EPISODE 767 - Karen E Osborne - Justice For Emerson - Dual time-line murder mystery

In this episode, author Karen E. Osborne reflects on her writing life, her craft, and the community that surrounds it. A former New York‑based professional in philanthropy and leadership, Karen now lives in Port Saint Lucie, Florida, and has built a rich second chapter as a published novelist and podcaster. She shares that she began writing fiction late in life, publishing her first novel at age sixty‑nine, and has since produced a steady string of books while remaining deeply committed to both her creative process and the people who support it.

Karen emphasizes three core principles for aspiring writers: write consistently, study your craft, and find your tribe. She explains that “writers write” is not just a slogan—it means showing up regularly, even if it’s just fifteen minutes a day, and letting that small commitment accumulate into completed stories. She also underscores the importance of reading widely in and beyond one’s genre, attending workshops, and joining writers’ groups so that the learning never stops. For her, a strong writing community—whether local coffee‑shop friends or international writer pals met online—has been essential fuel for resilience and growth.

The conversation then turns to her own body of work, which centers on strong, flawed, relatable women confronting social issues amid suspense‑driven plots. Karen talks about novels such as Tangled Lies, a murder mystery featuring two unlikely sleuths across generations and races, and Reckonings, a family drama about a middle‑child protagonist struggling to find her footing. She also discusses Getting It Right, soon to be re‑released as a psychological thriller, and the upcoming reimagined version she’s written to align with a new sequel that took her by surprise. Her latest novel, Justice for Emerson, centers on Aria, a fifty‑year‑old Black widow running a nonprofit for the unhoused who discovers a beloved Vietnam‑vet volunteer murdered in her workplace. As Aria investigates, the story unfolds across timelines, weaving in issues of race, class, addiction, and how the past shadows the present.

Throughout the discussion, Karen reveals that her fiction is character‑driven, shaped by people who feel real to her as she writes. She describes how characters often correct or reshape her assumptions—changing their age, class, or decisions—forcing her to revise her outline and deepen their humanity. Even her “bad guys” are layered and complex, reflecting her belief that most people are neither all good nor all bad. This approach means readers often feel deeply invested in her characters, sometimes reaching out to her mid‑read to express concern or attachment, which she cherishes as proof that her stories have come alive.

Karen also shares candidly about the long road to publication, including the seventy‑eight rejections Tangled Lies received before finding a publisher and going on to become part of an ongoing yearly publishing rhythm. Her journey is a steady reminder that persistence matters more than perfection or timing, and that it is never too late—or too early—to start telling stories. She invites listeners to explore her podcast What Are You Reading? What Are You Writing?, where she interviews authors and other creatives about their work and reading lives, and to visit her website for details on her books, events, and her monthly newsletter focused on books and creative life rather than self‑promotion.

Key takeaway for listeners:
Writing is a journey of regular practice, continuous learning, and meaningful connection. Whether you are just starting out or far along the path, showing up for your writing, deepening your craft, and building a supportive community can make the difference between a story that stays in your head and one that reaches readers’ hands.
Book:
Justice for Emerson by award-winning author Karen E. Osborne is a gripping dual-timeline murder mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

In March 2024, Aria Wright, a driven CEO of a nonprofit, makes a chilling discovery—the body of Vietnam veteran Cal Emerson in her building’s basement. Meanwhile, menacing figures shadow her every move.

Across the decades, in 1968, young Emerson is thrust into the horrors of Vietnam on the very day Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated.

As the story alternates between two dangerous weeks in the present and Emerson’s turbulent journey from soldier to addict to selfless volunteer, deep connections emerge. How do two murders, separated by more than 50 years, intertwine? Why are Aria and her enigmatic ally Jax in danger? And can Jax break through Aria’s walls to prove love is worth the risk?

https://www.kareneosborne.com/

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