It’s my great pleasure today to invite my lovely friend Karen on to my blog, to tell us about the themes of her brilliant debut novel, Torn…
Thanks so much, Jo, for inviting me here. I’m very excited to see my debut thriller Torn published this week but also a little sad (and nervous!) that it’s being released into the wild. I just hope that readers will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
The story focuses on Hanna and her small daughter, Eva. When Hanna discovers that her husband, Luciano, is not all he seems and their blissful life on the island of Sicily is threatened, she wastes no time in seeking refuge abroad. But just as they are settling into their new life in North Wales, Eva disappears.
In a race against time, Hanna is forced to return to Sicily and face the dark world of organised crime in a bid to secure her daughter’s safe return. She must also confront the truth about Luciano’s business dealings and their horrific consequences.
But will Hanna succeed in getting Eva back and bring Luciano to justice?
Or are the stakes just too high?
The themes explored in the book are personal relationships, family ties, and how individuals act and find strength in adversity. These are set against a background of illegal business dealings in the Mediterranean and how this affects the lives of the characters.
In researching the book, I visited Sicily several times to top up my knowledge and experience of the island. I also kept a close eye on the news for the latest developments regarding the migrant situation in the Mediterranean.
Why did I start writing? It’s something I’ve always been interested in, even as a child, probably stemming from an overactive imagination and exposure to too many adventure books. Writing then became a fundamental part of my career in PR and marketing. I quickly discovered that the more creative aspects of the job, such as writing articles and press releases, were the most enjoyable. I started writing creatively as a hobby and it developed from there.
My own favourite reading material is a good thriller, particularly if it’s a little offbeat. I enjoy Nordic Noir authors with their moody landscapes, gritty characters, pacy action, and underpinning social issues. I would like to think that some of this has rubbed off on my own writing.
I’ve already started on a sequel to Torn, so watch this space …
Torn is available to order in Kindle or paperback format at mybook.to/darkstroke/torn
Biography
Karen Moore is a British writer based in Cheshire. She lived in Italy for ten years and worked as a tour guide in Europe, the USA and Canada, followed by a career in PR and marketing. Torn is her debut novel.
https://www.facebook.com/karenmooreauthor/
https://twitter.com/KarenMo35731701
