Melissa Roske author

Melissa Roske - author of Kat Greene Comes Clean

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Media
  • Contact
  • Teacher’s Guide

Ask the Author: Karen Strong

September 7, 2020 By Melissa Roske Leave a Comment

The Proust Questionnaire, popularized by the French novelist and essayist Marcel Proust, is said to reveal a person’s true nature through a series of probing, soul-searching questions. In the hot seat today: Karen Strong, author of the MG debut, JUST SOUTH OF HOME (2019), and contributor to the anthologies, A PHOENIX FIRST MUST BURN and FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (11.10.20).

What is your idea of perfect happiness? That first sip of coffee in the morning.

What is your greatest fear? Losing a dear loved one to COVID-19.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Procrastination! I’m trying to get better at this but it seems I work very well under pressure.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Racism. It’s a baseless construct and has caused much harm in the world.

What is your greatest extravagance? I love luxurious lipstick. I have many shades of red that can fit my mood from happiness to rage.

What is your current state of mind? Scattered. I’m editing a novel while working in the tech world. It’s a tug of war between the left and right hemispheres in my brain right now.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Kindness. I think right now we’re seeing that asking for things nicely doesn’t necessarily bring about change.

On what occasion do you lie? Although it’s tempting to tell small lies to keep harmony, bigger lies always come back to haunt you in the end.

Besides writing, which talent would you most like to have? I would love to be able to draw. Especially beach landscapes.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? I always like to think that my greatest achievement still in my future!

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? I would definitely want to come back as one of Oprah’s spoiled pets. The life I would lead!

What is your most treasured possession? My diary from when I was five years old. I still have the key to the lock and everything.

What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty. There’s nothing worse than betrayal from someone close to you.

Who are your favorite writers? Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, and Octavia E. Butler to name a few.

Who is your hero of fiction? Janie Starks from Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.

What is your motto? “Step by step.” Anything can be achieved by taking it one step at a time.

KAREN STRONG is the author of the critically acclaimed middle-grade novel Just South of Home, which was selected for several Best of Year lists including Kirkus Reviews Best Books, CCBC Choices, and Bank Street Best Books. Her short fiction appears in From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back and A Phoenix First Must Burn. Born and raised in the rural South, she is a graduate of the University of Georgia and an advocate of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). An avid lover of strong coffee, yellow flowers, and night skies, Karen lives in Atlanta. Learn more about her on her website and follow her on Twitter.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Ask the Author Tagged With: #WNDB, author, author interview, children's books, children's fiction, children's literature, Diversity, fiction, kidlit, mg, middle grade fiction, middle-grade, publishing, reading, The Brown Bookshelf

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Melissa Roske on Facebook Melissa Roske on Twitter Melissa Roske on Good Reads

Categories

  • Ask the Author
  • Uncategorized

Archives

  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • October 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015