A Visit to Caroling Creek with Debut Author Rebecca Meek

 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.

About the Author

Rebecca Meek is a lover of stories, maker of music, and dreamer of dreams. She writes tales that tell of home, family, and leaving a legacy that matters. When not writing, she can be found paddle boarding with her family, or enjoying a good book. She married her high school sweetheart, and they have three adult children and two cool sons-in-law. She resides in Spokane, Washington.

Connect with Rebecca: website | newsletter | Facebook | Instagram 

Suzie: Welcome, Rebecca. We're delighted to have you here. 
Tell us a little about yourself to get started. 

Rebecca: I’ve been a lover of stories since I broke my leg in third grade during after-school ski lessons. Since plaster casts and Montana winters don’t mix, I spent the rest of my winter recesses in the library, making lifelong friends with Meg Murry, the Sweet Valley Twins, and the Babysitter’s Club. Growing into books like Little Women, The Lord of the Rings, and the

Anne books taught me even more about the power of story, especially fiction, to inspire and encourage the average wallflower that life can be something more extraordinary than we can imagine.

Suzie: Fiction can carry so many lessons and encouragements for us, can't it? Tell us about the inspiration for your debut novel.

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.

Suzie: I loved the cabin renovation in the book. It gave Mylze a lot of character-building challenges.
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.

Suzie: Wow, you are busy. It's great you get at least one focused day for writing.
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 7^th and 8^th grade English teacher, who always supported my writing adventures.

Suzie: Character names can be tricky. Sometimes the name just fits and other times you have to try a few of them on. 
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.

Suzie: I love that you all share ideas during family meals.
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.

Suzie: That sounds like the perfect way to celebrate completing a novel.
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.

Suzie: I agree that Lina needs her own story. She is a good friend, but she also has a great sense of humor. 
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.

Amazon | Goodreads

Giveaway

Rebecca has generously offered to give one of our readers a copy of Summer at Caroling Creek. To enter, leave a comment and tell us what your favorite escape is or a place you'd like to visit. Be sure to include a way for us to contact you.

*Contest is not valid until there are 5 entries. If applicable, a winner will be chosen on September 15, 2026.