How to use this Page

I have the pleasure of hosting author, Karina Fabian.

Karina has written everything from radio news stories to personality features to science fiction. She’s been in over 50 periodicals and is the author of Infinite Space, Infinite God (August 2007, Twilight Times Books); Leaps of Faith; Firestorm of Dragons has driven her into the world of marketing. As she learns the tricks of publicizing her book, she’s also tried to share her knowledge with others by teaching courses, offering “primers” on her website, answering questions and offering unsolicited advice. (Did we mention she also wrote how-to pieces?) In addition, she’s shopping a fantasy trilogy, publishing a newsletter, writing a Catholic science fiction novel and crafting a fantasy noir satire involving a dragon detective, the creatures of Faerie and a Mensa convention.

Karina is President of the Catholic Writers' Guild, owner of Catholic Writers Online, and active in a half-dozen or more groups. She homeschools her four children, and has the most understanding husband in the world.

Karina has several blogs, websites and a live chat:
Fabianspace, where you'll find info about her, her writing and her eclectic writing/homeschooling/humor/just-gotta-say-it blog
Infinite Space, Infinite God, the official site.
virtualbooktourdenet, where she'll gladly advertise your book if you'll return the favor to someone else (pay it forward)
Dragon Eye PI, where you can learn more about the fantasy noir dragon detective Vern, his partner Sister Grace, and the world of Dragon Eye, PI.
And, FabChat, a live-chat with a guest author (at FabianSpace, click on FabChat).

Karina you are one busy lady!

Being so busy with four children you home school, your sites, and groups, how do you manage your time and do you find it overwhelming?

I'm always overwhelmed, it seems, but I also don't know how to handle myself when I have down time. I always come up with some new project. I stopped homeschooling the kids when we moved to Minot, ND, so the situation changed. I've enjoyed two years of concentrating on my writing, and have probably gotten a little overboard. We're moving to Los Angeles next year, so we're not sure what we'll do with the school situation yet. When I home school, the kids have my attention until about 2 or 3; then I get a few hours for writing. When they are in public/private school, I do a lot of work during the school hours—and afterwards, too. I can get obsessive.
I split my week into daily themes—Monday, Catholic Writers Guild work, since I'm President. Tuesday, marketing. Wednesday, writing. Thursday, housekeeping tasks and writing. Friday, webwork. I try to put in a little writing each day as well, but that does not always work. If I get on a deadline, of course, the whole thing goes out the window.

Were you always a writer?

Since about third grade I have a hard time NOT writing. Too many characters want to tell me their stories and if I don't write them out, I'll sit around daydreaming until the Funny Farm takes me away.

Karina, I know you do marketing and promotion workshops. I attended one in the Muse Online Conference in October 08.

What are the best tips you could give someone trying to drive traffic to their blog or website?

Be active in online groups and put your website link in your signature block. I've noticed lately that a good percentage of the visitors to my websites are coming from IP addresses with "mail" in them. It's funny, because I thought no one looked at those things.
Also, have regular content—whether daily or weekly. I've found my website hits spike on the days I blog. Be entertaining or useful when you blog, too.

And, maybe you can tell us a little about virtualbooktourdenet.

How do you get authors/writers to tour on your site and do you run into any problems?

Getting them is easy. I just ask. Keeping them organized. That's hard. I've had people post a month early because I got the interview done ahead of time. Other times, I may spend an hour on an interview or guest blog and they forget to post it. Usually, though, they'll get it up. It's just a matter of keeping on top of things. I'm not as good at that as I used to be.
 
Do you find it causes pressure or stress to continually try to present your guests in fresh ways or include new info?


No, but I've kept the format simple: cover, synopsis, purchase link.  Authors supply me and so the material is fresh as they are!

Your latest book to be published, Leaps of Faith, sounds so interesting. Please tell us a little about it.

In both Christian and mainstream science fiction, either religion or science always seems to take a back seat.  In mainstream SF, religion may be portrayed as something mankind has “outgrown” or that has become as alien as the worlds visited; or only one faith is represented, as if the great tapestry of Judeo-Christian faiths has been bleached into a colorless whole.  By the same token, in Christian fiction, accurate, plausible science may be downplayed to the point of device rather than vital story element.

Yet, in reality, faith and science have always nurtured each other. Mendel, the father of genetics, was a monk, and some physicists have said the more they delve into quantum mechanics, the more they are convinced in a higher power as Creator.  Where is the SF to reflect the truer relationship between faith and science? Here, in Leaps of Faith.

The 15 stories in Leaps of Faith cover the entire spectrum of the SF genre, showing the positive relationship between science and religion. 

Where can we find out more about Leaps of Faith along with ordering info?

Website:  www.leapsoffaithsf.com
Publisher: http://www.thewriterscafe.com/

Here are the Ordering Links for Karina's books:

Infinite Space, Infinite God

Firestorm of Dragons

Leaps of Faith

This has been great, Karina. Thanks so much for talking with us.

Stay tuned all, on the 28th I'll post Virtual Book Tours February 1st schedule.

See you in blog world,
Karen