Karri L. Moser
Author Interview - Karri L. Moser
Author of The Road to Abilene
Starting in the summer of 1992, The Road to Abilene is the story of 16-year-old Abilene Marigold Matterly's journey to find her father and her place in his world after losing her mother. She leaves behind all she knows, including her best and only friend Julien, to fit into her soldier dad's world living on an Army post. As she adapts to life on a military post, she falls for a young soldier her age and then must adjust to life as a young military wife. Just when all seems settled and stable for Abilene, her path crosses with the best friend she left behind. Abilene finds herself having to decide if the love and connection from that pivotal friendship is more real and true than the passion she feels for her husband. The events of September 11, 2001, force her to make a choice, one that could upend everyone's lives.
Author I draw inspiration from: The classics: Hemingway, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Alcott, Woolf. Contemporary: Khalid Hosseini, Kristin Hannah, Elizabeth Gilbert, Anita Shreve, Eric Larson
Favorite place to read a book: My hammock in the summer, next to my lilacs. Winter--on the couch at night with hot tea, a cozy blanket, and next to my pellet stove.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Shakespeare's John Falstaff--He'd keep me entertained with dirty jokes and probably have a flask of whiskey to keep me calm. I was stuck in an elevator as a kid and I'm still scared of getting stuck in one again.
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: Always I think. I was always thinking of characters and stories. I pursued other professions but always knew I would write fiction someday, if not just for myself.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: Paperback, however I'll use an e-reader at times.
The last book I read: Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Pen & paper or computer: Pen and a notebook to sketch ideas, outline, write passages on the go. Laptop once the story is pretty-well planned out and I am ready to dive into a rough draft.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: Any protagonist from Elin Hilderbrand's books because they all live in beach houses in Nantucket and most of them are plucky. They'd be fun to lounge around with at the beach. Or, Jo from Little Women, Louisa May Alcott. I admired her spunk and daring to dream of being a writer, and I love Concord, so we'd have fun running around the countryside.
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: Full-time teacher or professor. I currently teach a creative/fiction writing workshop for adult ed programs in Maine and have loved the experience more than I expected. It prompted me to go back to school for my master's in Adult and Higher Education. I plan to teach afterwards at a community college or university setting. I also think I'd be a good park ranger. I would love wandering the woods all day.
Favorite decade in fashion history: Hard to decide. the 1920's--hats, hairstyles, and shoes (those lace up boots!). 50's--fabrics and fit of those gorgeous dresses, gloves and coats. 70's--unique patterns and bell bottoms.
Place I’d most like to travel: Australia. That has been a lifelong dream of mine. Also, Italy--the food, wine, and Tuscan countryside would be wonderful.
My signature drink: Non-alcoholic: black coffee or hazelnut cappuccino. Alcoholic: bourbon highball or a seasonal craft beer.
Favorite artist: I am a huge Van Gogh fan. Cafe Terrace at Night is my favorite painting. I can picture myself in it writing and sipping cappuccino.
Number one on my bucket list: Travel more and spending days writing at little secluded coffee shops or cafes.
Anything else you'd like to add: I have 4 other novels available: The Weathering of Sea Glass, Moose Pond Lodge, The Thriving of Willows, and A Home for the Windswept.
Find more from the author:
@KarriMoWrites (twitter)
karrimowrites (instagram)
Karri L. Moser, Author (FB)
Author Bio: Karri L. Moser is a women's fiction author who has also written for magazines, newspapers, the U.S. Army, as well as marketing firms and other organizations. While her fiction spans generations and her adventurous characters travel to many parts of the country, her novels typically begin in Maine--her muse.
As an Army wife and daughter, she has lived in several regions of the United States, which has provided an overflowing well of stories, settings, and characters for her fiction. She chronicles her life and travels as part of a military family on her travel blog found at kmoserwrites.wordpress.com
Karri currently lives and works in Maine. She draws inspiration from the small coastal tourist towns, rocky beaches, and the unique history and culture of New England. When she isn't writing, Karri can be found running, painting, gardening, or exploring the beaches with a hazelnut coffee in hand.