Today, we welcome author Karina Bartow to the blog! Karina hails from 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 who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. Her works include a mix of mysteries and love stories. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!
Like Jacquie, I’ve now written a couple of historical romance novels. When I was an aspiring author, though, I never would’ve believed that I’d touch the genre. History was never my favorite subject in school. While I usually managed to net a good grade in the class from doing the homework and memorizing the facts, I didn’t get too invested in it. On the occasions when we stepped out of the classroom and into a historical venue like the Gettysburg battlegrounds or a presidential home, however, the facts came to life for me, sparking my fascination.
It was the same way when I decided to dip my toes into writing in the genre. I didn’t really set out to fashion a story around history in general, but I had concepts that piqued my interest and enjoyed immersing myself in those periods once I dug in my feet. Granted, both novels cover events in 1964, which doesn’t seem very historical to me. With how fast the world and its advancements have evolved in the proceeding decades, I suppose it fits in the category. My 2022 release, Wrong Line, Right Connection, revolved around a switchboard operator, and my latest one, Undeveloped Memories, is centered on a roll of undeveloped film.
In the case of both plots, I had a personal attachment to the outdated elements. My honorary grandmother was a switchboard operator, and in fact, I interviewed her for a history project in middle school. I can’t say I had the reverence for it back then that I do today, but it always held a special place in my heart due to her experience. When I started the book, I researched its history and the way it functioned, but I didn’t bury myself in study material to the point that I grew bored as I used to in school. I also researched surrounding aspects of the story, but I did so in a similar step-by-step manner as I made it to certain stages of the plot.
I did likewise with Undeveloped Memories. The film concept wasn’t too foreign to me, since my mom used a film camera for my entire childhood and actually inspired the book by losing a roll back in the day. Because the novel delves a great deal into the Good Friday Earthquake in Alaska, I had to devote much time to exploring the event. Thankfully, a friend who lived through it as a child provided me with an invaluable eyewitness account, and the Internet offered loads of information, too. Again, though, I spaced out my research to look into each component as I came to it, both so that I didn’t get overwhelmed and so I had the pertinent facts fresh in mind.
The gradual approach fostered the immersive feel those historical field trips did in my school days. It gave me the sensation of going through the developments along with the characters, and I hope it translated that way to readers. More than that, the process has made me view history differently. While customs and methods have transformed throughout generations, we’re all humans, with many of the same emotions and pursuits as those before and after us.
I don’t expect to compose a six-hundred-page biography on the Industrial Revolution or anything, but I have enjoyed giving my not-so-favorite subject another chance. As you age, I think you cultivate a better appreciation for history due to your vantage point in the stream of time and how history seems to repeat itself more than you realized as a kid. Whether you’re a writer or not, it’s beneficial to revisit those subjects that were once a pain in your side and see if you discern their value now.
All this said, don’t anticipate a science-based novel from me! I have yet to make such a transition on that class!
Learn more about Karina (including all about her fabulous books!) here:
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Thank you so much for having me!