Behind the Scenes: Finding Me with Karen Procopio

Sometimes the stories we never planned to write become the ones closest to our hearts. Step behind the scenes with Scrivenings Press author Karen Procopio as she shares the deeply personal inspiration behind Finding Me and The Lake Tearas Trilogy. From finding refuge in storytelling during a difficult season to exploring family secrets, forgiveness, and second chances, discover how one unexpected story grew into a trilogy seventeen years in the making.

1. What inspired you to write this book?

In 2009, my teenage daughter spent six weeks in the hospital battling a serious illness. I felt utterly helpless and needed an escape from the fear and uncertainty. So I began writing, creating a fictional world where I could control what happened to the characters. Writing became my refuge.

I set the story during summer in a fictional lakeside town in Michigan. I’ve always loved being near the water, and the setting took me back to simpler, more hopeful times, when the future seemed full of possibilities.

What began as a young adult romance evolved into a family drama about estrangement, secrets, forgiveness, and belonging. Somewhere along the way, the mother-daughter relationship between Cate and Susan became the heart of the story.

I chose alternating perspectives and timelines so readers could experience the same family history through both Cate’s and Susan’s eyes. Even well-intentioned decisions can leave lasting wounds, and I wanted readers to understand how differently a mother and daughter might interpret the same events.

What began as a way to cope with a frightening chapter in my life eventually blossomed into three full-length novels—The Lake Tearas Trilogy—seventeen years later.

2. What do you hope readers will take away from this story?

I hope readers come away understanding that there are two sides to every story, especially within families. People make mistakes, sometimes terrible ones, but their actions don’t always come from a place of cruelty. Fear, pride, regret, and even love can lead people to make decisions that hurt those they care about most.

One of the central themes of Finding Me is that secrets meant to protect someone can sometimes cause more harm than the truth. Through Cate and Susan’s experiences, I wanted to explore how misunderstandings and unresolved wounds can shape relationships across generations.

Most of all, I hope readers recognize that forgiveness doesn’t mean excusing the past or pretending the hurt never happened. It means finding the courage to understand, to let go of bitterness, and perhaps to begin again. Not every broken relationship can be restored, but I believe grace and reconciliation are always worth pursuing.

3. What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Finding the time to write! I was teaching full-time and raising four children, so there weren’t many spare hours in my day. I squeezed in writing sessions wherever I could—before school, during lunch breaks, and late into the wee hours of the morning, after the kids’ homework was finished and my lesson plans were ready for the next day.

It wasn’t always easy, and progress was sometimes painfully slow. But writing was something I loved, and I wasn’t willing to give it up. Looking back, I think those stolen hours taught me as much about perseverance as they did about storytelling.

4. What is something readers might be surprised to learn about you?

Before I became a novelist, I was a teacher … and a computer geek. A certified one, actually! I earned my A+ certification in computer repair and learned to build computers from the motherboard up. I could crimp CAT5 cables, configure routers, and troubleshoot computer networks.

For eleven years, I worked for a school district as a network administrator and computer technician. I had my own workshop tucked away in the back server room, where I’d often work barefoot, drinking Coke and listening to classic rock while repairing computers, formatting hard drives, and upgrading software.

It was one of the most fun and rewarding jobs I’ve ever had. Not exactly what you’d expect from someone who writes emotional family dramas, is it?

5. What are you working on next?

I’m currently working on edits for the next two books in The Lake Tearas Trilogy. Finding You is scheduled for release in April 2027, followed by Finding Ours in December 2027. Each novel explores different characters and family relationships, but their stories remain interconnected through the fictional town of Lake Tearas.

I’m also planning six follow-up novellas—two for each book, one for each main point-of-view character. These shorter stories will give readers an opportunity to revisit familiar characters and discover what happens after the final pages of the trilogy.

Apparently, I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to Lake Tearas or the people who live there!

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