Interview with Karen Magill

Is it spring yet? I, for one, hope it doesn't take too much longer before the weather warms up and the sun decides to be part of our lives again. In the meantime, let's get to know Karen Magill, author of MISSING FLOWERS.

Welcome to We Do Write, Karen. Tell us a bit about yourself.


I come from a family of writers. My grandmother was a published author and one of my paternal uncles writes. Ever since I first learned how to put words together, I have written.

So it's in your blood! That's awesome. Tell us about MISSING FLOWERS. What’s the story about?

When psychic Julie Seer moves to Vancouver, her dreams are filled with visions of women being murdered. She doesn’t know who is being killed or why until the day Julie goes to a press conference held by the Vancouver Police Station. A press conference to announce the formation of a special task force that will investigate the case of the prostitutes who have gone missing from Vancouver’s East Side.

Detective Constable Santoro Ricci is an officer with the Vancouver Police Department and he wants on the special task force. When he happens upon Julie at the press conference, Ricci finds himself unofficially investigating the case.

Julie also finds herself having visions where she is transported back in time into the body of a Chinese prostitute in the late 1800s. Through these visions, and stories told to her by long time residents of the city, Julie learns more of the history of Vancouver.

With the help of Francine, an east side prostitute, Julie and Santoro work together to solve the mystery of the missing women. When Francine and Julie are taken by the killer, Santoro must find the missing answers fast.

How did you come up with the title?

A friend of my parents’ refers to the prostitutes on Hastings Street as ‘Hastings Street Flowers’ so I took the flowers to signify those women and the missing is because they have disappeared.

Oooh, intriguing! How did the idea of the story come to you?

I write a blog on Vancouver and its history – Vancouver Vagabond http://karen-magill.blogspot.com – and I knew I wanted to do something with Vancouver history. The missing prostitutes was an actual case here in Vancouver where there was a serial killer targeting the prostitutes. I found a way to combine the two.

So interesting! Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I have a very good friend who has read my books over before publication. I don’t know what I will do in the future but I don’t think I will work in a group – I don’t play well with others.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I am more of a pantser and many times will write my book in sections when a scene comes to me and figure out how to fit that scene in the book later.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Getting started. Once I get into the groove I just keep writing but it getting there is difficult. I am great at procrastinating.

I hear ya; I'm a procrastinator too. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Music. I love to write while listening to music and blocking out all other noises. I get so lost in the sounds sometimes and my story that I forget the time.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

I would love to be able to see far enough in the future so that I could see what the lottery numbers were for the next draw!

Ha! Don't we all. ;) What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

I have googled size statistics for a man’s penis. Research for a novel. LOL

LOL! Sure, sure. I totally believe you. *smirk* Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: mystery, terrier, and realize.

It took a moment to realize that the terrier was at the center of the mystery.

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

Walking. I regularly roam the city getting photos and seeing places where the history happened for my blog.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

First, there is my parents – they are great supporters – and Diana is a friend that reads my work and gives me her opinion. So many people on Facebook like Kim Mutch Emerson, Martin Crosbie, Tasha Turner, T.L. Burns and K.R. Hughes. Too many to mention! I also want to thank Denise Beilchick. She had problems with the eBook of Missing Flowers so I fixed that and now she has become a great supporter. I also have to thank Saga Books for believing in me and publishing Missing Flowers.

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

Webpage: : www.karenmagill.com
Blog: http://karen-magill.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenMagill
Facebook: http://goo.gl/0LrRK
Facebook Fan Page: http://goo.gl/ulvSy
FB Karen Magill’s Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/124352631064366/
(I started the street team in January to help promote my books and to better get to know the people who are supporting me.)
Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Magill/e/B003DI10YG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Thanks for chatting with us today, Karen. I look forward to reading your book!