The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction: Interview and GIVEAWAY 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!

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, placed in the ACFW Crown Award, Monroe Walton Center for the Arts Award, and won the 2020 ACFW First Impressions Contest.

Connect with Carrie on Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, Bookbub, and Goodreads!

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 in the mornings and after dinner. Tea while I’m writing. Hot chocolate when it’s snowing :)

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

Ooo. That’s a toughie. When we were in France they had these amazing chocolate crepes. Today, one of those sound fabulous.

That does sound good! Where is your favorite place to write, and why is that your favorite place?

In an armchair in my living room, with a lap desk. It’s so cozy there. I have a heated blanket for the winter and I’m not too far from everyone in the house. But mostly, I think it’s because where I first started writing and no matter how many spaces I set up, by habit I gravitate there.

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

I have a collection of bookmarks in my purse. And a notebook (you know in case an idea comes to me). And a book. Doesn’t everyone?

Absolutely they do! What inspired you to write Emma's Hero?

A woman who my husband and I ministered to in high school as youth ministers gave birth to a baby with the same medical condition as Theo’s. When I went to visit them in the hospital I immediately imagined how many lives her baby had touched, probably without her knowing. That mother and daughter inspired the story that grew to be about Emma, Mason and Ben.

That's amazing! What led you to write in this genre?

It’s my preferred genre to read. I love contemporary fiction and feel any story is better with romance mixed in. I stumbled upon Karen Kingsbury’s Baxter series and her style of writing with multiple POVS, deep faith, and romance really inspired me to want to write stories like that.

So fun! What message do you hope to convey to your readers?

That every life has a purpose and no matter how alone you might feel, you are never truly alone.

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

My next project, “Right Before Their Eyes” releases in February of 2025 and is the second book in this series. It follows Mason as he tries to decide on medical school, while grappling with a hidden love for Clare. Clare tries to balance caring for her grandma with dementia, working as a social worker in the foster care system, and her boyfriend seeking success. And Lucia, one of her foster teens who’s seeking love in all the wrong places.

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

Lamentations 3:22-24. No matter where we are at, or what struggles we face, the reminder that God will never tire of giving us mercy and love, that it renews fresh each morning, is so beautiful.

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

I am just starting “The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley” by Courtney Walsh. I’m looking forward to some smiles and laughs :)

Love!

Thanks for answering all of my prying questions, Carrie!

Giveaway ~

Carrie has generously offered to giveaway one e-copy of her new release, Emma's Hero!

“God won’t give me more than I can handle? I’m pretty sure He just did.”

After a year of loss and bad choices distance Emma Reynolds from her lifelong beliefs, she finds herself pregnant and alone at a twenty-week ultrasound, hearing the words “incompatible with life.” When her son, Theo, survives birth, she fights to give him the best care possible. As each day passes, Emma’s love for Theo grows—along with her fear of losing him. She can’t understand why God allows her son to suffer.

Seventeen-year-old blogger, Mason Hughes, feels lonely and worthless after his father left their family years ago. When he ignores his mother’s push to “contribute to society,” she volunteers him to help Emma each week. Wishing he’d applied for any other job, Mason has no choice but to grocery shop and practice his rusty social skills with a mother and son he doesn’t know.

Paramedic Ben Sullivan has earned himself the title of “most eligible” bachelor among his friends as they continually set him up on blind dates. While he’d love to avoid the uncomfortable events, his heart can’t help but seek the one thing missing in his life—a marriage like his parents have. If only he could find the woman himself.

As Theo’s tiny life connects them to each other, their loneliness breaks under the love of community, and they will never be the same.

Rules, Info, and Such ~

The author is giving away one e-copy of Emma's Hero!

This giveaway will close on 4/25/24 at 12:00 A.M. for all the night owls.

A winner will be drawn within four days of close of giveaway. The winner must respond to our e-mails within one week of notification, or their prize will be forfeit. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Enter via the handy Rafflecopter link below. May the odds be ever in your favor. ;-)

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!

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. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an avid blogger. In her spare time, Joy loves to sing (especially Disney songs), drink large quantities of coffee, and take flowery photos 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!