Karenstensgaard.comKaren Stensgaard grew up in San Antonio, Texas and was a foreign exchange student for a year in Denmark when she tried aquavit for the first time. After completing her MBA in Texas, she moved to San Francisco and through a series of unexpected twists became an internal auditor focused on financial firms. Karen lived in New York City for many years. She now resides in Philadelphia with her husband and a cat. Aquavit is her debut novel with more stories about Kat's adventures underway.
To find out more about this book and others in the pipeline, visit karenstensgaard.com to sign up for updates or join her Facebook Novelist page. On Pinterest, she has created several boards related to the novel’s characters and scenes.
What was the inspiration for the story?
I love to travel on ships and wake up arriving at a new port to explore just steps from the gangway. I wondered how someone would prepare for an extended re-enactment cruise on board a 19th-century sailing ship. How to overcome challenges, the fear of traveling alone, and bad omens.
Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?
Be brave, embrace life, and never give up on your dreams. Don’t settle for less - wrong people, awful jobs, or miserable situations. And as I remind myself: try to enjoy the journey, not just the destination. And while I don't support overindulging, once-in-a-while a shot of Aquavit can be inspiring.
What are you working on now?
I’m finishing the second book in the series and hope to have it published sometime next year.
Let’s stay connected on social media!
Karenstensgaard.com
@karenstenzy
Karenstensgaard