Dear Readers, we have
one of our favorite authors back with the last book in her Texas
Welcome back, Caryl. As an author, I know
it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in
the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions?
Since the beginning of writing for publication (1985), I’ve
written with my husband Ron. Way back when we joined the DFW Writers Workshop
(1993), we used to say he was the story and I was the style, and our
mentors—bless their hearts for teaching us our craft—could tell when he was
writing and when it was me. Then the more years that went by, we got comments
that they could no longer distinguish who wrote what.
Past Ron and me ...
there are many blessings God sent to me: My proofreader Lenda Selph, my cover
designer Roseanna White, and my chief promoter, Sandy Barela at Celebrate Lit.
I’m also blessed with many beta readers including Louise Koiner, Cass Wessel, Marilyn
Rigeway, Mary Ann Hake, Judy Jordan, and more; and my “Christian Evaluaters”
(Street team or influencers) Ann Ellison, Kathy Watts, Amy Cambell, Joy Gibson,
Cheryl Baranski, Julie Wilson, Susan Johnson, Amy Lawrence, Debbie Gomes, Alan
Daughtery, Michelle Beach and more.
Since going Indie in 2014 after Simon and Schuster published
VOW UNBROKEN (my/our tenth book published), I’ve launched twenty titles! CHIEF
OF SINNERS is number thirty. I do all my own interior designs (except for the
first one LADY LUCK’S A LOSER, but intend to re-do it one day soon J
If you teach or
speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?
After a very busy, packed September and October, I now have
nothing until next year. I’ve founded a teaching seminar company WordWyse
Exposytions with my Marketing Social Media Meister Janis McAdoo
(daughter-in-love) and we have day or weekend workshops for authors on Writing,
Publishing, and Marketing--all three, two, or just one.
If you had to
completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?
God moved me to Red River
County (Clarksville ,
Texas ) from my home of fifty-five years (Irving , Texas Colorado . I love being high and surrounded
by the beauty of God’s creation.
If you could only
tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?
To learn their craft! So many writers decide to write a book
and just start and don’t know the first thing about the tools of their craft
and how to use them—like a carpenter deciding to build a house, but don’t have
a hammer or saw. So as a professional editor for over a decade, I saw thousands
of manuscripts, and newbies all make the SAME mistakes. I made them all until
God led me to the DFWWW (mentioned earlier).
There’s so much more than spelling and punctuation,
adjectives and adverbs. Most new writers want to TELL their story and don’t
know how to SHOW it. They have no clue for Point of View. Their writing is
passive rather than active which can also mean . . . boring.
I’ve written a book called STORY AND STYLE, The Craft of
Writing Creative Fiction that is SURE to help writers of many experience
levels, but especially beginners. It’s written in an easy to understand,
conversational tone with tons of examples. Plus, if the reader has any
questions, the author is available by facebook or phone! J
I love helping new writers!
You’ve been asked to
be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why?
(AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related])
I’ve never been on a cruise, but if . . . going into fantasy
mode . . . I’d invite singers Paul Wilbur (with his crew and dancers) and Sandy
Patty to lead praise and worship four times a day. I’d ask artist Judy Levine
to join us and teach a painting class. I’d send an invitation to authors Bodie
and Brock Thoene to read from their Zion series
and take us all back in history to the early days of Israel . I think Benjamin Netanyahu
would enjoy that, too, and I’d have him on the program for a Q and A panel with
President Trump. Would you buy a ticket to be on that cruise, Lena ?
Sure. I love cruises,
but I’ve only been on two. Tell us about the featured book.
Almost twenty-five years ago, I wrote my first Christian
historical romance CHIEF OF SINNERS about a traveling tent preacher and his
young son Buddy, but it proved too secular for the Christian publishers and too
religious for those more secular. Then a NY agent asked for one set in the
1800s. We wrote VOW UNBROKEN about a widow and for her hero, used Buckmeyer, a
family name from CHIEF set in 1926-1950.
From that book, the Texas Romance Family Saga series was
born and followed five generations of three main families all the way to 1926
where CHIEF OF SINNERS picks up—a total of ten novels from VOW to CHIEF; 1832
to 1950. And though no major changes were necessary to the twenty-four year old
manuscript, a few areas needed minor adjustments to line up with the first nine
books in the family saga.
Paragraphs of well-placed backstory remembrances offered a bit
more of the enhancing detail that my readers say they love. Through five
generations, over a century of love and romance ensued, and I loved every
story.
So creating the Buckmeyers, Baylors, Nightingales, and
Harrises with all their supporting players has been a labor of love, praying my
story gives God glory. From reviews I’m glad my readers find each installment
of the family saga able to stand alone, entertaining, inspiring, thought
provoking, and real to life.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Fall 1926
God always tests His sons.
From Adam on, He’s required absolute obedience from those He
calls to greatness.
Such a man, Broderick Eversole Nightingale, known to all as
Buddy, came into the world in the afterglow of the Azusa Street Revival. From
his earliest memories, his father preached and practiced the power of the Holy
Ghost while his saintly mother led the singing under the canvas canopy of the
family’s traveling Gospel meetings.
Buddy’s first test came at the age of ten when his mother
fell deathly ill. He never dreamed to blame God when she went home. But his
father did. And for that first year after she left, the Reverend Nathaniel
Nightingale drowned his sorrow in moonshine.
Broke of heart and pocketbook, the boy’s father returned to
the only solace he knew, preaching the Good News. Though he no longer invited
people to come be healed, reports of past miracles and his fiery oratories
always kept the revival tent full.
The second test came fourteen months later in a small Texas
Hill Country community. That fateful day started like so many others.
After obtaining their permit, the Nightingales pulled into
the fairgrounds, unloaded their tent, and began work. By midmorning, they had
the canvas spread and the poles up.
Buddy held the first peg while his father tap-started it. He
stood back. Five whacks later, he tied off the guy rope then scooted to the
next peg. A second passed before he squinted against the sun and looked up at
his dad.
For October, the day heated unseasonably warm, and the old
reverend’s face glistened with sweat as he leaned on the double-headed mallet.
“What’s the matter, old man? Not getting tired, are you?”
“Who you calling old?”
Buddy smiled. “Here, let me have that thing. I wouldn’t want
the great Nathaniel Nightingale too tuckered to preach tonight.”
“Have at it.”
Where can we find you
on the Internet?
Links :
Author Pages:
Author Pages:
~ BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/caryl-mcadoo
~ Simon & Schuster - http://tinyurl.com/S-SCarylsPage
~ BookGorilla - http://www.bookgorilla.com/author/B00E963CFG/caryl-mcadoo
~ Southern Writers Magazine - http://authors.southernwritersmagazine.com/caryl-mcadoo.html
~ Southern Writers Magazine - http://authors.southernwritersmagazine.com/caryl-mcadoo.html
~ Sweet Americana
Sweethearts - bit.ly/2q0tcfFbit.ly
Website: http://www.CarylMcAdoo.com
/ (All First Chapters offered)
Newsletter: http://carylmcadoo.com/sign-up-to-the-caryler/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_1hQx6UZbWi3OYwmKKxh6Q (Hear Caryl sing her New Songs!)
Blogs:
~ The Word and the Music XXXXX
~ The Word and the Music XXXXX
~ HeartWings (Devotional) - http://www.HeartWingsBlog.com
~ Stitches Thru Time (Misc.) - http://www.StitchesThruTime.blogspot.com
~ Sweet Americana
Sweethearts (Historical) -
GoodReads: http://tinyurl.com/GoodReadsCaryl
Google+: http://tinyurl.com/CarylsGooglePlus
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CarylMcAdoo
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/CarylMcAdoo
Thank you, Caryl, for
sharing this new book with us. I’m eager to read it.
Readers, Caryl is
happy to offer a print book of the first one in the Texas Romance series, VOW
UNBROKEN or an eBook of CHIEF OF SINNERS if you’ve already read VOW UNBROKEN!
:)
Here are links to the book.
Chief of Sinners (Texas Romance) (Volume 10)
- PaperbackChief of Sinners (Texas Romance Book 10) - Kindle
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