My name is Karaline and I am a local author from Montreal. I am also a teacher, currently teaching sixth grade. I live with my very large cat, Hemingway, who enjoys watching me write, read and drink too much coffee.
Why did you choose to write poetry? Poetry was the form of writing that flowed through me very easy for two books. I was able to share and express my life experiences, emotions, and turmoil through poetry. It was almost like a form of therapy and a way of connecting to others and to myself.
Do you only write poetry? I don't want to stick to the poetry genre, although it has served me well in a time when I needed to express myself through it. I'm currently venturing out by working on my first novel.
What inspired Midnight Moon? As someone who enjoys scary stories, I wanted to create that through poetry; similar to Edgar Allan Poe. I never really found another poetry book that had poems of that style and was drawn to writing it myself.
What does being a Maker mean to you? I think it's important to be involved in your community, and being a Maker allows me to connect with individuals around me.
How have you developed your skills? I am constantly reading and writing. The more I do that, the better I become at my craft. I also watch a lot of videos by other authors for insight and tips.
How do you apply your creativity to other aspects of your life? It greatly applies to my teaching career. I place huge importance on literature in my classroom and teach my students the importance of reading and of books. I also want to give them different outlets to express themselves, such as through different forms of writing. We write in our journals every morning. Some mornings, I give them thoughtful questions to answer, and there are times where I don't read what they write so that they can write freely and use it as an outlet to understand their emotions and work through their problems.
What is your favorite thing you've created and why? I am really proud of my poetry book, Midnight Moon, however, I am already so excited about the first novel that I am currently working on. My main goal and dream are to write a novel, so I am excited about what's to come.
Tell us about your first sale Selling Midnight Moon to the public has been a roller coaster. Part of me is so proud to have this product out there, but I also sometimes fear that the book isn't good enough - serious imposter syndrome. I cheer myself on when I see my book sales go up, but at the same time, wonder if I'm a good author. I think many people who sell a certain product feel a sense of imposter syndrome.
Describe your creative process Sometimes that helps my creative process is something I learned to do from Brandon Sanderson, and it's called priming your mind. There are times where I don't have time to write or am feeling a creative block. Instead of staring at my computer screen wondering what to write, I will partake in another activity like exercising or going for a drive, and mentally think about what I'd like to include in my story, or what I want to have happened next. Simply thinking about things and using my imagination helps my writing flow.
Describe your latest project I am working on my very first fantasy novel, and I feel as though I am able to use all of my creativity in this project. Creating new worlds and new characters allows me to let my imagination run wild.
What inspires you?
The books that I read are always inspiring me, as well as my life experiences. I am inspired by other authors, by films, and by the people I meet.
