How did you first conceive the idea for Sisters of the Last Straw?

It is so strange how God works. I had a Bible study with a number of women for about thirty years. We were great friends and one night at our meeting we started laughing about how we all should have been nuns. Looking around at the five women in the group who are all good women, I had to laugh. We each have our own foibles and personality quirks. I laughed and said that we would probably be kicked out of any order because of our bad habits. Another woman said that we would probably have to form our own order. After much laughter and silly plans for the order, one of the women said, “We better call it the Sisters of the Last Straw.” I wrote my first story about the nuns for those women. Then I decided to write a children’s book to teach children that while all people have faults, we can love God and each other. That is how the Sisters of the Last Straw were created. 

Which sister, if any, would you say you share a foible with?

Each Sister is based on one of those Bible study friends, including myself. So I tend to be clumsy, love animals, and food. I am Sister Krumbles! 

Are there more adventures we can look forward to in the series?

I just finished the first draft of The Case of the Campground Creature and will follow that with one that is still just a concept, The Case of the Missing Maps. I hope the children love them.

What are some of the joys and pitfalls of writing for children?

I never planned on writing for children. However, I am finding it very satisfying. Children are great fans. They write to me. They write wonderful reviews on Amazon and they are very loyal. Each child seems to have their favorite Sister and always wait impatiently for the next adventure of the Sisters of the Last Straw. A few of my little fans have actually come to visit Queen of Angels Farm. They always seem shocked to find that the animals in the book actually exist.  I often use the same names that the animals on the farm have, like Crayons or Ronnie the Rooster. 

I only lose my fans when they get older, so I just finished writing a middle-grade adventure book called Jenna’s Journey. It is an adventure through contemplative prayer. I am looking for a publisher now and hope it will develop into a series. 

How are the novels in The Rosary Series tied to that familiar form of Catholic prayer?

The novels in the Rosary series are all based on the graces of the mysteries of the rosary. I had been away from the church for years and when I came back the only prayer I remembered was the rosary. As I sat and said my rosary each day, God spoke to my heart and drew me back to Him. Sometimes, I was moved to tears and led to a contemplative meditation. When God inspired me to write, I started with the joyful mysteries. Hence the first novel, According to Thy Word, is based on the grace of humility. The second, Into the Way of Peace, on the grace of charity. Down Right Good, based on the birth of Christ, is about having Christ in your heart and spreading the good news. In the Midst of Wolves is based on the grace of purity, both physical and spiritual. Since I started writing for children, I have fallen behind in my desire to touch on all the mysteries, but I have started the fifth novel, which is about halfway finished. 

Does farm life complement the writing life? And if so, how?

Living on a farm is something my husband and I always dreamed about and the dream came true twenty-five years ago. We have horses, ponies, goats, and chickens. I often get ideas for books from the antics of our animals. Living on a farm is a special lifestyle. We have the beauty of the changing seasons on our little eight-acre farm and yet when we pull out of our drive we are just one mile from stores, twenty minutes from the shore, and are nestled between New York City and Philadelphia. Our grandchildren love to visit, especially in the spring when the baby chicks and goats are born. My husband retired and started his own hobby of restoring classic cars. We built a pole barn and he has a lift and spends most of his days there. That gives me time to work on my laptop and write. I sit through the seasons watching my red maple grow and shed its leaves as I type away. It is a dream life. 

Author of the Last Straw: An interview with Sisters of the Last Straw author @KarenKellyBoyce Share on X

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Karen Kelly Boyce lives on a farm in New Jersey with her retired husband. She has two grown children and two grandchildren. When she retired as a Registered Nurse, she rekindled her love of reading and writing. Karen has published four novels. She also has an award-winning children’s series.

Links:

Website: https://www.kkboyce.com/blog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Karen.Kelly.Boyce

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenKellyBoyce

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenkellyboyce/

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