Christina Klarenbeek

As part of our SFFWorld.com’s Member Spotlight Series, Nila interviews Christina Klarenbeek, aspiring fantasy writer.

Hello Christina, thank you for taking time to bare your soul to SFFWorld.com. Are you ready?

Christina: I’m as ready as I’m likely to get. The clock is ticking down on the end of the month and the self imposed deadlines that come with it. I may cheat and add the following to my word count.

SFFWorld: What’s your SFFWorld.com’s forum alias and why did you pick it?

Christina: Facing. I’m at a point in my life where I’m able to start focusing on my own wants, needs and fears. I’m facing them all and inching my way towards attaining or conquering them one by one.

SFFWorld: How did you discover SFFWorld.com and why did you decide to join?

Christina/Facing: I googled writing forums and bookmarked the top half dozen. I lurked for weeks before deciding that SFFWorld.com was the best fit for me. Even after that it still took me hours to summon the courage to join and make my first post. My prior trepidation seems silly now.

SFFWorld: How long have you been a member and what keeps you coming back?

Christina/Facing: I joined in September of 2014 and I’ve been fairly active since. I love the camaraderie that exists in the writing subforum. The contests challenge me by pushing me in directions I might never go on my own. The workshop dares me to take my craft seriously and the monthly motivational threads are like a backyard bonfire and singalong.

SFFWorld: What’s your favorite book (genre or not)?

Christina/Facing: I don’t have one. Or, more accurately, I don’t have a consistent favourite. Pride and Prejudice has made me laugh out loud and The Legacy of Heorot has made me weep. I stayed up til dawn to re-read of Eppie and Aaron getting married while petting cats named after those in Tuf Voyaging.

SFFWorld: What’s your favorite author (genre or not)?

Christina/Facing: Again, I don’t have one. I grew up taking refuge in libraries where there were so many worlds to explore that I couldn’t begin to keep track of them all. I still can’t. I often have to ask my husband to help me recall the name of an author whose book I’ve enjoyed. Usually I can’t even recall the title. I had to look up The Legacy of Heorot because I always refer to it as The Book of Bad Fishies.

For me, it is the story and what I take away from it that is important. I’d make a terrible fan.

SFFWorld: What’s your favorite genre (science fiction, fantasy, horror, steampunk, etc)?

Christina/Facing: I don’t read much steampunk and the only horror I can recall really enjoying was Robert McCammon’s Swan Song. I didn’t find it horrifying though. For me, it was nearly a thousand pages of hope.

I read more fantasy than I do science fiction but only because I prefer the long tale, and happy endings.

SFFWorld: Where’s your favorite place to read?

Christina/Facing: I still read like a school girl. I’m either tucked up in bed or sideways on the couch with my feet hanging over the back. I’ve not yet learned how to sit properly or hold a book respectfully. At this point, I’m not likely to.

SFFWorld: Favorite con (convention)?

Christina/Facing: I’ve never been to one, but I’ve raised a couple of children sufficiently nerdy that they have each been. In costume.

SFFWorld: What do you do when you are not reading or messing around on SFFWorld.com?

Christina/Facing: Outside of work, I like to spend time outside surrounded by nature. I’ve got a tablet I take with my on hikes so that I can write about what I see (and imagine I see) while my husband pursues his photography. It’s a toss up which one of us ends up waiting for the other to finish up before we move on to the next beautiful/magical spot. When frustration hits and I can’t think where to take my characters next or how I want a particular scene to unfold I take the advice of another forum member and let my mind wander while “bashing bugs”. I’m currently playing Rainbow Moon.

SFFWorld: Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, Christina. Anything else you’d like to add?

Christina/Facing: I’d like to take a moment to encourage those who may be feeling nervous about jumping in and joining any of the hundreds of conversations that take place on the forum. I’m glad I did.