Interview with Carly L. Carlson, Author of These Wild Dreams of Ours!

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!

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. 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? 

Check out These Wild Dreams of Ours HERE!

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!

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 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, Twitter, Instagram, and Amazon Author Page!

Author, Editor, and Designer, Bev Haynes

   

                 Quilted Hills Book Series                                     Bev Haynes

Welcome to Quilted Hills! 

A place where every stitch tells a story, and every heart holds a secret.

In this beloved series from authors Bev Haynes and Jewel Adams, the serene beauty of Amish country hides more than meets the eye. Love, loss, and faith intertwine in tales of redemption, hope, and finding home again.

Hello Everyone! Gay N. Lewis here, and I’m introducing Bev Haynes to you today. Bev and I met years ago, but we have yet to see each other face to face. She read my books and recommended me to her publishing company. She’s an exceptional author, editor, and designer. She also knows technology!

She worked as the editor for one of the first Online publishers in 1998, Romance Foretold. She held the managing editor position for the Paranormal division. Due to new technology, the company faded away. So, in 2000, along with friends, she formed a new publishing company: Wings ePress, Inc. As if that wasn’t enough, after that, she created Whiskey Creek Press. She loved Whiskey Creek but sold it when her husband became ill. Thankfully he is healthy now! 

Bev loves to read, crochet and cook. If I ever visit her in Guernsey, Wyoming, she promises to feed me her favorite food: Cabbage buns. Shredded cabbage and onion mixed with browned hamburger in the middle of homemade bread. She’d also show me “The Hub of the Oregon Trail.” From where she lives, I would see the Oregon Trail Ruts. Thousands of covered wagons carved deep grooves into the Wyoming sandstone.

Bev’s primary genre is Amish Romance.

Now for the answers to my questions.

Gay: Tell our readers about you.

Bev: My husband, Odell and I live in rural Wyoming on the east side near the Nebraska line. We love small town life. We have three grown children, 5 grandgirls, and 4 great grandchildren.

Gay: How long have you been an author?

Bev: I cannot remember NOT being an author. I remember writing stories as far back as grade school. In High School, I wrote short stories for $1each for my classmates featuring them meeting and dating their favorite star.

Gay: Wow! Just wow! You sold stories in high school! How many books as of today?

Bev:  Ten books in many genres. Contemporary romance, paranormal romance, Amish romance and my first draft of a Paranormal Women’s Fiction.

Gay: I know you edit, and design covers for other authors. What is your favorite? Writing, editing, or designing?

Bev: Great question. I love writing, but my second love is editing. Helping an author make their book as great as it can be is quite fulfilling.

Gay: I know you have been under contract for a traditional publishing company, and you are also self-published. Which is better?

Bev: I’ve experienced both, true. I love being independent. It boils down to the fact that no matter which way you go, it is up to you to promote your work.

Gay: How do you market your books?

Bev: That’s my biggest problem! I have taken marketing classes, spent money on ads and in general failed miserably because I am internet shy! Back in the day, I “tried” to sell Avon, Mary Kay and Tupperware! I’m not cut out for it and marketing my books drops my emotions back to the days of failure. I’m determined to change all of this! The first step I created a website, and I like it a lot. Now, I need to make a newsletter.

Gay: Do you attend workshops and conventions?

Bev: I attend a few online workshops. There are conventions that really interest me, but living in Wyoming, everything feels far away when you are terrified of flying!

Gay: What is your favorite genre?

Bev: Hmmm…Paranormal Women’s Fiction. I know, it doesn’t fit well with my Amish Romances. I have contemplated using a pseudonym for my paranormal writing, however, managing dual identities would require significantly more effort. Being eclectic is more fun.

Gay: I see you write with a partner. How does that work?

Bev: Yes, my good friend Jewel Adams and I teamed up on the Amish series. Me in Wyoming and Jewel living between Maine and Florida. We wrote while talking on Skype. We’d discuss the scene and using Google Docs we’d both type at the same time and select the parts we liked or blended them. It was a lot of fun. Jewel and I now live only a few blocks apart and are we continuing the series? Not yet. We are both writing separately in the Fantasy genre.

Gay: Have you ever had writer’s block?

Bev:  Life block is more accurate. I get busy “thinking” about a book, then another pops up, and another. All of this while I’m busy having fun shopping out of town and around here, everything is out of town. Our closest Walmart is 60 miles one way.

Gay: Oh my goodness! That’s a distance! My Walmart is five miles away, but it can take me an hour to get there. We have tons of traffic and road construction between here and there. I order and have them deliver!

Thank you, Bev, for visiting us. I am looking forward to working with you again in days to come.  Everyone, please click on her purchase site! It's lovely, and of course, buy books!

Contact Bev via email: bev.haynes@gmail.com

Purchase Links: authorbevhaynes.com