Discovering the inspiration on the Costa to write best-selling novels

The Costa del Sol has long been a destination for artists of all genres seeking inspiration for their work, and none so much as Karen Brady, an author who settled in Mijas Costa with her husband, a keen golfer, in 2018. Since retiring to the coast, Karen has published four books, which have received bestseller rankings on Amazon, and she is currently working on her latest mystery-suspense novel, which is set in Marbella.

However, before settling in Mijas, where she says she is "literally living the dream", Karen travelled the world, launching a lifelong entrepreneurial journey that has afforded her the freedom to explore the world and create literary content. At the age of 23, Karen set up a recruitment agency, which took her to places as varied as Dubai, where she based herself for ten years, and also to Panama, San Diego, Bali, Koh Samui, and Nicaragua, although she eventually settled in Spain to be closer to her two daughters, who live in London.

Born in Birmingham in 1962, Karen achieved three A-levels in history, English literature and English language, and although she dreamed of becoming an author, it would be several years before she first published any of her work.

"I've always loved the idea of being an author, but back in the day it was very difficult for those sorts of things to happen. I joined a writing group in Solihull for aspiring and published authors in 2006, which gave me the confidence to write. I've since journeyed far and wide and documented my experiences, which have evolved into memoirs and inspired me to delve into other captivating literary genres," Karen tells SUR in English.

Her first book, Agnes in Bloom, is based on her mother's memoirs, although Karen had no intentions to publish this book, as her idea was to print a few copies to give to family members. However, her family and friends began to read parts of it and they all said that "it was such a good story", so she decided to publish it.

"I always wanted to write my mother's story. I sort of knew that this would be my first book. I wasn't sure what sort of response it would receive, but it touched the hearts of people all over the world. This is why I continued with the second book, Daughter of Agnes, which is a travel memoir," she explains.

After deciding not to publish any more memoirs, because they became "a little upsetting", she tried her hand at writing fiction, which, she says, "is a completely different way of writing". Her last two books are lightly based on true stories, or things she has experienced, but, as she points out, the majority of the story "is made up". Her last book, Genesis Reset, which was published in July, is a tale of love, courage, and the unbreakable spirit of a family facing the end of the world as they know it.

Karen uses what is termed the Triac Paragraph Structure, a structure that writers often use to beef up their paragraphs and help them explain their ideas in depth.

"If I structure it first, I find it easier, and I can just sit and write it. I try to write a chapter every week, which is something that the writing group taught me; it was priceless," she says.

Another thing Karen loves about living on the Costa, and there are many, is that it affords her the possibility to walk, which is how she relaxes and meets new friends.

"I have joined walking groups wherever I have lived. When I first arrived on the coast, I didn't really know anyone, so, as I love walking, I began looking for a local group, but there wasn't any. Someone suggested that I start one, so I thought, OK, why not? It's a great way to meet like-minded people and make friends," she says.

Karen is currently working on her latest novel, which, she says, will be released in October.

"I'm delving into a women's fiction novel set in Marbella, which enables my imagination and creativity to soar. It's a story with a lot of intrigue about a wealthy family from London involved with the criminal underworld and money laundering," she concludes.