Meet Your Host

Hello All!

My name is Karina, and this post will serve as your introduction to me, the voice behind everything you read on KMDZ.story.

First, and most importantly, nothing you read on this site is about me. I am an avid reader and have studied writing both professionally and in my personal life. You won’t find my picture anywhere on this site because I enjoy studying writing objectively as a forever-student of storytelling.

Second, please approach everything you read here with curious eyes, and if there is something you don’t understand or agree with, I challenge you to ask ‘why.’ I write each post with the energy of someone who loves all the nerdy elements of writing, but unavoidably, some opinions will be my own, so comment, communicate, but don’t forget that foremost, creative writing invokes perspective and discussion.

One last thing, I will go down swinging for the em-dash and the Oxford comma. I understand some people don't enjoy using these, or some believe only AI bots use them, but that is simply untrue. I have been using these since before AI was a thing, and I will continue to use them for the rest of my life.

Now with that in mind, let's jump in!

The Beginning

I am a lifelong South Floridian—no, I have never seen an alligator crossing the road, nor have I used bath salts for anything other than, well, taking a bath. But yes, I have orange blossoms growing down the street and yes, I have a lot of Hispanic and Jewish friends, and we all get road rage during snowbird season. All stereotypes come from somewhere, right?

In primary school, I always enjoyed writing but was told I was bad at it. I constantly got Cs and Ds—boo you, Mrs. Third-Grade Teacher. When I got to high school, I had one teacher who decided I wasn’t bad at writing; I just needed more direction. I got that first essay back completely covered in red ink, and throughout the year I saw myself actually get better. I also read Jane Eyre the previous year, and it was the first required book that didn’t put me to sleep. From then on, I was a bookworm who discovered the beauty of fiction and kept a dream journal under her pillow. I actually used that dream journal to apply for grad school, but that comes later.

The Middle

After graduation, I went on to receive my Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts, specializing in Telecommunications and Film. Now, not everyone needs a degree to work in film, but for an introverted girl from Boca Raton who didn’t have her first sip of alcohol until college, it was an awesome experience. For me, I would not have received an internship with the #1 news station in Broward/Miami Dade or a salaried position in broadcasting right out of college without it. Not to mention, you get to know some really cool people when you join a film department for four years.

Anyway, I joined the television world because I loved telling stories in a way everyone could understand; unfortunately, I got stuck on the technical side—reading time codes and switching router inputs. I learned a lot, but I wasn’t creating or telling stories.

The Current

I later joined an M.A. Residency for Creative Writing, specializing in Fiction and Poetry. While in the program, I was contracted by an author in Miami who was looking for a native English speaker to assist in marketing her book. I wrote her website, blog, emails, etc. Thus, a career was born writing and mentoring writers in the marketing space.

I enjoy marketing; I really do! I believe it’s the perfect blend of psychology and business; however, I could never forget my first love, storytelling. Since my residency graduation, I have edited and read for writers within my small circle of friends and peers—it is now time to expand that circle.

If you are still reading...

If you are still with me, thank you. Launching this website is my way of turning something I love, something I have been doing for myself, into something bigger—something I can share with those similar to me and outside my small circle.

Enjoy exploring KMDZ.story and join me as I work to expand the storytelling community one post at a time.

Sincerely,

Karina M.D.Z.