Interview with author Carrie Walker

 Hi, guys! V. Joy Palmer here! Since we are all friends here, you guys can call me Joy. ;-) And one of my favorite things to do is talk with my friends at coffee shops, then head to the bookstores. Yes, plural. After all, books and yummy drinks are the perfect combination! So consider this our virtual coffee shop. I'll wait a second for you to get your warm drink and a fuzzy blanket before we chat with today's guest. <3

Today we are going to pry into the private life of CHAT with author Carrie Walker!

Winner of the 2025 Faith Hope and Love Reader's Choice Award, Carrie Walker lives in Michigan with her husband and seven children. From her ten years serving as a high school youth minister, adventures around the globe, and raising a family, many stories have been knit within her heart.

As an avid reader she pens what she loves to read, contemporary stories that bring hope to a hurting world. Weaving romance among story lines of characters in struggle, she aims to show God working in all situations. When she’s not playing board games with her husband, shuttling kids in the Walker bus or wishing for snow, Carrie can be found at the keyboard bringing those stories to life.

Carrie’s writing has been recognized in many contests. Her debut novel, Emma’s Hero, won the silver medal in the Selah Awards, won the IAN Book of the Year for Christian Fiction, was a double finalist in the International Book Awards. 

Connect with Carrie on her website, Facebook, Instagram, BookBub, and Amazon!

Interview ~

This may be the most important question I ask -- no pressure or anything, LOL! 

*drum roll*

What are you drinking in our virtual coffee house? Coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate? Something else altogether?

Coffee!! (Though I like all 3 haha)

Perfect answer! If you could order anything in the world to eat (we can dream, can't we?), what would it be?

That’s a tough question, as I enjoy many things. Today a turkey sub and a smoothie :)

Classic yumminess! Where is your favorite place to write, and why is that your favorite place?

I really enjoy sitting on my sofa, with a footrest and a lap desk and writing there. It’s relaxed and cozy.

Very cozy! Do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writer tendencies? Safe space. ;-)

Hmmm. I do have random piles of notebooks dedicated to each of my stories. If anyone were to open them up they literally make no sense. I often will just open to any page and write down whatever random thought/idea/quote/character name pops in my head. It 100% only makes sense to me.

I love that! What inspired you to write Someone to Lean On?

It was a combination of things. Firstly, the underscoring theme in this series is the impact of each human life. So I always envisioned, a story that showed in a small way how the baby from book one of the series, Emma’s Hero, was still touching lives years later. For this story, specifically, I really connected with Lucia as a foster teen in the second book and I see in her what I’ve seen in so many teens and adults. A good person, trying hard to do the right things, but being dealt a rough hand and struggling. So I really wanted to walk in her shoes, and watch her grow and find her happily ever after.

What a journey! What led you to write in this genre? 

I was led to write Romantic Women’s fiction because it’s my favorite genre to read. I love a story with depth and an inspirational message . . . but, for me, every story is better with romance :)

I wholeheartedly agree! What message do you hope to convey to your readers?

That even when things in life are hard, and not going the way you’d hope, that God can still work in the mess. Also, to follow the peace.

What a great message! Can you tell us a little about your next project(s)? 

My next story is the beginning of a new series. In this story, a cosmetologist searching for the daughter she placed in safe haven adoption years ago joins a dairy farmer on a quest to find the nameless love of his life. But she's been hiding under a false identity and this venture might risk their lives and their hearts.

That sounds interesting! Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level? 

I really love Lamentations 3:22-24. There is something so hopeful in remembering that the Lord's mercy is never spent and that we can always hope in Him. 

So hopeful! What are you currently reading? Inquiring minds -- mine! -- want to know. ;-)

I’m currently reading “Not what we pictured” by Becca Kinzer. I love a good rom com. When life is really busy (and it is SO busy in spring), laughing helps. And Becca is so, so funny.

So fun! Thanks for answering all of my prying questions, Carrie!

Check out Someone to Lean On below!

About the Book ~

They're seeking a peace they can't seem to find...

Aged out of the foster care system and struggling to raise her young daughter, Lucia Roberts loses her only source of income. When she’s offered a position caring for a four-year-old foster child, Timothy, it feels like the answer to a prayer—except for one catch. She must work in the home of Jordan Nowak, Timothy’s overly vigilant foster father who scrutinizes her every move.

Jordan has built his life around one promise: protect a foster child until they can find a happily ever after. But while Jordan fights to keep Timmy safe, his own world spirals out of control. The music store he co-owns with his brother is on the brink of bankruptcy after months of mismanagement. Torn between protecting Timmy, saving the store, and guarding his heart, Jordan grasps for any possibility to fix it all.

Mason Hughes is in his final year of medical school, on rotation under a difficult neurologist, and doubting his call to be a doctor. As the walls between Lucia and Jordan soften, Timmy starts displaying puzzling symptoms. Soon Mason must choose whether he trusts his medical instincts enough to fight an ethical battle.

As three adults seek control in their lives, a young child with no guarantees teaches them to trust.  

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer loves to write romantic and comedic stories that proclaim God’s deep love for us. In her spare time, Joy loves to sing (especially Disney songs), drink large quantities of coffee, and create aesthetic content for Bookstagram. When Joy isn’t fighting with fictional people, she’s hanging out with her husband and their adorable daughters. Connect with Joy via www.vjoypalmer.com!

Connect with Joy on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon Author Page!

God's Bigger and Better Plans

Look who's at Diamonds in Fiction today! Welcome Kate Breslin. What a blessing to have you and your love for writing here.

 Former bookseller-turned-author Kate Breslin enjoys life in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. A writer of travel articles and award-winning poetry, Kate received Christian Retailing's 2015 Best Award for First Time Author, and her first novel For Such A Time was a Christy Award and two-time RITA award finalist, and won American Christian Fiction Writers 2015 Carol Award. Kate's sixth novel, In Love’s Time, released in December, 2022. When she's not writing inspirational fiction, Kate enjoys reading or taking long walks in Washington State’s pristine woodlands. She also likes traveling to new places, both within the U.S. and abroad, having toured Greece, Rome, Barcelona, and much of Western Europe. New destinations make for fresh story ideas. Please visit her at www.katebreslin.com.

Voni: Welcome to Diamonds in Fiction, Kate! Please tell us about the journey to your very first book.

Kate: My goodness, that was long ago and far away! It all started back in the early 1990s when I had a high stress corporate job. The last day after winding down a business trip on the East coast, I purchased a paperback novel at the grocery store, thinking to while away the hours before my plane left in the morning. As I read that evening, I was swept up into a world of history and romance, and found that escape fiction helped me to relax and unwind. I became a voracious reader, devouring every popular historical romance novel I could find. The time came when I’d finally read all of the stories by my favorite authors, and I began to consider writing my own book. Since I had a pretty good handle on spelling and grammar as well as typing, I started crafting my first novel. It wasn’t as easy as I’d imagined! In fact, it took me five years in between working full time to complete my Scottish historical romance. I think I wrote into that story my version of every romantic trope I’d ever read in books, and I finally finished the manuscript at 160K words—that’s 500 published pages! After much polishing and editing, my story went on to become a finalist in a national writing contest; however, it did not win nor did I receive that coveted publishing contract. I remember I was devastated at the time, but later on I was to be grateful for unanswered prayers. It seemed that God had bigger and better plans for my writing.

Voni: That is a BIG book…500 pages! Lots of writing and polishing and editing!!!! And a walk toward God’s plans. How did your faith come to meet your writing and your love of reading?

Kate: And that is the second half of my journey; while I had loved reading from an early age, my faith didn’t meet my writing as much as it crashed into it headlong. You see, I’d left my Christian upbringing years before and it was only through a series of circumstances I call Providence that I began my return to Christ. After I’d written my Scottish novel, which was clearly a secular romance and not intended for the inspirational market, my conscience began to question my motives, and what I intended to put out into the world. I felt God nudging me in a different direction; yet I stubbornly wrote another story, a contemporary rom-com, in my effort to get published. I omitted the explicit scenes, but it was still not suitable for Christian fiction. With that novel, I finally secured my first agent and I was thrilled. Yet this also put me at a Crossroads; did I plan to write what I wanted, or to pursue what God wanted me to write? I vowed then that if this latest story was rejected, I would take up writing inspirational fiction.  And lo and behold, when all twelve agented inquiries came back with rejection letters, I was relieved! At this point I was reading the Bible through for the first time, and happened to be poring over Esther’s story. I felt such passion that I knew God wanted me to write that book, and when I finished the manuscript, For Such A Time was to become my debut novel in the publishing world. I found a wonderful new agent and my dream publisher. God had opened those doors for me.

 Voni: To let God be the One to open the doors…that’s inspirational, Kate. What drew you to the historical genre?

 Kate: It seems ironic now, but I was always bored during my history classes at school. All those dates to memorize! Once I began my journey into historical fiction however, I started to grasp the emotion of the past, beyond the hard facts. I was reading stories about people much like you and me, living during war and hardship and extraordinary times. And though it was fiction, the backdrop of history in each novel was usually accurate. I learned about history without feeling like I was getting a history lesson and developed a great love for the genre. I try to pay that forward in writing my own novels.

 Voni: I’ve always said there is no excuse for history to be boring! I love the #freedomfriday hashtag on your social media. What is your ultimate favorite reading spot of all you’ve shared?

Kate: Thank you! I’m so pleased you enjoy the weekly posts. I love the idea of curling up with a favorite book and beverage, tuning out the world, and losing myself in the pages of romantic adventure! I’ve been creating #freedomfriday posts for over ten years and nearly 600 desired reading spots, so it’s difficult to choose a favorite above all the rest. I can say that I always prefer a bright, cheery room with a super comfy chaise, perfect natural light coming in through a window, and of course—a room filled with books! J

 Voni: Another inspiration. My friend and I have been talking about boundaries, turning the day off.  And of course, there must be books!  In every room of our house, LOL. No. Seriously. And considering that…tell us about your love of tea that goes along with your love of books. You have such very interesting tea choices. (But, I mean, what’s wrong with coffee? 😉)

Kate: Ha! While I do enjoy drinking coffee as well as tea, I’m an Anglophile at heart and love writing British historical fiction, so tea is at the forefront for me. Some of my current favorite black teas are Twinings’ Earl Grey and Vanilla Chai; Bigelow’s Salted Caramel, and for herbal teas, Celestial Seasonings’ Bengal Spice and Honey Vanilla Chamomile. A steaming cup of chamomile tea is a must in the evenings, the perfect way to relax and enjoy a good book!

 Voni: Evening calm, unlike coffee.  I have to switch to water at lunch, LOL. Last question…where is the next stop on your authorial journey?

Kate: I’ve been on hiatus for some time; however I do have a novel in the works. It will be another story set in Britain during the Great War, and the planned first of a three-book series. I love creating the kind of story I want to read and to share a bit of the history I’ve learned. I hope my fellow readers will enjoy the journey with me!

 Voni: Ooooh. The Great War. I love WWI, Britain. I sincerely can’t wait for your next novel! Thank you for taking the time to share yourself with us.

Kate Thank you so much for allowing me to share time with your readers. I always enjoy reading, writing, and talking about books!

CONTACT INFORMATION

www.katebreslin.com

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https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-breslin

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7115378.Kate_Breslin

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