By Patricia Witzke
A group of Fisher Branch residents had the chance to meet and learn from acclaimed Interlake author Karen Emilson during her visit on Oct. 24.
The event was organized by members of the Fisher Branch Women’s Institute, who invited Emilson to share insights from her writing career and discuss several of her books with community members.
Emilson began by speaking about her first and best-known work, Where Children Run, a nonfiction account of twin brothers who survived years of abuse at the hands of their stepfather. She first learned about their story while working for an Interlake newspaper and was moved to turn their experiences into a full-length book—with the brothers’ permission. Their story later caught wider attention when they were interviewed by Peter Warren on CJOB, helping to bring awareness to the issue of child abuse and survival.
Following the success of her debut, Emilson continued the brothers’ journey in When Memories Remain. “Reading these books is amazing, but they have to be enjoyed over a number of sittings due to their emotional impact,” one fan shared.
Emilson said her desire to write began early in life. “Writers need to write just like athletes need to play sports,” she told the audience, adding that creativity thrives through continual practice. She keeps numerous notebooks filled with ideas and inspiration.
After two nonfiction titles, Emilson turned to fiction. Her novel Be Still the Waters tells the story of a woman from a small rural community searching for her sister who disappeared as a young woman. Emilson’s ability to convey emotion and create vivid characters has become a hallmark of her storytelling.
Her next novel, Also Known as Jamie Dorn, follows a young woman in a small town grappling with whether to reveal or conceal painful secrets from her past.
Emilson said she plans to continue writing stories set in small towns over different decades. While her characters aren’t based on real people, she said she can often picture their faces as she writes.
Her advice to aspiring writers was to keep learning. “Education stimulates ideas,” she said.
Emilson’s books are available in bookstores and online.
