of my first book, which was about a woman who developed selective amnesia after a head trauma. As young as I was—eighteen—when I started, I’d already experienced some events I wouldn’t have minded forgetting, just to be free of that baggage. Thus, like many stories, it began with the elusive ‘What if?’.
Marie: Gotcha! Many of my stories launched that way.
Interesting how the muse works, huh?
Let’s try something else.
What is your writing style like? Are you a pantster or a plotter?
Karina: Pantster all the way! I enjoyed improv in high school drama class, and that’s how I write. It’s all extemporaneous. I think on where I am in the story throughout my day and sit down with a generic idea of where I want to go, but I never know the details until I’m in the moment.
Marie: Sounds like quite a ride!
How about another question?
I’m throwing this one in for our aspiring writers. Did you come across any specific challenges in writing Forgetting My Way Back to You or publishing it? What would you do differently the next time?
Karina: It took me nine years from the time I started it to when I signed the contract, so it was a long process. As far as writing it went, I couldn’t find satisfaction in it for a good while, and I think my maturity level played into that. I didn’t have enough experience to write good conflict, so it kept coming out as pretty childish. All in all, though, I wouldn’t change it because I learned a lot about myself and my craft.
Marie: I know what you mean. My first historical romance took me nine years to write too, and I definitely matured as a woman throughout the experience.
Well, it was a such a pleasure having you here on the I Love Romance Blog! And how apropos is that, considering what a great story Forgetting My Way Back to You appears to be. Congratulations on your new release, since it just came out in mid-October!
Readers, you will just have to pick up a copy of this modern romance by Karina Bartow, a talented author! 
Here is the blurb for Forgetting My Way Back to You:
When Charlee Stoll loses all memory of him, Hunter Jett knows his mistakes led to this moment. Though tempted to give up on their future together, he’s determined to use the twist to right his wrongs.
Through charm and deception, can he win back her love…before she discovers the truth?
Karina is also offering us a peek of the book!
After finishing off the Tuscan chicken and other treats from the buffet table, Hunter and Charlee wandered outside to look at the estate’s breathtaking gardens. In the last seconds of daylight, the colorful flowers’ bright petals stood out under the darkening sky. The staff members around them were busy deconstructing the sites where the two ceremonies had taken place and didn’t notice them at all. A few other guests strolled the grounds, too, but on such a large property, they crossed paths just once with each of them, leaving them alone for the most part.
They came upon a stone bridge, which no doubt had played a part in many weddings and photos over the years, and the two stopped to observe the scene. With the sun dipping out of sight, the stars came out in full display. The lit-up mansion softened the aura of everything that much more, showcasing the late Pennsylvania summer at its best.
“I didn’t think it could look any more beautiful,” Charlee mused aloud.
Hunter wanted to tell her that he thought the same every time he saw her, but he feared it would intimidate her.
“How’d you know about this place, anyways?”
He contemplated his reply, again worrying his honest answer would force her away, but he took the chance. “My grandfather took my grandma here on their first date, and because he’d heard the story of how it swept her off her feet, my dad gave it a try with Mom. Considering that my grandparents stayed together for over sixty years and my folks just celebrated their thirtieth, I figured it’d be a good choice. It beats taking you to a dance where everyone’s pushing us apart, at least.”
“Yes, that’s where we went wrong,” she joked. “But can crashing a wedding set us up much better?”
Hunter chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. “Well, if my family’s tradition doesn’t work out, maybe your dad’s motto will come true: ‘It isn’t about the way you started…’”
“‘It’s the way you finish that matters.’” She completed the proverb her dad had drilled into her head since her days of learning to walk.
He gave her a considering look, trying to discern how far he should take the romancing, before he extended his hand. “Speaking of which…”
She’d resisted taking his hand the whole evening, but she relented, letting him lead her back towards the carriage house. He veered off to the side instead of going into the building, where they could hear the opening words of ‘Wonderful Tonight’ playing inside. He took hold of her, and they danced under the moon the way they had years earlier.
“Was any of this an accident?”
“I may have made a request to the deejay,” he remarked with a grin. “Other than that, though, I could only hope you’d agree to come here with me. That said, I don’t think you and I being together can ever be called an accident.”
History repeated itself once more when he leaned in to kiss her. The same sparks flew, but this time, they glowed brighter.
Wow! I’m curious to find out what happens next in this book… 😀
Purchase Links:
Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/bWzOPq
Publisher: https://www.vinspirepublishing.com/forgettingmywabacktoyou
We’ll be sure to get a copy of this contemporary romance! ♥♥♥
About Karina Bartow
Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her. Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters that have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. Her debut novel, Husband in Hiding, was released in 2015 and was well-received by readers. She’s excited about her new love story, Forgetting My Way Back to You, available now from Vinspire Publishing. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!
Books:
And, if you want to know how to connect with the fascinating Karina Bartow, here are some author links:
Website: http://www.karinabartow.com/
Blog: https://karinabartow.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKarinaBartow
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarinaBartow
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Karina-Bartow/e/B076L4FCGV/
https://amzn.to/2RyZIz9
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15045283.Karina_Bartow
Google+: https://plus.google.com/117505120642906778021
Once again, I want to thank Karina Bartow, the brilliant author of this romance, for stopping by! It was a pleasure to have you here! Readers, check out her work!
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Charlotte was a rich girl with many, many silver spoons. But, when her father is locked in a cell without a key, she has to learn to find her own way. Falling off the grid and on the run from the FBI, Charlotte “Charlie” Agoston leaves the world of Chanel and Armani for one of classic rock band t-shirts and her favorite pair of chucks.
The author, who was also a lawyer in real life, puts her legal knowledge to use while still keeping you engaged in the romance. I found myself really feeling for (and kind of in love with) Simon, who was ready to be all-in. But, with Charlie’s past, she’s the one always running away.
