Women and Adversity:
Karen C. Whalen, Novelist

Friends Come to Call, Karen C. Whalen’s fourth novel in her Tow Truck Murder Mysteries, captivates the reader to the very end. Mystery, romance and intrigue combine to make the reader question, deliberate and draw conclusions, although not necessarily the solution to the mystery. With the Christmas theme, it’s a perfect gift to engross teens through seniors in a fun-to-read book.

Whalen’s books are cozy mysteries—no sex, no violence, no inappropriate language—just a good book to grab and read. How clever Whalen is to incorporate tow trucks. She studies the business and makes sure what she writes is accurate, so her protagonist, Delaney Morran, knows what she’s doing on the job.

The Tow Truck Mystery Series is the second novel series Whalen has written. The Dinner Club Series includes seven mysteries with clever titles: Everything Bundt the Truth, Not According to Flan, No Grater Evil, A Stewed Observation, Just What I Kneaded, Peaches and Creamed and Wasted Thyme.

When I feature authors on my blog, I ask them what obstacles they had to overcome when they decided to be a writer and what obstacles they face once they are published.

Whalen says:

When I decided to write a novel, the obstacle I faced was to have confidence in myself that I could do it. Once I finished the first draft of the first book in the Dinner Club Series—Everything Bundt the Truth—I realized, yes, I could write a complete novel. I think there are a lot of writers like me who don’t believe they can do it, but they can. I admit it takes discipline and time.

Obstacles Whalen faces now:

The same! I have what is called imposter syndrome, not having confidence in what I have achieved. Friends Come to Call is my 11th published book, and I still wonder, “Do readers like my books?”

Whalen bio:

• Grew up in Peoria, Illinois
• Majored in political science, minored in journalism at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb
• Worked as a paralegal in Denver, Colorado
• Was a columnist and contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine
• 2016—publication of Everything Bundt the Truth. Whalen quit her jobs and became a full-time writer.
• Moved to North Carolina to be closer to grandchildren. “The lure to Brunswick County was the beautiful beaches,” she says.

Books:

• The Dinner Club Series—7 books
• The Tow Truck Series—5 books:  Toes on the Dash, Hands on the Wheel, Eyes on the Road, Friends Come to Call, and due out in May 2024, Stiletto to the Pedal 

Learn more about Whalen:

www.karencwhalen.com
www.facebook.com/whalencozyauthor
www.twitter.com/whalenkc
www.instagram.com/karen_c_whalen_author
www.pinterest.com/whalenkarenc

My ebooks available at amazon.com, now a Holiday special at .99:
Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists