Reader’s Life Magazine
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Page 5-9: Robert Karjel Page 11-14: Amy Lukavics Page 15:Writing prompts ] Page 17-23: Stacy Green Page 25-28: Do’s and Don’ts of Reviewing
A lieutenant colonel in the Swedish Air Force, Robert Karjel uses his experience in his writing of mystery thrillers. Born October 25, 1965, in Gothenburg, Sweden, Karjel studied applied physics at the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm. In the Swedish Air Force, he served as a helicopter pilot serving in the Gulf of Aden, and he was the only Swedish pilot to train with the U.S. Marines. He also worked for the United Nations and European Union in the Indian Ocean to combat Somali pirates and to deliver food and medicine to the poor in Somalia.
He witnessed many failures in helicopter operation planning and colleagues killed in aviation accidents. Karjel lectures on how organizations can successfully make decisions under pressure, inspire employees, let go of fear of failure, and encourage individuals to take responsibility.
Author Robert Karjel Swedish Author Robert Karjel has a pretty extensive resume, he got his education from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm. He is a writer, helicopter pilot and a lecturer. He is the first Swedish Pilot to train with US Marines. Add that to the fact he has fought pirates and trained people on Black Hawk Helicopters, He has been scuba diving, hiking in the arctic circle and Mountain climbing in South America. All of these experiences have fueled his creative genius as he has been publishing since 1997, Karjel published his novel “The Swede” in 2010, in 2015 Harpercollins bought in
and republished it. The Swede was written mostly while Karjel was at Amherst College on Fellowship, an experience that took him far out of his comfort zone “For the first time in my adult life, I stepped out of everything familiar to me in Stockholm—family, friends, military career. I could reinvent myself, while also inventing Ernst Grip and his fellow characters.” Some of which were inspired by American’s he had met or observed while on Fellowship. “ At the same time, the U.S. was dealing with the repercussions from 9/11,
and I wanted to explore the ripples from that attack in my novel.” When talking about inspiration Karjel said “As a helicopter pilot and Lt. Colonel in the Swedish Air Force, I draw inspiration above all from my experience in the military. I’m constantly fascinated by global conflict—the Cold War, the War on Drugs, and the War on Terror. My central theme is what people and nations are ultimately capable of doing when they're pushed to the limit. I also draw on my adventure travels around the world, from mountain climbing in South America, to hiking above the Arctic Circle,
to scuba diving. And of course, my inspiration comes from what I've learned navigating life and love, as we all do.” Karjel said that he researched many topics regarding his novel because “ above all I wanted the book to feel real. I drew on my inside knowledge of the War on Terror, intelligence training, and the U.S. military system. Also, through the networks I’ve developed in my military and writing work, I was able to interview a number of operators in this ongoing war, including a pilot who flew people to secret CIA sites around the world.” His novel features a member of the Swedish Security Police and an FBI Agent that
Must work together. “To sum up a complex novel in one sentence: Ernst Grip of the Swedish Security Police has secrets—things done in the name of love; and Shauna Friedman of the FBI has secrets—things done in the name of patriotism. If you'd like a bit more, I'd describe The Swede as a complex story about the compromises that people and nations make in the name of security and survival. Ernst Grip and Shauna Friedman live in a world of secrets, but they must learn to trust each other, if they hope to stay alive.”
Karjel has also published a sequel to “The Swede” entitled “After the Monsoon” “After the Monsoon is based on my experiences as commander and helicopter pilot aboard the Swedish ship HMS Carlskrona, hunting Somali pirates. In the book, a Swedish family gets hijacked, and Ernst Grip must travel to Djibouti to try to save their lives. At the same time, he's solving the murder of a Swedish soldier, one that turns out to have more serious global implications than he ever anticipated” When asked if he was hoping to translate his other novels Karjel said this.
“After the Monsoon is being translated right now. And yes, I'm very much hoping that my three earlier novels will also be translated into English. Already, there are plans to reissue these three novels in Sweden, with new covers drawn by one of Sweden's top illustrators.” Karjel Lectures about Leadership under pressure in Sweden and across Europe, A few times a year, I like to leave everything behind to kayak in the outer archipelago or backpack in the mountains way up north, very remote places.” Karjel also has advice for those who want to write thrillers.
“To write a good thriller, you need to have real-life experiences to draw on. So go on adventures, push yourself to the limit, and then think about how those experiences can tell larger stories about human nature and the state of the world.”
Amy Lukavics Amy Lukavics lurks within the forested mountains of Prescott, Arizona, along with her husband and two precious squidlings. When she isn't reading or writing creepy stories, she enjoys cooking, crafting, and playing many video games. She is the author of Daughters unto Devils and The Women in the Walls. Her debut novel, Daughters unto Devils, garnered the attention of numerous librarians and media and is a nominee for the YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults list and YALSA Quick Picks list.
Amy Lukavics, is the author of “Woman in the Walls” Lukavics says her novel.” wasn’t an idea that came to me fully formed—it was my first time coming up with and writing a book under contract, and the process felt very new and strange. I ended up having to build the inspiration piece by piece, which is not my usual style at all!” Some of her inspiration came from the “Crimson Peak” “early on in the brainstorming phase, I did find the (new, at the time) trailer for Guillermo del
Toro’s Crimson Peak to be extremely inspirational in the sense of the atmosphere and tone. I love anything with a Gothic or 'beautifully creepy; vibe, and that trailer just nailed it.” After becoming inspired it took around 4-8 months for the novel to be written, as far as her writing process goes Lukavics says, “Every novel is different, but ideally the process begins with a wicked strike of inspiration, whether pertaining to characters, plot, setting, or something else.
Once that initial spark happens,I try to let everything around it fill in naturally as I start playing with it in my head and on the page. Before officially beginning to draft, I like to have a rough idea of the beginning, middle, and ending, even if those things change as the novel comes into itself.” Lukavics says that writing a novel could take her anywhere from 4 weeks, 4 months or 4 years. Her decision to write in the Horror genre stems from her love of watching and reading it, she also finds writing the genre thoroughly entertaining. “There’s something especially intriguing about the dark side of
humanity in combination with other-worldly horrors—I haven’t been able to get enough of it since I was a kid.” Lukavics is currently working on editing her next YA novel entitled “The Ravenous” A novel which she says was pitched as “ The Virgin Suicides meets Pet Sematary.” Other projects include, “The synopsis and first handful of chapters for the book that will come out after The Ravenous, which I haven’t announced yet, as wellas made progress on an adult horror novel that I hope to finish next year.
She also has advice for beginner writers who want to write in the Horror genre. “Write a story that your inner reader would go wild over—never write something around sales trends or anything else but your own, genuine inspiration. Expect difficulty in the process embrace it, and learn from it. Even when it seems impossible, there is always a way through. Every word written and deleted makes you better!” And when asked about her feelings on competition within the genre she replied. “I’m someone who firmly believes there is enough room for everybody, but even
if there wasn’t, it’s a total waste of energy to constantly compare yourself to others. All you can do is keep your eyes on your own paper and do the very best that you can for your own art.”
Writing Prompts Here are 5 writing prompts that you can use, choose a prompt, take ten minutes to write a story then review and make edits. This is a great exercise to use before working on your novel, or if you just want something fun to do so you can pass the time.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Thanksgiving nightmare Black Friday Turkey disaster Favorite Holiday memory Fall.
Using these themes you can write any genre of story you want, have fun!
Stacy Green Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards. Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled
fur babies. Stacy is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo, Helin and Fountain Literary Management for literary and dramatic rights. Stacy loves to hear from readers! Website: stacygreenauthor.com Facebook www.Facebook.com/Stac yGreenAuthor Twitter: @StacyGreen26
Author Stacy Green, spends her time writing and researching murders. Her attention to detail and ability to transport her readers inside the worlds of her books sets her apart from most other authors. Her newest novel, “Killing Jane” is set in Washington D.C, Erin Prince “Princess” as she is called by some of her co workers at the Homicide division. Is tasked with solving a murder that is a suspected copycat of Jack the Ripper. Green who is very intrigued by the theory that Jack the Ripper was actually a woman, “ I’m really intrigued by the theory Jack the Ripper might have been a woman,
despite the sketchy evidence on it. And because Jack is still such an enigma and influence on serial killer culture, I wanted to find a way to bring the past and present together, but with a new twist.But at its core, KILLING JANE is about Erin Prince, a single-mother and rape survivor, trying to prove herself as a rookie homicide cop. The case is high profile and brutal, and the details force Erin to really look inward about a lot of things.” Green researched for months before actually sitting down and writing the novel, which took 6 months to write. Research included
Researching Jack the Ripper and talking with different experts in law enforcement. “Obviously a lot of research into Jack’s crime and the theory the killer was a woman. The Internet is a haven for that sort of thing. But that was the easiest part. I travelled to D.C. to scope out locations and made a lot of contacts. I’ve been able to work closely with a detective with the National Park Police in D.C. His knowledge of the political landscape as well as all the procedural things, from crime scene to morgue to bureaucratic red-tape issues, was vital. I also interviewed a female sex crimes
investigator from my local area to get a feel for what it’s like to be a woman in still male dominated field. Lots of conversations with medical examiners, computer experts, etc. This is a genre where readers expect the details to be accurate, and I’m a research geek.” When asked how if feels to write about such disturbing cases, Miss Green simply says. “Well, I’m interested in the disturbing stuff. My Lucy Kendall series is about vigilante justice against pedophiles,” Green has done a lot of research into Sex trafficking. Shes also spoken candidly with NCMEC as well a many police officers about the darker and
Grittier sides of crime, but in “Killing Jane” Green has tried to focus more on the more emotional parts of the novel and the characters, “I tried to focus more on the why and the heart of the main character, her motivations, as well as the killer’s. Focusing on the psychology behind everything kind of helps balance the twisted. But it’s definitely emotionally draining. There are days where you write one scene, but it’s so dark you’re pretty much tapped out.” Green’s novels are detailed enough to make readers feel as though they’ve become part of the story. When asked how she writers such detailed novels Green stated. “I get asked this question
and it’s tough to explain. I’m a very detailed person, almost to a fault. Not knowing the why and how makes me crazy, and I think that bleeds into my writing. And there are certain scenes that I just visualize like a movie. I actually see it in my mind, and I do my best to turn that into words. And I usually see the novel in a color/mood scheme, too. Like how certain movies are shot in warm tones, others in cool tones. With KILLING JANE, I very clearly saw the whole novel in blue tones, very cold and dreary. Kind of David Fincher-esque, I suppose. I want the reader to see and feel that as well, so I work very hard to make sure key scenes deliver that feeling.”
Reviews for the novel have been coming in, and are very strong reviews, “My publisher is working with Meryl Moss’s Media, and they are getting a lot of great buzz. Publisher’s Weekly is also reviewing the book on November 21 st , so we’re excited for that. It’s a tough review to get!” Green is currently working on the second novel of the series and has been getting a lot of interest from producers. “Erin Prince has a specific emotional arc for the first three books (at least), and the series is going to highlight iconic killers of the distant past. Top television producers have expressed a lot of interest and are reading KILLING JANE right now.”
Currently Miss Green is working on a set of “KILLER SHORTS: MURDERS AMONG US” For her publisher. “A lot of my bad guys are inspired (at least in part) by real-life killers, so we’re putting out six nonfiction shorts. So far we’ve covered Martha Beck (The Lonely Hearts Killer), The Smiley Face Killer, and Jack (Jane) the Ripper. We’re also doing Mary Bell as well as the inspiration behind Jekyll and Hyde. These are creative nonfiction shorts, and they’ve really been a new, fun experience for me.” “Killing Jane” is her 9th novel to be published and 1st hardback novel, Green started off as an Indie author
I was fortunate enough to be able to really invest in editing. As an indie, I go through 2-3 drafts before a book goes to my developmental editor. There are usually several rounds between us, and then it’s onto the copy editor and then a final proof. During that time, my cover artist works her magic. Once everything’s ready to go, I hand it over to the formatter and he makes it look pretty. Depending on how long it takes me to write the book, it’s usually a 4-6 month process with each book. That’s as an indie, and in the genre I write, it was a tough schedule. I worked hard to build up my backlist, and I’m happy with it. But I’m also glad I’ve been able to shift gears a bit and slow down, at least to an extent. It’s given me more time to grow as a writer and figure out what direction I want to go in.
Greens advice for writers new to the genre is. Read! Yes, craft books are crucial. You need to understand story structure and character. But I’ve learned more from the authors I consider to be the greats in my genre than anything else. Read the book for enjoyment, and the re-read it to study. Figure out what they’re doing that resonated with you. And be aware of your own emotions. That’s what “write what you know” really means to me: being able to convey the emotions of heartbreak, fear, anger—whatever the scene needs—so the reader feels the same way. If you can tap into your own personal
moments and use them to fuel the page, you will have something readers will love.” Green also says that she herself is a plotter, she likes to have a good portion of the story and ideas plotted out before she tries to write anything. “I think it’s really crucial to know both your main character’s and your villain’s entire backstory and motivation before you craft any scenes. That really helps to figure out crucial turning points in the story. Then I figure out where the book starts and how it will end, and start filling in major beats from there. But I don’t outline in huge detail, because I need the fun of discovery when
I write or I get bored. And my process changes with every book. That’s the only thing that’s consistent about it!
The Dos and Don’ts of Reviewing Reviewing is not for the faint of heart.
An extended amount of time.
When I began reviewing I was 15 years old, I had no experience and i had no idea what I was doing, but along the way I have picked up a few tips on the dos and don'ts of reviewing novels.
2nd. Always start with a positive, and end with a positive. You can tell them that while their storyline was interesting the protagonist was relatable for you but you loved the climax scene where he finds out the truth about his past. Doing this gets the information across without making you sound cold.
1.First off if you haven’t anything nice to say don’t say anything at all! Think about it, you are talking about someone pride and join, in some cases people have been writing that novel for years, or have been trying to publish for
3. Read novels that interest you. If you pick up a novel that is unlikely to interest you, you are less likely to finish it or give it a bad review on principle that it's not your style,
It is very easy to get pulled into the lure of promotion and review companies that keep sending you chances to read free novels in exchange for a “Good” review.
4. Always be honest. I’ve dealt with review companies that wanted me to lie and say a horrible book was awesome, or they would just send me a book burp and say here you hated the book so post this, but who are you helping if you are not honest in telling the readers( and the author) what you thought, so long has you word things properly, and are considerate( see rule 1) You should be fine.
5. Do not give points just because the cover is good! So many times I’ve seen bloggers and reviewers talk about the cover but never touch the actual story. Yes I can see the artistic genius of the illustrator( who is not the author) and yes I can see the publisher made a great choice when they asked said illustrator to do his stuff, but what i don’t see is why I should read OR potentially buy this novel. 6. You are pumping up someone's livelihood. Meaning your review could be the difference between making a sale and not making a sale, thing about someone working at a bridal shop or some place the works on commissioned, you’ve almost made the sale and another sales rep comes by and says something negative and you lose the sale,
Why did they choose not to buy the product? Because of outsider opinion by someone who is an expert. That's not to say you can’t give your own opinion but ask yourself “Is this true? Is this well worded? Could this hurt the author more?” 7. Take a break every few months. I went a full year without one, add in school, extra curriculars and other stuff, I was so burnt out I didn’t read for pleasure anymore, it became a chore. Something I have just recently gotten out of. So to sum up. Do: Take it seriously ( dealing it someone's, hopes dreams and finances)
Don’t: Riff about the cover of the novel without saying a word about the content. Do: Make sure you are worded properly and are showing respect towards the author and publisher. Don’t: Read every book you are offered, this can lead to burnout as well as you writing unnecessarily harsh reviews. Do: Start with a positive and end with one. Leave the author and readers with a good note. The first words and last are the ones that catch readers attention. Don’t; Never Lie about a book in a review. Now that you have your do’s and don’ts you are set to start reviewing novels. Good luck! Trisha