CURTAINS FOR MAGGIE

CURTAINS FOR MAGGIE
Friday, July 21, 2023 by KAREN H.RICHARDSON

Categories: Friday's Fiction / GUEST AUTHORS

PLEASE WELCOME

KAREN H. RICHARDSON

FICTION FRIDAY

Where did you get your idea?

When I share with my non-writer friends that my debut novel, Curtains for Maggie, was published this year, I generally get one of two questions. Where did I get the idea? And when did I find time to write it? Or they begin with “I’ve always wanted to write a book, but I don’t know where to start.”

I’ll start at the beginning, I hear it’s a very good place to start (yes, the Sound of Music reference is intended). The idea for Curtains for Maggie came from an everyday occurrence. I’ve always been a working mom. My career in communications began long before my casual days in the office. I wore suits, hose, and heels most days. It didn’t bother me. I liked dressing for work. At the time, my commute from dropping my son at his elementary school to my office was 30 minutes. Plenty of time to think, pray, or listen to the morning message on Christian radio.

The idea for my first book came from seeing three women standing in the parking lot at the school, drinking coffee (or a hot beverage), and chatting. They weren’t dressed for office jobs. Most of the time they were wearing workout clothes. As I drove past them, I began to wonder what they were talking about. Three female friends talking in the elementary school parking lot. My thirty-minute commute became very productive. What were they talking about? Who were these three women? Did they work part-time? Were they married, single, divorced, or widowed?

To build the story, I needed a theme – rediscovery. A loss of something personal that the protagonist would share with her girlfriends. What is something that many women struggle to hold onto? Through all kinds of relationships – parents, spouses, friends – women tend to lose themselves. That God-given uniqueness He gives each of us. The talents and skills that many times women either put aside for the needs of others, or they use to serve others and not for personal satisfaction. We give our time, talent, and treasures to our husbands, children, and jobs (paid or volunteer) … sometimes to the point of losing our own passions in life.

From seeing the three women standing in the school parking lot, I developed the characters and storyline for Curtains for Maggie. True confession. I had a little personal experience with the theme as well.

The second question I’m asked is

when I had time to write the book and find a publisher.

That one is a little harder.

The first very rough draft of the book was written in 23 days. I took the NaNoWriMo challenge to draft a novel in a month. NaNoWriMo is in November, the national novel writing month. I wrote every evening, during my lunch hour, and on weekends.

The draft was rough, but it was the entire story. Cole was still in elementary school, there was still a lot of child-rearing to do. With the book drafted, it went on a shelf. From time to time, I would pull it out, show it to my writers' group and talk about it. They would give me feedback, and I’d do rewrites. I probably rewrote it four times over 10 years. Along the way I attended writing conferences and seminars learning more about the craft and how to pitch a book to a publisher.

Last year Cole graduated from college. There were no more concerts to attend (he was a music education major), and I had long since hung up my baseball-mom bag and my band-mom brownie recipe; we were feeling the empty nest.

I pulled Curtains for Maggie back off the shelf and made the decision to pitch it to any publishers who would listen. In June, I attended the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference. I wasn’t thrilled that at the last minute, they decided to make the conference virtual. But I attended online anyway. And I took full advantage of the sign-ups for five-minute pitches to agents and publishers. On the last day of the conference, it was announced that there were still open slots if anyone wanted to sign up for an additional pitch session. I hadn’t gotten a bite so far, so I decided to try again with the publisher from Elk Lake Publishing.

A friend had recommended them as a good fit. My time slot was first thing Saturday morning. I’m not a morning person but signed up for the session. I treated this session like a speed interview. I was dressed (at least from the waist up) in a blouse and jacket, and my hair and make-up looked great. I introduced myself to Deb Haggerty the publisher at Elk Lake, and she said, “Tell me about your book.” Having practiced my pitch on others, I dove in and went through the hook and theme of the story. She was interested and asked for a proposal.

I put together a proposal that included the first three chapters and sent it to her.

Within a month, I received a call and a contract.

Once I stopped treating my writing as a hobby and got serious about pitching it, the right publisher came along.

We all trade our time for something. It may be to support our kids at their ball games and concerts for a season, but then there is time for the things we have a passion for. Yes, it takes discipline to develop a story, and characters instead of turning on the television to veg out watching someone else’s work.

To be honest, once I get going, it’s just me, Maggie, Jen, and Nora standing in a parking lot talking about life, relationships, and the things we’ll do someday. Except one day Maggie decided that she didn’t want to wait any longer. From there the story took off, the characters came alive in my imagination, and I didn’t want to stop writing until their last word was spoken. When their story was complete, and I typed the last word, the next day I wondered what they were up to. So, I outlined the next book.

Writing is my passion. But I wouldn’t trade the 10 years of travel baseball games and being a band mom for anything. I didn’t get my book published then, but I was learning and I writing. When the season was right, it all came together. My husband and my son have been my number one fans. It’s a profound moment when your grown child tells you he’s proud of you.

ABOUT CURTAINS FOR MAGGIE

Maggie Nelson lost her identity. Nora St. Claire lost her husband. And Jen Stephens lost her job—sort of. The three friends from college, now in their forties, rediscover a special part of themselves that time and relationships have stolen.

To rediscover who she is, Maggie revisits a passion from her past. Something that was her own—acting. With this, her family begins a season of their orderly, planned, and scheduled lives becoming not so orderly. How can Maggie regain her identity without losing her husband?

Nora is an interior designer whose husband was killed in the line of duty. After years of mourning, she is ready to rebuild her life. Her career launches when she wins over a difficult client for the firm. And in her social life, she finds herself volunteering alongside a man who sparks her interest. Work, friends, dating—what will the design of her new life be?

Jen is a free-spirited personal trainer who never expected to find herself as an assistant manager at the gym. The role is a stretch, but it includes all the components of healthy living that she believes in. The rest she can learn. The transition has a few twists and turns Jen navigates well with the full support of her husband, and her two friends. And yet … is it the best fit for Jen?

Their path is a messy one, but isn’t that true about life? Along the way, each woman discovers that she is more precious than rubies. Even in her imperfection.

Check out Curtains for Maggie on Amazon.

ABOUT KAREN H.RICHARDSON

Karen has always observed the world as a running narrative and encounters with others as fodder for a story. Over the years her desire to put words to paper to tell a story has never wavered. While in school, she wrote for the school newspaper and yearbook. She has had several magazine articles published.

In 2009, she launched a blog, KK’s Candor, where she posts short slice-of-life articles meant to encourage others. As a lifelong learner, in 2012, Karen joined a tap-dancing class for adults. And recently, she and her husband, Jay, learned to play pickleball.

She and her husband live in Louisville, Kentucky. She has one son, Cole, who recently graduated from college with a degree in music education. Karen has a BA in journalism from Western Kentucky University, and a professional background in communications, marketing, and project management. She is a current member of ACFW where she served as president of the ACFW Louisville chapter.

Find out more about Karen online at www.KHRAuthor.com. Connect with her on social media @KHRAuthor on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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