I have been looking forward to introducing all of you to today's author. Last year, Rebecca Meek entered the Scrivenings Press Get Pubbed contest and won. A year later, her debut novel is out in the world. Be sure to read to the end to find out how to win a copy of Summer at Caroling Creek.
[Note to readers: Our blogging platform is having technical issues with photo uploads. I will continue to try to add the photos, but if you're reading this, the issue has not yet been resolved.]
About the Author
Tell us a little about yourself to get started.
Rebecca: The
inspiration for Summer at Caroling Creek began in the first days of
Covid. My daughter was participating in an internship in London, and as rumors
of global airport shutdowns swirled, the idea of a travel blogger stranded and
unable to travel began to take shape. Thankfully, we were able to get my
daughter home before any major shutdowns. As the pandemic wore on, I quickly
shelved the idea of trying to write a pandemic romance, the general consensus
being that we were reading to escape, not to relive it. When my husband and I
started a kitchen remodel during the winter of 2021, my stranded travel
blogger’s story came back to me in full force, this time, with the cabin
renovation as the central part of the story.
Do you have a day job? And if so, how do you find time in your day to write?
Rebecca: You might
say I have several different day jobs. After leaving public school teaching in
2024, I pivoted my skillset to reopen my private music lesson studio alongside
my husband. Between the two of us, we teach over thirty students every week!
I’m loving working one on one with students and seeing how they grow as
musicians from week to week. I also work a couple of shifts each week at a
local screen printing and embroidery business, where I get to pretty much take
over the embroidery side on the days I’m there. Seeing the finished outcomes of
the stitching and hearing excitement from the clients always makes my day. With
these two jobs, plus the volunteer work I do for our church, it can be easy for
my long to-do list to steal away my writing time. We’ve worked hard to make it
so that our monthly budget allows for me to dedicate one day each week to
writing. Of course, I always try to sneak in some writing or writing-adjacent
work on other days because I just can’t stay away.
How did you come up with the names of your characters?
Rebecca: Character
names aren’t always easy for me. In Summer at Caroling Creek, Mylze
Moore’s name came from a silly conversation with my husband about the stranded
travel blogger idea, and how her website could be miles more to go dot com. We
ran with the idea, making it her name with a unique spelling, based on the
childhood nickname given to her by a cherished aunt. Since her name is so
unique, of course we then had to come up with a fun backstory. Other characters' names were more challenging. Finding the right name for the male protagonist, Jeff Matthews, was harder. I think he was three or four different people before
he was finally Jeff. Lina, Chelle, and Rachel all just sort of came out when I
introduced them in the book. And Aunt Carol? Mylze’s beloved aunt’s name came
from my amazing 7th and 8th grade English teacher, who
always supported my writing adventures.
What does your family think of your writing?
Rebecca: My family
is super supportive of my writing. We are all lovers of story, with one of our
favorite family pastimes being rewatching our favorite seasonal and/or epic
movies. My son, who has his masters degree in Creative Writing, is often my
first editor, and we all love to bounce ideas around during family dinners. My
mom, dad, and stepparents are also very supportive, and have encouraged my
creativity since I was a child. I’m blessed to have such a solid and
encouraging community around me.
Do you reward yourself when a book is finished? If so, what is your favorite reward or treat?
Rebecca: My
favorite reward when I finish writing a story is a date with myself to Barnes
and Noble. I often treat myself to a slice of spinach and artichoke quiche and an
Americano from their Café. Sometimes, I find a fun new journal to bring home,
too.
What's next for you as an author?
Rebecca: What’s
next? So many people have asked for a sequel to Summer at Caroling Creek,
especially for Lina. She’s such a fun character and an all-around good friend,
that I think everyone wants to see her get her own happily ever after. The good
news is that the sequel is already partially written, so that’s currently where
my time and attention is going. Once it’s completed, I’ll be pitching it for
publication, and seeing where that road leads. I also have two other works in
progress that I’ll be revisiting once I tell Lina’s story.
Before you go, how can we pray for you?
Rebecca: The most appreciated prayer for me right now would be that I’m able to continue to tell the stories the Lord gives me authentically and to the best of my ability. My romances are clean and written from a Christian worldview, but do not always contain direct faith elements. My prayer is that the themes of redemption, forgiveness, family, and hope still shine through because that is what God has done in me.
Suzie: We will pray for you and your writing journey. Thank you so much for joining us this week, Rebecca.
About the Book
She came to sell a cabin. She never expected to find a place to belong.
Mylze Moore lives to travel. As a travel writer, she has built her career chasing horizons, collecting stories, and leaving before anything can tie her down. But when she and her sister inherit their aunt’s lake cabin in Caroling Creek, Mylze’s next destination comes with peeling paint, unfinished repairs, and a whole lot of family baggage.
The plan is simple: fix the cabin, sell it, and move on.
Contractor Jeff Matthews has other ideas. The cabin is in worse shape than Mylze wants to admit, and her budget, timeline, and enthusiastic DIY confidence may not be enough to save it. His steady competence frustrates her. Her stubborn independence tests him. And neither of them expects their tension to turn into something warmer beneath summer stars and twinkle lights.
But as Caroling Creek begins to feel like home, Mylze must face more than a renovation. Keeping the cabin could deepen the divide with her sister, change the future of her career, and force her to admit that the life she thought she wanted may not be the one her heart has been searching for all along.
Perfect for fans of The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh, The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews, and Summer by the Tides by Denise Hunter, Summer at Caroling Creek is an inspirational women’s fiction novel with sweet small-town romance, enemies-to-lovers spark, sibling tension, grief and healing, and one determined woman learning that home is sometimes the place you least expect.
