My review: Caryl
McAdoo is a new voice in historical Christian fiction. This book is her debut
novel. I was eager to read it, so it went right to the top of my to-be-read
pile when it arrived. Of course, I love reading books set in historical Texas . Her voice is
unique, and I fell in love with the characters from the very first page. They
pulled me into their lives and kept me there through the whole interesting
storyline. I found the setting authentic, and Caryl kept me turning pages. When
I turned the last one, the characters stayed with me for awhile. I know you’ll
love this book as well as I did.
Welcome, Caryl.
Hello, Lena , Thanks so much
for inviting me to your blog! I’m honored to be here!
Tell us how much of
yourself you write into your characters.
I find a lot of myself in most every female character I
write, but it’s as though different parts of myself in different characters. I
know one of the kudos I get is how different and well-developed my women are. I
believe we all are so multi-faceted. Now my heroes are all a lot like my
husband, and my characters’ girlfriends are very similar to my own dear lady
friends!
What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?
I went right ahead and just looked quirky up hoping it would
give me some ideas, insight into myself. Basically we’re talking about a
peculiar personality trait. Synonyms include
eccentric, idiosyncratic, unconventional, unorthodox, unusual, strange,bizarre, peculiar, odd, out-landish, zany. Yes, that helps. I think the quirkiest thing about me, and I’ve done it a lot, is to burst out singing a song in just about any setting. Sometimes something someone said triggers it, but anyone around me is liable to be serenaded!
eccentric, idiosyncratic, unconventional, unorthodox, unusual, strange,bizarre, peculiar, odd, out-landish, zany. Yes, that helps. I think the quirkiest thing about me, and I’ve done it a lot, is to burst out singing a song in just about any setting. Sometimes something someone said triggers it, but anyone around me is liable to be serenaded!
And ONE thing I did was when I was a teen and at the grocery
store with my mother. She was shopping in the produce department at our local
Safeway. Back then they had li’l squirt hoses to keep the veggies moist and
fresh. I picked one up and squirted her GOOD! J
When did you first
discover that you were a writer?
As a little girl I loved books, and English was my favorite
subject. In 1962, at Letot Elementary in Dallas ,
I was a 7th grader with an essay to write. “What will you be doing in the year
2000?” Well, I wrote of being an intergallactically famous author jetting from
planet to planet signing autographs! Though space travel may not have met up to
my imaginations, my first book did come out in the year 2000. How fun is that?
So long ago, God gave me the desire to write, and then let me remember the
homework assignment!
Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
Since I started writing, I do read less, but I pretty much
still have a book with me everywhere I go. The older I’ve got and the closer to
the Lord I’ve drawn, the more I hate reading novels with foul language because
I can’t escape saying the words in my head. Ugh! So these days, that eliminates
a LOT . For the last many years, I’ve only read
authors I personally know for pleasure, and now that I’m in the Christian genre
which thrills me so! I love historical and contemporary romances as well as
Biblical fiction. I steer clear of horror and a lot of fantasy (when wizards
and witches are characters). My favorite author I don’t know personally is
Bodie Thoene. I devoured her Zion
series!
How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world?
Yes, Miss Lena , and you
don’t know the half of it! There’s only one answer to this question and that is
: by the mercy and grace of God! In 2002, after one thrilling year of empty
nesting with my high school sweetheart, the Lord saw fit to fill our nest right
back up with four precious grandsons aged 6, 4, 3, and newborn straight home
from the hospital. The oldest is a high school senior this year and will be off
to college in the fall. When I read scripture that says He won’t put on us more
than we can bear, sometimes I think He has way too high an opinion of this
woman J
But He is faithful to give me energy to go to one more parent/teacher
conference and drive to one more season of baseball practices and games. How
does anyone make it without God’s peace continually raining down on them?
That is so true. How
do you choose your characters’ names?
Isn’t this one of the most fun parts of writing fiction? I
love naming characters or goats or dogs and horses, even chickens J
When I hear an interesting name, I try to make a mental note to remember that
one. But actually choosing a name is quite random, I use what hits me or comes
to me. I like to go and look up what it means after. In a WIP, THE BEDWARMER’S
SON, the historical heroine’s name is Jasmine. She’s the bedwarmer. I went and
looked up Jasmine to find it’s a flower that blooms in the night and its
essential oils have a sedative quality. How awesome is that? I attribute such
to Holy Spirit’s inspiration.
What is the
accomplishment that you are most proud of?
I had to think about this one for awhile. My immediate response
would have been reeling in my
handsome husband, but I can’t take credit for that because I know God created
him in his mother’s womb to be my husband and me to be his wife, so I can’t
very well be proud of that. Next I thought of being published by Simon and
Schuster’s Howard Book division. I suppose that could be the answer since it is
a personal accomplishment I never dreamed would come to pass, but without God
introducing me to Mary Sue McAdoo Seymour and her suggesting that I write a
historical Christian romance … I suppose in the end, as scripture says, ALL
good things come from above, so the accomplishment I’m most proud of is
accepting Him as my Lord and Savior. Everything else pales in comparison.
If you were an
animal, which one would you be, and why?
I’ve always said I would want to be a bird if I wasn’t a
human. I love being up high and looking down on creation. Living in trees
appeals to me, flight seems absolutely thrilling, and knowing God’s eye was on
me … AND, I could still sing and sing!
What is your favorite
food?
Mexican. I could eat jalepenos, tortillas, and beans morning
noon and night. I enjoy a steak and when we eat out at Clarksville ’s excellent little Mexican
restaurant Rio Verde, I usually order Steak Mexican. They chop the steak about
the size of my little fingernail and grill it with same sized chopped tomatoes,
onions, bell pepper and jalapeños. Yum, with pico and sour cream. Is your mouth
watering yet? Add the rice and beans J
I love Mexican food, only
with a touch of jalapeños. I like my Mexican food mild, but with just a little
kick of spice. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest
roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
Life proved to be the biggest problem in the beginning,
rearing my family (four children and work). I first started writing again when
the two big ones were married and the two little ones were older. I suppose
getting started heated my passion to a slow burn that’s never quit again even
when we got the four grandsons, although marketing sure took a hit as travel
became practically impossible.
Tell us about the
featured book.
VOW UNBROKEN, the
story of a spunky and determined young widow hanging onto God for all she was
worth, is an anointed novel. Nothing has been easy since leaving her father’s
home in rebellion to marry a man he didn’t approve of, and she thinks all her
trials are only what she deserves for disobeying God and going against His
Word. She’s bound her ownself by her vow, and it looks as though she’ll never
know love again, that she’s doomed to live a lonely life rearing her daughter
and orphaned nephew.
She misses her neighbors’ wagon train taking their crops to
market; there’s no one left to help her. When she realizes she has to take her
cotton herself, well, her friend remembers Henry Buckmeyer, but he has an awful
reputation for being a drunk and lay-about. The land her husband and her brother
left the children is in jeapordy—the very existence of her little family.
But God has other plans and uses all the seemingly bad
things to her good, just like He promises. It’s a story I pray will call
readers to a self examination of their heart toward God and draw them closer to
Him.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
He took the pinch of cotton Sue offered and rubbed it
between his short, pudgy fingers. “I’m truly sorry, Mis’ess Baylor. Two cents
is all I can pay.”
She seethed, but forced at least a show of civility. “Mister
Littlejohn.” She spoke in a stiff staccato. “A week ago. Before everyone left.
You promised three-and-a-half to four cents a pound! You said depending on the
quality. That is the main reason. The biggest reason. That I didn’t go with the
others.”
The man smiled. “Oh, I might have said two-and-a-half or
maybe even three, but things change. You know that.”
She couldn’t stand being talked down to, especially by such
a lying loafer.
“I wish I could help you, but two cents it is. I mean,
besides, anyone can see.” He held the sample up. “It’s shoddy lint.” He shook
his head. “Pardon me for saying, Mis’ess Baylor, but a granger you are not.”
“Anyone can see its excellent quality, you mean.”
A bit of breeze, a very little bit, stirred the top layer of
dust from the street; it cooled her skin, but her insides still steamed.
He stuck out his bottom lip. “I’d advise you to take my
offer. I can pay half now, the rest when I return.”
Sue studied his face while a hundred calculations ran
through her mind. He certainly didn’t look like the weasel he’d turned out to
be. Her cotton was as good, if not better, than any of the loads that left last
Thursday. She reached up and massaged her neck, then lifted her braid to let some
air dry her sweat.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
AUTHOR’s Pages
Website - http://www.CarylMcAdoo.com
Simon and Schuster - http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Caryl-McAdoo/411169289
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/CarylMcAdoo/author
LinkedIn - http://www.linkedIn.com/CarylMcAdoo
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/CarylMcAdoo
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/gramilady
Angie’s DiaryTexas Tender http://angiesdiary.com/texas-tender/point-view-whos-head/
VOW UNBROKEN’s Pages
I look
forward to sending VOW UNBROKEN to your Blog reader who wins the contest and
hope they’ll get in touch with me after they read it! Thanks again for having
me! I really enjoyed the visit.
Thank you, Caryl, for
spending this time with us. And I am eager to be with you on Friday and
Saturday at the writing conference in Mt. Pleasant, Texas
Readers, if any of
you are interested in checking out the writing conference, here’s the link to
it.
http://www.netwo.org/ Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
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