Karissa Knight Interview Published on: 18, Nov 2021

Did you always want to be a writer?

First, thank you, All Author for this opportunity. I’m so happy to answer your questions. No, I didn’t always want to be a writer. I’m a creative person. I’ve played the piano since age three and I’ve always loved to paint and draw. Being creative and executing ideas is a way of life for me. In the past I’ve quilted and sewn pillows. I even took up restoring and painting old furniture for a few years. Though I have journaled my whole life, the bug to write something long and meaningful didn’t hit me until my forties. That was twelve years ago. At the time, I longed for a vacation alone with my laptop. I needed to make the space for that creativity in my life and once I developed a schedule and a plan, I became hooked on the process and the people. I love writers. And I’m proud to be part of this wonderful community.

Do you have a simple childhood memory that you could never forget?

Like most people, I have many memories that I’ll never forget. It’s what makes each writer unique, right? My childhood was pretty normal. I grew up in Indiana and my parents divorced before I was 8. During the New Age movement in the eighties, my mom dragged me to her self-help groups and meetings. I was eighteen. That was the time I became interested in psychology. I still am. That’s why I love researching psychological quirks and mental illnesses. I love putting those details into my characters and my writing.

What do you love the most about writing suspenseful stories?

It’s that rush you get from looking over the edge of a cliff. I’m a bit of an adrenaline junky, and that doesn’t hurt, either. My favorite books are thrillers and mystery. I love that moment when a story throws you off balance and makes your heart race, when you thought you knew how it would end and suddenly you’re in a free fall. That’s what I try to recreate in my writing. If the story doesn’t do it for me, it will never do it for the reader.

How do you come up with the characters of fierce, fearless women in your stories?

Inspiration for new stories always comes to me in the form of a character. Before I can type a single word, I get to know my character—usually a woman—inside and out. I need to understand why she reacts to some things, or why she behaves a certain way. I always write about women who are tougher than I—women who face their demons head-on—because they are the women and characters I want to read about.

Wilhelmina Green, for example, is a first-rate criminal lawyer who helps acquit wealthy criminals. She is tough-as-balls in the courtroom. But inside, she’s kind of a mess. Though she’s killing it at her job, it tears her up. The work makes her feel as guilty and as criminal as the men she represents. That’s her motivation for developing a relationship with Jonathon Heun. As she learns more about his private life, Mina begins to explore his ways on her own. She believes that Jonathon can deliver what she thinks she deserves. The Client explores those dark inner demons within Mina’s character and Jonathon gives her a way to do that safely.

Do you write books in chronological order, i.e. from start to finish?

I do. Is there any other way? [laughs out loud] My editing process is a bit less chronological. I like to focus on one theme or aspect of the manuscript and zero in on those details. Then I’ll go back and do it again for a different character or subplot. Book two in the Mina’s Choice series will pick up exactly where my couple left off in book one.

How many books do you plan to write in the Elements of Power series?

Elements of Power was the name of the series I launched in June. I based the title on the Elements of Engagement contract that Wilhelmina (and all criminal lawyers) drafts for her client, Jonathon Heun. I loved the idea of a series of titles that played on the Elements of. . .(add subject matter here.) And Elements of Submission was the title my editor and I chose for the first book. We had no idea that the word Submission would be blocked by Amazon and Facebook advertisers. In the first three months, we tried numerous ways of advertising and always got the result, “Your ad does not comply with our standards.” So in October, I re-leased the book and the series under new names. THE CLIENT is the first book in the Mina’s Choice series. It’s exactly the same book, with a new look. A new package.

In what ways do you try and stand out from the ever growing community of romance writers?

I’m not much of a romance reader. My favorite genre is mystery and suspense and that’s what I write. Full disclosure—Karissa Knight is my pseudonym. I’m published in the mystery genre as Tracey S. Phillips. Karissa is the romantic extension of my suspense-driven novels. To stand out, Karissa Knight’s books have great crimes and a who-done-it subplot to heighten the suspense. And my characters –beginning in book one—develop a relationship. Their interludes are spicy and contain various devices like those used in the popular Fifty Shades series. It might not be for everyone, but nothing ever is.

What are you currently working on? May we know when we can expect a new book?

I’m currently working through my editor’s notes in THE CONTRACT, Mina’s Choice, book two. I hope to release it on Amazon in Spring of 2022.

Book two picks up where THE CLIENT ends. No Spoilers! Mina and Jonathon are together in their capacity as friends and lovers. But Jonathon’s past catches up with him as an old colleague threatens him with extortion. As Jonathon and Mina work to save his reputation and put the viper in jail, Mina pulls away from Jonathon. She want’s more from him than he believes he can give. Mina’s misgivings seem unfounded. By the end of book two, she’ll want to be with Jonathon more than ever.

How were you first introduced to AllAuthor?

I noticed some of my writer friends were using All Author for promotional materials, so I signed up.

Do you have any feedback?

My favorite part of All Author is the automatic Tweet feature. And my other favorite part is the Gif- Maker. And the community. And the featured book page. Actually, I love everything about All Author! Thanks for all your awesomeness! And thank you for the interview.

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