20 Questions is a Q&A interview series with authors, musicians, and everyone in between, celebrating experiences both shared and individual in the messy game of being human.
“Reading is so subjective, so these two books merely reflect personal preferences, as well as my current life stage — books often find me when I need them most.” Karma Brown is a Canadian, Ontario-based award-winning journalist, speaker, and the bestselling author of six novels, including Recipe For a Perfect Wife, The Choices We Make, The Life Lucy Knew, and What Wild Women Do. She has also written the non-fiction bestseller The 4% Fix, and has co-authored two holiday rom-coms under the pen name Maggie Knox. In addition to her books, her writing has appeared in publications such as Redbook, SELF, and Chatelaine. Her next novel and horror debut, Mother is Watching, will hit shelves in 2026. I had the pleasure of catching up with Karma for a new round of 20 Questions.
What is the earliest memory you have of wanting to be a writer?
This may surprise some, but I didn’t even consider being an author until I was in my mid-thirties. Writing fiction is actually my fourth career (management consulting, then communications, then freelance magazine journalist, now author), and after a decade of writing books I’m here to stay for a while. However, it’s entirely possible I have another career in me yet!
Which authors would you say have influenced you the most?
Can I answer too many to count? If I think back to writers from my formative years — the ones I grew up reading and loving — here’s a small sample: Stephen King; Margaret Atwood; John Irving; Danielle Steele; Judy Blume; Madeleine L’Engle; Roald Dahl. I tend to be an author who writes to her curiosities versus her “brand,” and I follow a similar pattern as a reader.
Favorite book of all-time?
Oh, this is a tough one. When I was younger, probably A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Now, the book I re-read the most is The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin.
What’s one vice you wish you could give up?
Keeping my phone within reach.
One movie that will always make you cry?
Probably E.T. A classic tearjerker.
What’s the most challenging part of writing for you?
Without question, drafting. Coming up with ideas, brainstorming and researching, editing… LOVE. Drafting? Loathe. But it’s a highly critical step, and can’t be avoided. I do most of my procrastibaking during drafting phases.
The best book you’ve read in the last year?
Reading is so subjective, so these two books merely reflect personal preferences, as well as my current life stage — books often find me when I need them most. As the mom of a teenager, one year away from empty nesting, Sandwich by Catherine Newman pierced my heart. I laughed, I cried, I held the book to my chest after I finished it. As a horror lover, a book that scared the hell out of me (in the best way) this past year was Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman. I may never recover from “Other Mommy” (if you’ve read Incidents, you know what I mean).
A majority of your novels have centered around the theme of the oppression of women throughout different time periods and cultural landscapes, female characters who “survive and thrive.” In our current political climate, what’s one thing you want readers to take away from your books?
Believe women.
The best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
One of my most cherished books is Embers: One Ojibway’s Meditations by Richard Wagamese. It’s full of beautiful wisdom (elegant advice), like, “Let the mystery remain a mystery.” As a world-class overthinker, this one lands just right. In terms of craft-specific advice, it has to be Anne Lamott’s Bird By Bird. If you’re a writer who hasn’t read Bird By Bird, here’s my advice: go read it.
If you could have one writer, dead or alive, to compose your obituary, who would it be and why?
Margaret Atwood. I imagine it would be pithy, witty, and memorable.
One song that you will never be sick of?
“The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole.
Favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
Drink coffee under a fuzzy blanket, with a book or a movie. Very clichéd.
Which of your books was the hardest to write?
They have all been hard to write, for different reasons. There’s a myth out there that some books are harder than others (often the sophomore book), but writing a book is hard work. I’ve definitely had more fun writing certain books than others, but no book has ever been “easy.”
As a Canadian author, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to authors looking to break through the international barrier?
Write the best book you can. Then edit it until you can’t edit it anymore. After that it requires a bit of luck, and good timing — both things you can’t control, so when you get to that stage make sure you’re writing something else. The best distraction is a shiny new project.
What’s your current read?
Currently reading The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells in paper, and about to start Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield on my Kobo.
How would you describe the importance of storytelling in an age of social isolation?
Storytelling is always important. It’s evergreen. In this age of social isolation, it connects us. The world doesn’t make sense without it.
Favorite quote of all-time?
Again, credited to Richard Wagamese and Embers: “Nothing in the universe ever grew from the outside in.”
Print books or e-books?
Print for day-to-day, e-books for nighttime and vacation reads.
As a writer and artist, what would you say is the best way to rest or decompress?
Honestly, good question. I’d love some advice if anyone has some to offer! I’m currently in a “fallow season” before starting a new book, but it’s a daily struggle. I love writing fiction. It’s tough to take breaks, but it’s very necessary. As I’m endlessly saying, I am a work in progress.
What can you tell us about your debut horror novel Mother is Watching, due out in 2026?
I’m a lifelong horror fan, but this is my first foray into writing it. Mother is Watching is set in near-future Savannah, and delves into themes of bodily autonomy, female agency, and fractured identity. At its core, it’s an exploration of the tension between creation and destruction, and it was the most fun I’ve ever had, writing a book.
Mother is Watching is about an art conservator, Mathilde “Tilly” Crewson, who is tasked with restoring a fire-scarred painting titled The Mother. The painting is believed to be the fourth and final work of an artist who died under mysterious circumstances, and who Tilly has a deeply personal connection to. Soon after receiving the painting, Tilly discovers she’s unexpectedly pregnant and almost immediately strange, inexplicable things begin to happen. There are terrifying insect swarms, eerie visits from her long-deceased mother, and sinister whispers that invade her mind. As these malevolent forces intensify, Tilly comes to a harrowing realization: the only way to sever the perilous bond she shares with the painting is to destroy it. But The Mother has plans of her own, and they’re darker than Tilly could ever imagine.
Follow Karma Brown on Instagram and look for her books at your local indie bookstore or library.
Jeffrey Reads 