Interview with Karen Rita Rautenberg

www.karenritarautenberg.com

Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

I started really wanting to write a book when I was in college. I considered writing a self-help book. Then I started thinking about different mystery plots and even thrillers for an adult audience. When I became an elementary school teacher, I started thinking about writing children's books.

Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?

When I started writing a picture book, I learned all about the different publishing companies for children. Then when I wrote my first novel, Lady Lucy’s Gallant Knight, I sent it to many publishing companies until I found the right publisher for it.

Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?

My new book, Ballerina Detective and the Missing Jeweled Tiara, is an exciting mystery with lots of adventure and fun.

What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?

Nancy Drew mysteries and Disney movies.

Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!

Many of my family members are thrilled about my being an author and enjoy reading the books.

Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?

Chocolate.

What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?

I listen to the radio in my bedroom for the weather and important events, I eat breakfast, and then I look out my big picture window in my living room to see what's going on outside.

If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?

It’s pretty neat.

Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?

Well I don’t want to be green like Kermit so I’d like to be yellow like the sun, and also it’s a very cheerful color.

Who is your favorite cartoon character?

Casper the Friendly Ghost.

Which cartoon character is most like you?

I’m a little like Sleeping Beauty.

If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?

I’d like to go back to the Middle Ages where they had knights in shining armor and banquets in gigantic castles.

So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists?

I like show music, disco, and soft rock. Some of my favorite artists are the Beatles, the Four Seasons, Carrie Underwood, Bon Jovi, Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney, and Taylor Swift.

Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again?

American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, National Geographic, Top Chef and Project Runway; Disney Movies, Harry Potter; and Where the Wild Things Are.

You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?

My advice for preteens and teens is to try to develop your creative writing abilities by writing about anything that appeals to you. I think that you should try to write a short story about three times a week.

One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?

I’m starting to write a new mystery and adventure chapter book.

Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!