Karin, take it away.
I’ve loved reading mysteries since I was a kid, so my number one goal in writing The Witch Tree was to write the sort of mystery I like to read--cozy but not fluffy, with a plot that doesn’t minimize evil but, on the other hand, isn’t dripping with darkness. Life is full of hope—why shouldn’t books be?
When I set out to create my protagonist, Anna Denning, I knew four things: (1) she would be a genealogist, (2) she would be a widow, (3) she would have been involved with wicca at some point in her past, and (4) she would own a dog.
I wanted to make Anna a genealogist because genealogists are good at digging for clues and connecting the dots—like any good amateur sleuth. Plus, genealogy deals with both the past and present (as well as how the past affects the present), and the information you can uncover in your research is almost limitless. Genealogy is a cornucopia for the mystery writer.
Anna is a widow who is having a very tough time dealing with the loss of her husband—and her anger at God because of that loss. It was important to show her grief and anger. I think Christians, moreso than non-believers, can become angry with God. After all, we believe in Him, and when it seems the One you’ve trusted has turned His back on you, there’s a sense of betrayal that, for example, an atheist or Buddhist wouldn’t feel. Christians shouldn’t be ashamed of their struggles with God—those struggles are a sign of faith.
In the course of the story, Anna also has to come to grips with her past involvement in wicca, something she’d rather forget. That’s something I can identify with. In my twenties, even though I was a Christian, I dabbled in wicca. As a result, although I have strong opinions on wicca, witchcraft, and paganism (all of them negative), I have a great deal of empathy for young people caught up in those “paths.”
Finally, I knew Anna had to have a dog, so I created Jackson, a German shepherd mix. I have two dogs of my own, both rescue dogs. One was abandoned at age two, and the other was a breeder dog at a puppy mill who was almost nine years old when I got him. Dogs are one of God’s best gifts, so how could my protagonist be without one?
Two years ago, if someone had told me I’d self-publish an ebook, I wouldn’t have believed it. I’d always heard that self-publishing is a no-no. And although I still believe that self-publishing solely in print format isn’t a good idea, the world of publishing has changed so much that self-pubbing an ebook just might be the smartest thing you could ever do as an author.
I decided to self-publish The Witch Tree as an ebook first and foremost because I’m impatient. I didn’t want to go through the usual publication process: write the “perfect” query, find an agent, search for a publisher, find an editor, rewrite half the book, have the editor and agent tell you they can’t market the book, rinse and repeat. Thankfully, because of ebooks, that publishing model is on the way out.
Self-publishing isn’t for everyone, but for those who are so inclined, I’d say give it a try. I’ll be self-publishing my second ebook in the Anna Denning mystery series later this year. The book will be “up and running” a couple weeks after I’ve finished the last draft. It’s great to be living in a time when that’s possible.
Again, Lord, please continue to bless Karin with stories, revelation knowledge from your heart to hers, and the insights only you can give. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.