Today we talk about The keepers of Ukronia, a book by Karina Sema published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author Karina Sema, to get to know her better, where and when she found the inspiration to write her book The keepers of Ukronia, as well as how much of herself she sees in the protagonist of her book.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- Where and when did you find the inspiration to write your book?
I’ve been dreaming about writing books for quite a while. But only at the age of 17, as I was introduced to the amazing world of fantasy books by my mum, I finally decided to try writing my own stories. At first, I was just making up characters and events in my head. Later, I tried myself in writing the book. The idea of Madeline and her adventures I got while wandering a forest. I was thinking about a character, whether a girl or a boy, who faced difficulty with being different and understood by standard society. But I also wanted to show, that there are always people, who accept you the way you are. This is what gave me an idea of the whole story of my protagonist. During creating the events and thinking through every character, I decided to add a little thing, that she had to go through. It may only look like I wanted to make her special. Maybe, in some way, yes, but through this “speciality” I also wished to show the huge difficulty she had to face while being one of the keepers and Nesta, which she had to learn to live with and remember to control her emotions in some uneasy situations.
- What would you like to hear from your readers?
I really hope to hear that my story is liked by my readers. It’s my first published book ever and this story also carries some important lessons that people need to bear in mind. I believe that every story can teach each of us some things, we just need to look deeper into ourselves and look into the mirror of our souls to find the true meaning of the knowledge we are given. But not only that. I also hope that this story and the characters will be liked and accepted the way they are. Every person in this story is different and carries different destinies. But they might face the same fate in the future.
- How much of you is there in the protagonist of the novel?
As I was thinking through Madeline’s personality as the main character, I was trying to add a part of myself to her. As much as I hate talking about myself, I still wanted to add my rebellious spirit to her. The idea of not giving up even in the most hopeless situation is what every person needs. I’d also say that, just like Madeline, I’m trying to do my best to show other people how grateful I am for all the help and support I have ever received. A thirst for knowledge of the new things, I suppose is also one of the similarities. I can’t call myself incredibly smart or anything. I just like doing research about all kinds of things that I find interesting. It doesn’t matter if it’s day or night, I’ll find time for research if it really grabs my attention. Well, and one more thing to add, the lack of sleep, I guess. I’d call myself an owl and an early bird together. Waking up at dawn and not sleeping till late at night is my kind of thing, just like Madeline does as well.
- How did it feel to see your debut book published?
When I received my first published copies, I couldn’t believe that this is really happening. I could only dream about such an opportunity and now my dream came true. I was and still am incredibly excited about it and can’t wait for the people to read my book. This experience is not only exciting but also a scary one. But don’t get me wrong, it’s scary in a good way, as I have no idea how it’s going to be accepted among the people. But even now, holding the copy and seeing my name on it I still can face the reality and finally realise, that it really happened. And I finally got a chance to make my biggest dream come true.
- Are you planning to write more books?
Of course. In fact, I have already planned 7 more volumes of the Keepers of Ukronia. Plus, I have also about five stories in the process. And, I have three written books already, which are somehow connected to this story, which I hope to publish someday in future. Actually, I always carry a notebook with me, or at least my phone to note every idea, whether it’s a simple dialogue or a beginning for a news story, just not to lose my thoughts. And since I have usually a huge number of ideas, it’s safer to write them down, just in case.
Europe Books thanks the author Karina Sema once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside her on the editorial path that led to the publication of her book The keepers of Ukronia. We wish her the best of luck for her future works.
To you, my dear reader, I wish that this book will thrill you and at the same time encourage your reflections, of whatever kind they may be. And always remember that every book, besides of bringing a sense of leisure, has always has something to teach. May everyone draw from it the most heartfelt and useful teaching for their own life!
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your editor!