HEARTS STOLEN - Caryl McAdoo - One Free Book

Dear Readers, even though she lives not too far from me, in Northeast Texas, I first met Caryl in Indianapolis, Indiana, at last year’s American Christian Fiction Writers conference. Soon after that, she invited me to speak at the Northeast Texas Writer’s Conference. She’s become a good friend. I loved her first book that we featured on this blog. I haven’t received my copy of this new one yet, and I can hardly wait to read it.

Welcome back, Caryl. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I must admit, the reason I started writing historical Christian romance is because my agent, Mary Sue Seymour, said if I would write one set in the 1800s, she’d sell it. It actually proved to be a God-plan from the first. Did you know Mary Sue grew up a McAdoo? It was her maiden name! As though the Lord whacked us on the head with a velvet hammer and said, “PAY ATTENTION, DAUGHTERS, I HAVE A PLAN.” It is without a doubt my favorite genre now. J

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

I was just talking about that on Facebook because my firstborn son turned forty-five, and I was telling him that the day he was born was my favorite most happy day. I do have four children and they are all in the top five, the day I married being the fifth. All your nannies are so special and you love each one differently, but I don’t think a woman can know or imagine how holding that firstborn in your arms affects your heart. And I am glad you said besides the day Christ came to live in my heart; the happiest nine-year-old you ever saw!

How has being published changed your life?

More blessings! I love people and getting to know them, so being published has given me a bigger platform—a way to meet more precious children of God and to share His love when someone doesn’t know Him. I’m blessed to work at home or anywhere. I’m blessed to set my own hours. I’m blessed to create wonderful characters who become my friends. I’m blessed to have such a creative outlet and thank God everyday!

I know what you mean. All those things are blessings to me as well. What are you reading right now?

Right now, I am reading  a Civil War romance, RETURN TO SHIRLEY PLANTATION by Carrie Fancett Pagels. It’s Volume One of Murray Pura’s American Civil War Series Cry of Freedom. Since I started writing historical, at the quite grown-up age of 64, I find that I am fascinated with history. My husband has always been a history buff, but I’m a new one J

What is your current work in progress?

THE BEDWARMER’S SON, set in two historical time periods. In the 1850s I’m writing the romance of the Bedwarmer, a young slave girl named Jasmine, and in the 1920s, what’s going on with her son on trial for murder. His attorney, a young white woman from up North who might fall in love with the bedwarmer’s son’s grandson. I’m enjoying that period, and also that they are in Dalton, Georgia, since I almost always write Texas settings. 

What would be your dream vacation?

Don’t even have to think about this one, going to Israel; walking the streets of Jerusalem, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, speaking to some of the people who’ve lived there their whole lives. I’d enjoy wading in the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I love Texas, and love writing about the Lone Star State. I’ve been to every corner of it, and know it well. But my favorite part is the Northeast where God led my husband and me in 2008, specifically Red River County, but all the surrounding counties, too J As I was saying, I set THE BEDWARMER’S SON in Dalton, Georgia, because I needed a plantation with slaves, but a Texan will come into the story before it’s over.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

A harder question I had to think about. I thought of politicians, then authors, then music, yes, I’d enjoy an evening with music, so I’d like to spend an evening with Sandi Patty singing and visiting and giving God glory. I love her music and we have a similar range J

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Music, I love to sing—mostly praise and worship, but God gives me new songs that go along with my children’s books I take into schools and He gave me Susannah’s Ballad for VOW UNBROKEN. He gives me scripture songs to help me with whatever I’m going through. I also like to paint and garden—not so much the getting down and in the dirt anymore (pretty hard to get up) but decorating the garden, adding touches. I love Pinterest for remembering great ideas.

I use Pinterest for storing setting ideas and clothing for my books when I’m writing them. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Not getting distracted! If I discipline myself to stay off Facebook until a certain time—and email and Pinterest and PicMonkey (http://www.picmonkey.com/)—I find I can focus on my writing and get just as lost in those wonderful friends I create on the page.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Hands down, to get into a good critique group! I would never have gotten published at all ever without the mentoring and hard-nosed critique I got at the DFW Writers Workshop. Writing groups who listen to each other read and only hear how good it is are only good for folks not serious about improving their craft and want mostly to visit. A good critique group can turn a gifted story teller into a writer! If you’re a story teller (that gift comes only from God), you can learn the craft.

Tell us about the featured book.

Hearts Stolen is a story that will reinforce no matter what the circumstance, no matter how grievous it seems, if you will repent, pray, and put your trust in God, there is nothing—no thing—He can’t get you out of. And the scripture comes to mind that He does things so much more than we can even imagine, blessings pressed down and overflowing.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Just thinking about him made Sassy want to stick her tongue out like she used to do to her father when he ordered her around. But Charles had married her, and she promised to love, honor, and obey him.

She loved the man alright, leastwise she guessed she did. If he’d only treat her like a wife, not a child.... Of everyone, he should understand most that she was grown; coming on sixteen, as mature as she would ever get.

Rosaleen he’d called her. She hated her given name. Pshaw, she could do both, visit her mamma and have his ol’ supper ready. As the sun peeked over the treetops, Sassy leaned forward and tickled the mare’s ribs with her heels.

“Haw, pretty girl; we don’t have all day. He said he’ll be back by dark.”

Stretching her gait, the mare flew over the rolling terrain. The wind whipped Sassy’s hair behind her. Oh, how she loved riding, always had. In barely any time, she slowed the mare into a lope and topped the last hill before Kickapoo Creek.

That’s where she always let Bliss get a sweet drink, but not too much, from the easy flowing stream. With only another eight miles to her folks’ place, she might make it in time for some breakfast leftovers. She clicked her tongue.

Her mare cleared the far bank, then her snort and shiver shifted Sassy’s attention to follow Bliss’ gaze. Two bare-chested Indians sat on painted ponies. The bigger one pointed a long-handled club at her and whooped.

Sassy hammered her heels into the mare’s ribs. The gray shot forward, hitting a full gallop in fewer than ten strides.

Calm, stay calm, but her heart beat like the nines. She’d never lost a race in her life, not on Bliss. She definitely couldn’t lose this one. With a good lead, she’d outrun the little ponies.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.CarylMcAdoo.com

www.facebook.com/CarylMcAdoo.author

www.CarylMcAdoo.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/CarylMcAdoo

www.amazon.com/CarylMcAdoo

Thank you, Caryl, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Hearts Stolen (A Texas Romance) (Volume 2) - paperback
Hearts Stolen (A Texas Romance Book 2) - Kindle

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