Where in the World Is the Forgetting Flower T-Shirt? Seattle

Hey everyone, I’m sharing the fun that my friends, family, and I had by wearing The Forgetting Flower T-shirt in our respective cities and countries. I’ll kick off the book fun with a photo of myself in Seattle before we move on to New York, England, Poland, and Paris!

Who am I? What do I do?

I’m Karen Hugg, a writer who loves to garden or a gardener who loves to write, depending on how you look at it. I’ve written stories since I was a child. Later as an adult, I became an editor and then an ornamental horticulturalist, which is a fancy way of saying garden designer. I did a lot of weed-pulling too! During my years as a professional gardener, I found myself with lots of down time during our rainy Northwest winters so I started writing stories and novels.

Now, as you probably know, my novel, The Forgetting Flower, will be published on June 18th, 2019 by the small publisher, Magnolia Press. I’m excited because yes, publishing a novel is special, but moreso because this story combines all of who I am and what I love. It’s set in Paris and Kraków, two cities steeped in history and culture that I adore and where I lived briefly. It’s about an alluring plant, which embodies my speculative daydreams about what plants might exist in the world but don’t. And lastly, it’s about familial relationships and our need as humans to seek better lives.

From Chicago to Seattle

I created my main character Renia with some of myself and some inspiration from stories and people I knew. For instance, like Renia, I’m a migrant of sorts. I grew up in Chicago but moved to Seattle in my early twenties. It was the best decision I ever made. All kinds of things fell into place that I was seeking: I got a job as an editor, I lived in a cool rental house, I met my husband, I lived near spectacular natural beauty. I created the life I’d always wanted in a place that matched my soul.

Renia grew up on the outskirts of Kraków but moved to Paris to better her situation. What that situation exactly is is complicated. But to learn more about the situation and how it changes, you can check out The Forgetting Flower here.

From Seattle to New York

Any author knows it’s hard enough to write a strong novel. But then to give it its public due is difficult. You need the support of family and friends who believe in you, fellow writers who’ve been in the same trenches, and the general good will of those out in the book world. If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of those good will souls and I thank you.

Another such good soul is my nephew, Benny Martinson. Benny is a talented composer and singer who makes his living as a tech brain for Google. He took a photo of himself in The Forgetting Flower T-shirt in his beloved New York City. He’s excited about the book’s release too. So watch for next week’s post when I feature Benny!