Friday, August 23, 2024, 3:23 p.m.
The Costa del Sol has long been a destination for artists of all genres looking for inspiration for their work. This is especially true for author Karen Brady, who settled in Mijas Costa in 2018 with her husband, a keen golfer. Since moving back to the coast, Karen has published four books that have achieved bestseller rankings on Amazon, and she is currently working on her latest mystery thriller set in Marbella.
However, before settling in Mijas, where she says she is “literally living her dream”, Karen travelled the world and began a lifelong entrepreneurial journey that gave her the freedom to explore the world and create literary content. At the age of 23, Karen founded a recruitment agency that took her to places as diverse as Dubai, where she lived for ten years, as well as Panama, San Diego, Bali, Koh Samui and Nicaragua, although she eventually settled in Spain to be closer to her two daughters who live in London.
Karen was born in Birmingham in 1962 and graduated from A-levels with degrees in History, English Literature and English Language. Although she dreamed of becoming a writer, it took several years before she published her first works.
“I’ve always loved the idea of being a writer, but at the time it was very difficult to make such a thing a reality. In 2006, I joined a writing group in Solihull for aspiring and published authors, which gave me the confidence to write. Since then, I’ve travelled widely, documenting my experiences, which have developed into a memoir and inspired me to explore other compelling literary genres,” Karen tells SUR in English.
Her first book, Agnes in Bloom, is based on her mother’s memoirs. Karen had no intention of publishing the book, but just printed a few copies to give to her family. However, her family and friends started reading bits and pieces of it and everyone said “it was such a good story,” so she decided to publish it.
“I always loved the idea of being a writer, but back then it was very difficult to make something like that happen.”
“I always wanted to write my mother’s story. I knew this would be my first book. I wasn’t sure what kind of response it would generate, but it touched the hearts of people all over the world. So I went on to write the second book, Daughter of Agnes, a travelogue,” she explains.
After deciding not to publish any more memoirs because they found them “a little disturbing,” she tried her hand at novel writing, which she says is “a completely different kind of writing.” Her last two books are slightly based on true stories or things she experienced, but, she stresses, most of the story is “fictional.” Her latest book, Genesis Reset, published in July, is a story of love, courage, and the unbreakable spirit of a family facing the end of the world as they know it.
Karen uses what is known as the Triac paragraph structure, a structure that writers often use to spice up their paragraphs and help them explain their ideas in detail.
“If I structure it first, it’s easier for me and I can just sit there and write. I try to write a chapter a week, that’s something I learned in writing group; it’s been invaluable,” she says.
An enthusiastic hiker
Another reason Karen appreciates living on the Costa – and there are many – is the opportunity to go for walks, which helps her relax and meet new friends.
“I joined walking groups everywhere I lived. When I came to the coast, I didn’t know anyone. Since I love walking, I looked for a group near me, but there wasn’t one. Someone suggested I start one, so I thought, OK, why not? It’s a great way to meet like-minded people and make friends,” she says.
Karen is currently working on her latest novel, which she says will be published in October.
“I’m immersing myself in a women’s novel set in Marbella that lets my imagination and creativity run wild. It’s a thrilling story about a wealthy London family involved in the criminal underworld and money laundering,” she concludes.
