This is Ink & Intrigue—the blog where romance ignites, secrets simmer, and every love story hides a twist. I’m your blog host, Sheila Kell, romance author and lover of plot twists, slow burns, and morally questionable book boyfriends.

Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to an author whose stories are designed to keep you turning the pages and offer a unique perspective on life—Karina Bartow! If you love mysteries with a romantic flair, you’re in for a treat.

Karina Bartow is known for stories that tug at your heart as much as they keep you guessing. Her latest release, Undeveloped Memories, is a tale of discovery and timeless devotion, both between a couple and among a family.

In this spotlight, Karina shares some scoop on her writing quirks and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at Undeveloped Memories.

Whether you write love stories, devour them, or dream of doing both, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it and give a warm welcome to Karina Bartow! 💖

Let’s get to the interview:

What drew you to writing romance in particular?

I started reading Nicholas Sparks’ romance novels when I was an adolescent, and I really enjoyed the way they touched your heart, along with entertaining you with a good story. If you have someone special in your life, you can relate to those emotions, and if you don’t, it can give you hope of finding that someday, despite obstacles. I wanted to pass that along to readers, along with adding a mysterious element to spin their minds a little!

What part of writing romance do you enjoy most—the meet-cute, the conflict, or the happily ever after?

It depends on the book. My 2022 release, Wrong Line, Right Connection, revolved around the meet-cute, so I had so much fun with that. Typically, though, the happily ever after is my favorite. I always feel a lot of pressure to make it memorable and original, but I really love the opportunity to lay out the characters’ hearts.

Can you tell us about your latest romantic mystery and what inspired the story?

Undeveloped Memories follows a woman’s exploration into her uncle’s past after discovering an old roll of film he never developed. Being a photographer, she develops it and is intrigued by the glimpses of an Alaskan adventure he didn’t tell her about and a woman she never met, either. The notion of undeveloped film came to me because my family once lost a roll of film from a special occasion. When I was sorting through old pictures a few years ago, wishing I’d run across it, I began to ponder the idea of somebody from the next generation finding it and what they might think.

Was there a particular scene or emotional arc that was difficult (or fun!) to write?

There’s a scene toward the end where the protagonist is looking at the Aurora Borealis and connects it to what she’s uncovered about her uncle’s past. I’ve never considered myself very good at describing features of landscapes or nature—and I haven’t personally observed the Aurora Borealis—so it intimidated me a bit. In the end, I cherished crafting it, and it’s one of my favorite scenes of any of my works.

How has your writing evolved since your first book?

My first book, Husband in Hiding, was driven by a lot of dialogue, and being a talker, that came easy to me. My books have remained character-driven, but each one since then has contained a bit better description and narration, rather than just letting dialogue carry the plot along. That said, dialogue scenes are still among my favorites!

What was your journey to publication like?

Ahead of my debut novel in 2015, I queried 120 publishers and agents before I landed an acceptance. My second didn’t take as many even though my first publisher didn’t stay in business, but the smoothest sailing has been with The Wild Rose Press since I first came on board in 2021. I love it there!

What do you like to read in your free time?

Pretty much the same genres I write—mysteries and love stories. I enjoy some historical more than I used to.

What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?

I don’t think I’m as confident as some people may assume. When it comes to my writing in particular, I never expected to get as far in the business as I’ve managed to. While I’ve always put my best foot forward, I didn’t put much stock in myself. In fact, I didn’t buy a display rack for my books until just a few months ago because I kept thinking each one would be my last!

How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life?

Though my Cerebral Palsy doesn’t allow me to have a regular job, I still have other important pursuits I prioritize over writing. Thus, I give them my focus when needed and get to writing afterward. To give writing the attention it merits, I schedule blog and social media posts ahead of time so I don’t need to break away from whatever I’m working on.

What are you working on next?

I have a separate weekday and a weekend project in the works, as well as a manuscript on the shelf. I just have to decide which one I’ll dish out.

Karina’s Bio:

Karina Bartow hails from Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her. Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. Her works include a mix of mysteries and love stories. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!

I hope you loved getting to know Karina Bartow and hearing about her journey, inspirations, and latest swoon-worthy release, Undeveloped Memories. If you haven’t added this to your TBR yet, now’s the time—trust me, you won’t want to miss it. 💖

You can connect with Karina Bartow here:
📱 Socials: https://www.facebook.com/karinabartowauthor
https://www.instagram.com/karina.bartow/
https://x.com/KarinaBartow
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15045283.Karina_Bartow
🛒 Grab her books: https://wildrosepress.com/product/undeveloped-memories/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FF5FRS3N/
https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=9781509262908
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/undeveloped-memories-karina-bartow/1147667550?ean=9781509262908

Thank you for joining me in spotlighting a fellow romance lover who’s giving us all the feels. Stay tuned for more author features, book talk, and behind-the-scenes romance goodness.

Until next time—keep reading, keep swooning! ✨📚