Monday, November 14, 2016

Meet Pikes Peak Writers Member Karin Huxman

Editor's Note: Karin Huxman also writes as K.D. Huxman 

By: Kathie Scrimgeour

I was excited to have Karin Huxman contact me to do this interview for Meet the Members. It is such a joy to e-mail with members of Pikes Peak Writers and learn who they are and what makes them tick. Karin has been writing for more than twenty-five years. Her first paid gig was an essay called, “The Mommy Dance,” then went on to pay for her first laser printer with her non-fiction magazine work. She enjoys writing for children, a bit of romance for adults, and poetry for all. She has been a member of PPW “for YEARS!”

KJS: Do you have anything in particular you are working on right now?

Karin Huxman: I’ve been working on a non-fiction book for the middle school set called “Colorado Coalfield Wars: Massacre at Ludlow” for Apprentice Shop Books, which should be coming out this fall. I’m also working on romance which is the second in a series that my agent is shopping around.

KJS: Have you set any goals for your publication date?

Karin Huxman: I would love to have some kind of release party for the Ludlow book. It’s been a long time coming.

KJS: If you have a completed manuscript/story/poem/flash have you submitted it yet? What have the results been?

Karin Huxman: I’m a multi-published author in romance and children’s and poetry. That being said, my agent has two manuscripts she’s shopping around, and I have another that I’m polishing before sending to her.

KJS: How do you get past the "No's"?

Karin Huxman: The no’s are just part of the business. I don’t let them bother me as much as I used to.

KJS: What does success mean to you?

Karin Huxman: Some days it simply means sitting down at the desk and getting the words down.

KJS: What do you do when procrastination is winning over writing?

Karin Huxman: Sometimes procrastination is my mind’s way of saying it needs a break. Other times it’s a message that the story isn’t working and I need to think about why.

KJS: Writing conferences, workshops, and critique groups are an important part of the new writer's experiences (and more experienced writers too!). How have they helped you?

Karin Huxman: I have had some wonderful experiences with conferences and critique groups. But being the introvert I am, conferences are stressful for me. I need a real good reason to spend the time and money and go.

KJS: Do you attend the events outside PPWC and, if so, which ones are your favorite?

Karin Huxman: The monthly events, unfortunately, generally occur on an evening when I am working or are not close enough for me to go. I have enjoyed being the “guest critiquer” several times for the PPW [Open] Critique group. (Thank you, Donnell)

KJS: Do you have any "self-help for writers" books that you use regularly? How do they help? Please share your list of your top 2 or 3.

Karin Huxman: I always suggest Pam McCutcheon’s Writing the Fiction Synopsis and Debra Dixon’s Goal, Motivation and Conflict to fledgling writers. As for other books, I’ve got shelves of them. I’ve read them all and taken away what I needed from them.

KJS: Does your reading influence your writing? How?

Karin Huxman: I try to read broadly, both in genres that I write in and those that I don’t. I believe that reading broadly informs your writing.

KJS: If you met someone who was thinking about starting to write, what advice would you give them? 

Karin Huxman: Read a lot, write a lot, repeat.

KJS: What is one (or a few) of the most important lessons you have learned so far?

Karin Huxman: Be humble.

KJS: What question did you hope I would ask? 

Karin Huxman: If I’m a cat person or a dog person. :) 

KJS: (It is still a mystery if she’s a dog or cat person). What expertise in your background do you draw on in your writing.

Karin Huxman:  The places I’ve visited inform my writing more than my time in the Air Force or my current career. I guess the fact that I grew up in a small town and enjoy that kind of life is why my stories generally are set in that kind of environment.

Thank you, Karin, for telling us about your writing life. We invite other members to volunteer for our Q&A.

Here are a few other places you can find Karin…




2 comments:

  1. I find your final statement interesting. How much have you traveled? Good luck on the manuscripts being shopped!

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  2. Hi Shannon. As a kid we spent summers camping all over New England and the East Coast. Having a scattered family, we also traveled through New York and the Great Lakes states for visits and as an adult, through the desert Southwest. I've lived in Massachusetts, Mississippi, California, Virginia and Colorado and visited most of the states in between. Out of country I've been fortunate to spend time in France, Jamaica (my father's family came from there), and Korea. Hawaii has also been a favorite destination. Thanks for the luck, I can use it. Best wishes to you. :)

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