Interview with Karma Brown + Giveaway of THE CHOICES WE MAKE

We are so excited today to welcome back our former Deb, Karma Brown, whose second book, THE CHOICES WE MAKE, is publishing this Tuesday! Kirkus Reviews said it has “a compelling premise with a plot that intensifies satisfyingly.”

THE CHOICES WE MAKE is a story of friendship, and motherhood, and what we’re willing to do for the ones we love. Hannah is unable to conceive, and so her best friend Kate—already a mom to two young girls—offers to be her surrogate, using her own eggs to do so. Things are going beautifully until there’s a devastating tragedy when Kate is 26-weeks pregnant, putting everything—and everyone—at risk.

Be sure to buy your copy this Tuesday, and you can also RETWEET/SHARE this post to enter to win one! (US & Canada only; details below.)

If you were a drink (preferably alcoholic), what would you be and why?
My publicist just turned me on to Moscow Mules and I feel like it’s a drink that just gets me. I’m a little bit peppy like the lime, a little bit feisty like the ginger beer, and a little bit self-assured like the vodka.

What time of day do you love best?
Though my younger (pre-child) self would never believe it, I love the (very) early morning the best now. I’m part of the #5amwritersclub crew on before-dawn Twitter, and it’s the time of day when I’m most focused and productive with my writing. As long as there’s coffee, of course. Without caffeine all bets are off.

Share something that’s always guaranteed to make you laugh.
Pinterest Fail is always good for a laugh—the cake fails are my absolute favorite—and if I want to cry-laugh, I scroll through Damn You Autocorrect. Gets me Every.Single.Time.

What is your advice for aspiring writers?
ONE, stop calling yourself an “aspiring” writer – if you’re brave enough to dip your toe into the writing-a-novel world, you are a writer. Full stop. TWO, write every day. This is actually Stephen King’s advice (from ON WRITING, a must read for any novelist), but it’s the best piece of advice I’ve come across. Writing muscles are real, and they need to stay in shape. THREE, be supportive of other writers. It can be a tough gig at times, and a little kindness—in the form of a great review if you loved a book or a social media shoutout —goes a long way.

What’s your next big thing? (new book, new project, etc.)
I’m just finishing up my third book, which will be out July 2017. Without giving away too many details, here’s the basic premise: When a woman stops her car to wave a teenager across the street—leading to a devastating accident she blames herself for—she can’t imagine the consequences of her seemingly innocuous act, or how much she’ll risk losing because of it.

What is the best perk of your job?
There are so many perks! Here’s a partial list: reading advanced copies of books from authors I admire; working in my pjs; readers emailing me about how much they loved the books; signing books WITH MY NAME ON THE COVER; seeing my novel on the shelf for the first time; doing book research, especially if it takes me places I’ve never been before. It’s all pretty amazing, actually.

GIVEAWAY: RETWEET on Twitter, and/or SHARE on Facebook by noon (EST) Friday, July 15th to win a copy of THE CHOICES WE MAKE (US & Canada only). We’ll select and contact the winner on Friday. Good luck!

Karma Brown is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author of COME AWAY WITH ME (Mira/HarperCollins), who spends a lot of time writing in coffee shops. When not mulling plot lines she can be found running with her husband, coloring (outside the lines) with her daughter, and perfecting her banana bread recipe. Karma lives just outside Toronto with her family. THE CHOICES WE MAKE (July 12th) is her second novel.

Find Karma on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.