For December, our guest author is Karen E. Lee who is a writer, public speaker and workshop leader. She is a retired clinical psychologist and a world traveler. Her novel The Full Catastrophe: A Memoir was published by She Writes Press in April 2016.
It has won a Silver Medal in the Readers’ Favorite Medal awards, Finalist medals in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and in the USA Best Book Awards, both for the category of “Women’s Issues” in 2016, a Distinguished Favourite Award in “Women’s Issues” in the 2017 Independent Press Awards and a Finalist Award in the International Book Awards 2017 for “Best Non-Fiction Book.”.
With that being said, let’s introduce Karen E. Lee to the blog!

Hi Karen E. Lee, thank you for taking the time to join us. Can you introduce yourself to the readers?

Hi Konn, I am very pleased to be with you today and to be able to introduce my book to your listeners/readers. I have reached a point in my life where, as they say, it is all coming together for me – I have been as you have said, a clinical psychologist, a teacher/instructor and a management consultant. As a result I have a lot of skills to bring to my present life as a writer and a writing teacher/mentor. I have definitely found my niche as an instructor of memoir for people with difficult stories which is what I teach now.

As mentioned in the intro, you’ve traveled a lot. Where is next on your list?

My husband and I are going to Ireland for 2 weeks at the end of November – this will be the 6th time I have been to Ireland because when I lived in England for 11 years it was so easy to get a quick flight to go over for oyster festivals, touring around and conferences. This time we want to travel and see parts of Ireland we didn’t visit in the past but I am also going to look for the parish that my ancestors were in when they decided to make the long and perilous journey to Canada for a new life.

You lived in Calgary working as a clinical psychologist, how has this helped your writing?

While I could have written my memoir without being a clinical psychologist, this training enabled me to really explain the process of Jungian analysis that helped me heal from domestic abuse. I had insights into my own behaviour and that of my abusive husband that I might not have had otherwise. Also, it highlighted the fact that even well-educated professional women can be in abusive relationships.

Currently you have two novels, Consulting into the Future, and The Full Catastrophe, what is next on your list?

When I finished my memoir about domestic abuse, I realised that getting the word out that it is necessary to heal from such experiences was important to me. I have led groups of women who have left or are in the process of leaving abusive relationships, have been on the board of a not-for-profit organisation that helps women leave abuse and am on a committee of survivors of DA that looks into the barriers faced by women leaving abuse.
When my first husband left me, I was left with 2 very young children and a poorly paying job. Though I tried to cope with what had happened, I had no idea that I needed to heal from the abuse I had gone through. I didn’t know what to look for to avoid more abuse and so fell into another relationship that was also abusive. By the time my 2nd husband died, I was determined never to be in another poor relationship again. I went into Jungian analysis in order to figure out why I had been so vulnerable and to heal. I wish that for all women who have undergone abuse – it changes you in ways you don’t realise at the time.

You also have interest in helping women in society by being involved in numerous in boards and committees, care to share more about this aspect of your life?

When I finished my memoir about domestic abuse, I realised that getting the word out that it is necessary to heal from such experiences was important to me. I have led groups of women who have left or are in the process of leaving abusive relationships, have been on the board of a not-for-profit organisation that helps women leave abuse and am on a committee of survivors of DA that looks into the barriers faced by women leaving abuse.
When my first husband left me, I was left with 2 very young children and a poorly paying job. Though I tried to cope with what had happened, I had no idea that I needed to heal from the abuse I had gone through. I didn’t know what to look for to avoid more abuse and so fell into another relationship that was also abusive. By the time my 2nd husband died, I was determined never to be in another poor relationship again. I went into Jungian analysis in order to figure out why I had been so vulnerable and to heal. I wish that for all women who have undergone abuse – it changes you in ways you don’t realise at the time.

Any advice to aspiring writers?

Mostly just write. Go to conferences, get good “how to” books and go to classes like those at the Alexandra Writers’ Centre. Ask for, and listen to, feedback – and try not to take it personally but to improve your writing. But don’t let feedback throw you off your own message and your own voice.
 

Thank you Karen E. Lee for joining us!

You can find Karen through the following links below.
Website: karenelee-author.com
Amazon: amazon.ca/Full-Catastrophe-Karen-Elizabeth-Lee/dp/1631520245
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/14507907.Karen_Elizabeth_Lee
Facebook: facebook.com/Author.Karen.E.Lee/
http://calgaryherald.com/entertainment/books/calgary-author-karen-lees-memoir-chronicles-the-road-to-healing-after-domestic-abuse