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 Carly L. Carlson, author of These Wild Dreams of Ours!
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. Every time :)
I like your style! :) If you could order anything in the world to eat (we can dream, can't we?), what would it be?
I’ve always wanted to try one of those super expensive Wagyu steaks :)
Yum! Where is your favorite place to write, and why is that your favorite place?
Currently: outside in my yard. I can watch the kids play and get a tan while still getting some writing in.
Genius thinking! Do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writer tendencies? Safe space. ;-)
I have been known to mispronounce many words because I’ve
only ever read them.
You are not alone! What inspired you to write These Wild Dreams of Ours?
They say if you can’t find the book you want to read on the shelves, you need to write it. I’ve often had a hard time connecting with the female main characters in Christian Historical Fiction, and I really wanted to write a character who was both strong and soft, tomboyish but still inherently feminine, a little wild but still kind and tender. That’s where Kate McGrath came into being, and the story grew from there.
Love a multifaceted character! What led you to write in this genre?
Christian Historical Fiction has always been my favourite
genre, and this time period and setting in particular (1800s American frontier)
has had my heart since I read Little House on the Prairie as a kid. I have
often said I was born in the wrong century :)
I know that feeling! What message do you hope to convey to your readers?
A main theme in my book is the question: where is God when
we encounter suffering? My characters struggle and face many trials, and I
wanted to express the unwavering goodness of God despite the valleys that we
walk through. I pray that readers will walk away encouraged in their faith
knowing that the Lord is with them through whatever they may be facing in their
lives.
Love that! Can you tell us a little about your next project(s)?
I am part of a multi-author series of twelve novellas coming
out this winter inspired by Christmas Carols, and my novella will feature a
side character from These Wild Dreams of
Ours! We’ll get to see them have a happily ever after, and I can’t wait for
everyone to read it on December 1st! After that I have plans for four more
books in the series and have two other standalone novels, all in various stages
of development. I am so excited to bring more stories out into the world!
Yay! That's awesome! Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?
Psalm 46 has stuck with me through the many ups and down in my life, and I think it really applies to this story:
“God is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea…the Lord almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
So good! What are you currently reading? Inquiring minds -- mine! -- want to know. ;-)
That’s a complicated question :) On audiobook I am currently
listening to The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz. My current physical book is
Earthbound by Katee Stein, and on Kindle I’m switching between Sins of the Past
by Bethany Klassen and Seashells and Other Souveniers by Rachel Lawrence.
I love complicated book answers! Thanks for answering all of my prying questions, Carly!
