I’m delighted to welcome author Karen Jewell to What Cathy Read Next today to talk about her novel, In the Garden of Sorrows. Published in April 2023, it’s described as ‘a gripping, erotically charged story of loss and sorrow, anger and recrimination, and the redemptive power of love’. If that hasn’t already piqued your interest, check out Karen’s fascinating answers to my questions about the inspiration for the story and her writing journey.
About the Book
Isabel Fuller, a strong, once passionate woman, is deadened with grief by the death of her oldest son in the First World War, haunted by visions of him dying alone, and bitter at her husband for encouraging him to enlist.
When a young, charismatic preacher arrives for a revival one summer, he awakens in Isabel an intense attraction and feelings long forgotten. When she finally succumbs to his seduction, their affair pushes Isabel’s marriage to the breaking point.
Find In the Garden of Sorrows on Goodreads
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Q&A with Karen Jewell, author of In the Garden of Sorrows
Q. What was the inspiration for the book?
A. I was on a road trip with my father, taking him to see family in northeast Arkansas, where he was raised. He was a wonderful storyteller, and I thought I had heard all his stories about growing up on a farm. But as we drove through the night, he told me about the time that his father had let the Pentacostals hold a revival on his land. They built a brush arbor for their meetings, and my father remembered seeing the crowds and the fires and hearing the music drift across the fields well after midnight. I was captivated by the images, and thought, there’s a story in there.
Q. How did you go about creating your main character, Isabel Fuller? Did she change much during the time you were writing the book?
A. Isabel appeared on the first page of the book as a mother grieving the loss of her son in World War I and having been visited by him on the night he died. After that, it was not so much a matter of creating her but getting to know her – where she came from, how she lived and loved. I don’t know that she changed, but she did reveal her very human flaws as time went on.
Q. Were there any scenes that were particularly challenging to write? If so, why?
A. There are scenes that were not particularly challenging to write, but it was challenging to think about family and friends reading them. Anyone who’s read the book can probably guess which ones. I had to tell myself more than once to get over it.
Q. How did you approach your research for the book, and did you discover anything that surprised you?
A. I read newspapers, periodicals, women’s magazines, and books from the time period. I talked to a librarian who helped me find train schedules and ticket prices. The 1923 Sears, Roebuck Catalogue is a wonderful resource. I was amazed by the huge variety of products, equipment, furniture, clothing – you name it – that was available, and just found it all so interesting.
Q. In the Garden of Sorrows is your debut novel. What advice do you have for other first-time authors?
A. This is not original advice, because I heard it from several sources, but I found it to be true. First, show up and do the work. Get over any fear you have that nothing will come out on the page, because something will. And second, don’t think you’re ready to send your work out into the world the minute you finish your first draft, no matter how much you love it. Let it age, then revise. Repeat – many, many times.
Q. Who are your writing heroes?
A. Having been an English major in college, and someone who reads constantly, that’s a long list. A few that come to mind are William Shakespeare (of course), George Eliot (Middlemarch is one of my favorite novels), Jane Austen, John Steinbeck, Toni Morrison, Stephen King. David Sedaris is a joy to read – he’s so funny and insightful.
Q. What are you working on next?
A. I’ve written a thriller, which I want to publish. Then I’ll turn back to some of the characters in In the Garden of Sorrows. I’ve started collecting ideas and materials for what is likely to be a prequel.
About the Author
Karen Jewell is a former trial attorney and author of numerous pieces of nonfiction. She has an undergraduate degree in English, a Master’s in Business Administration, and earned her Juris Doctorate degree at the University of Michigan. Karen lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband.
Connect with Karen
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