The Fictionist who wrote Not To Us

Today I am pleased to welcome Katherine Owen, author of Not to Us  to Great Thoughts’ Great Authors.

Here’s Katherine:

A few years ago, I read a novel by Kristin Hannah that was based in Seattle. While I was reading it, I kept thinking I need to write a novel that takes place here, too, that way I won’t get bogged down by a bunch of research about a place I’ve never been. So. I wrote Not To Us and based it on Bainbridge Island—a place I’ve been to, like twice, a very long time ago. Indeed!

My novel, Not To Us, will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride. I try to make this clear with readers. In the first three pages, the heroine, Ellen “Ellie” Bradford, secretly copes with the betrayal of her best friend Carrie with her husband Robert, deals with a stunning diagnosis of breast cancer, and then engages in her own daring liaison with Michael. All these events would be enough to derail anyone’s life, but don’t assume this book is about breast cancer or even infidelity, for that matter. This novel is about four people who have basically been friends since college; and now, twenty years later, find themselves confronting the choices they’ve made in their lives. Yet, while they’re questioning themselves and finding their new life’s path, tragedy manages to find all of them and tear each one apart in a different way. The story centers upon Ellie and is told from her point of view, but the cascading changes of loss and betrayal affect all of the characters in this story in some way.

My writing delves into the complexities of relationships and often from both love and loss perspectives because I enjoy the unpredictability and uniqueness I find there. My writing is not for the faint of heart; it’ll take you through a proverbial emotional ringer before reaching resolution and the endings are somewhat surprising.

It’s true. My writing tends to be dark, moody, and sometimes funny. Sometimes, it’s a bit lyrical or even literary. It’s often edgy, so be forewarned. If you’re looking for happy, laugh-out loud funny angst, read Jen Lancaster’s Bitter Is The New Black. I love Lancaster’s writing style, but it’s not exactly what I write.

My stories are comprised of broken heroines, who are often lost and not always intent on finding their way back; even the heroes in my books have a few flaws that cause trouble or disappoint. Many of my readers complain they can’t put the novel down or just when they think they’ve figured the story out, it changes and becomes something else. I feel so lucky to have this wonderful group of readers out there that enjoy my work, but I’m always looking for more. Do I sound like your kind of fictionista? Then, come along, darlings. This way.

 What are you reading and where are you going?