We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Karina Fabian a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Karina, really appreciate you joining us to talk about a really relevant, albeit unfortunate topic – layoffs and getting fired. Can you talk to us about your experience and how you overcame being let go?
In 2019, my boss, whom I adored, called to tell me he had terminal cancer and was quitting to live out his life. No sooner did we hang up than the CEO called me to make sure I’d “heard the news.” While I was talking about his cancer, the CEO was talking about my being laid off as part of a restructuring. Talk about a double blow!
Once I got over the shock, I followed St Benedict’s advice: *ora et labora* (pray and work). As I prayed for my former boss, I set to work for myself. COVID made things more difficult, but I filed for unemployment, visited the local job center, and applied everywhere. I ramped up my LinkedIn and asked around about freelance writing jobs. I also decided to start self-publishing my books—beginning with a journal for collecting all the information I needed to track job applications and file for unemployment. We also reassessed exactly what we needed income-wise as a family.
Four years later, I have an active freelance career, have published over 40 books plus audiobooks, and am happier than ever. When God closes a door, he opens another—you just have to find it.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I thoroughly love my freelance career. I am writing business articles, reviewing software, and meeting local artists—all things that keep my brain engaged and sharp. Plus, I have complete freedom in my schedule, which lets me indulge my creative side by writing novels.
My publishing under Laser Cow Press is a joy. I have two long-running series. DragonEye, PI, is about a snarky dragon detective solving crimes where magic and technology don’t mix. He’s so much fun to write! Space Traipse: Hold My Beer is a science fiction humor that does a lot of Star Trek parody, but with an original universe and brilliant new characters. I’ve recently started developing audiobooks as well as products from my books (through Redbubble).
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
- Get ‘Er Done Attitude: You are responsible for your own success. There are so many resources out there to help you, but you not only have to take the initiative but also keep trying, keep asking, keep pursuing.
- Faith: I am a firm believer in the power of religious faith. God can make something good out of any tragedy. However, even if you are not spiritual, having faith that you will make it is vital to any progress. What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.
- Willingness to try: My first job after 20 years out of the workplace was testing products and software—something I knew nothing about. (I was andam a luddite.) But I took the chance and it turned out, I not only enjoyed it, but was very good at it!
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
I’m a planner, so when I get overwhelmed by responsibilities, I make lists, designate times on my calendar, and break tasks down to first steps. For example, publishing a novel can seem overwhelming—but spending an hour a day writing or sending artwork ideas to my cover artist? Easily doable.
It helps to have small steps because when I’m overwhelmed the temptation is to walk away—but that only makes things worse the next day. If I can do a couple of small things, then I have that much less in the pile to dig through.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://karinafabian.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Karina-Fabian-Speculative-Fiction-with-a-Grin-2233839790277963
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinafabian/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KarinaFabian
- Other: Redbubble Shop:https://www.redbubble.com/people/lasercowpress/shop
Image Credits
Logo by Allen Oaks. Cover art for The Old Man and the Void and Space Traipse: Holy My Beer 1 by Dawn Grimes. The rest of the covers are mine and the photos were taken by my husband or a friend at work.
