Caryl McAdoo {Writer Wednesday}

Oops! Okay, this should have posted yesterday but due to some unforeseen circumstances (and the fact that I was traveling all day) I couldn't get it up until now. Enjoy...

Get to know Caryl...

Christian, hybrid (Simon & Schuster & Indie) author Caryl McAdoo is currently writing three series, all from a perspective of faith: her historical Texas Romances; the contemporary Red River Romances; and The Generations, her Biblical fiction. The novelist loves singing new songs the Lord gives her, and she paints. In 2008, she and her high school sweetheart-husband Ron moved from the DFW area—home for fifty-five years—to the woods of Red River County. Caryl counts four children and fourteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings believing all good things come from God. Praying each story gives God glory, she hopes it will also minister His love, mercy, and grace to its readers. Caryl and Ron live in Clarksville, the county seat, in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State.
How to connect with Caryl....

Website: http://www.CarylMcAdoo.com
(All First Chapters are offered here)
Newsletter: http://carylmcadoo.com/sign-up-to-the-caryler/ 
(Get FREE books for subscribing!)
Reviewer?: http://carylmcadoo.com/christian-evaluaters/ 
(Join Caryl’s Street Team!)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CarylMcAdoo.author 
Blog: http://www.CarylMcAdoo.blogspot.com
GoodReads: http://tinyurl.com/GoodReadsCaryl 
Google+: http://tinyurl.com/CarylsGooglePlus
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CarylMcAdoo
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/CarylMcAdoo
Purchase: Daughters of the Heart


Author Interview | Caryl McAdoo


You and Writing

...I’m a Grami God’s blessed with fifteen grandsugars, marriage to my high school sweetheart (forty-seven years). Ron’s my best friend, and I really do love him more today than yesterday, but less than tomorrow. And there’s so many other blessings: precious friends, creativity, health, an agent, and Simon and Shuster’s Howard Books publishing my book. Sometimes I can hardly believe the Lord’s goodness toward me, and I know I’m not deserving, it’s just because He loves me so.

We moved from the DFW Metroplex—where we’d lived fifty-five years—to Clarksville, a county seat in far Northeast Texas. Our house sits way off the paved road back into the woods. I do love the small town, country life! We’re surrounded by trees, and I can look out over a pond in the back from the dining room or kitchen or utility room window. We’ve found a wonderful Church of God with a great youth group for the boys (we’re rearing grandsons) only about twenty-five minutes away, and toward Paris which is where my Walmart is.

Besides O’Pa and the boys, I live with five dogs, two outside and three inside, and a varying number of barn cats depending on the day. I love my horse, Bliss, though I don’t ride as much as I used to. I enjoy the Brown Bag Book Club once a month at the Red River County Public Library, my Luncheon Ladies group that also meets once a month and two writers groups, and hope to set up an ACFW Chapter soon.

After Howard published VOW UNBROKEN (book one in the historical series), I prayed and believe God led me to go Indie—independent—which makes me a hybrid author. I love being in control of my stories and titles and covers and marketing! Every part of the process is exhilarating, and the best part is being in charge of the scheduling! It doesn’t take me two years, yet all my Indie titles are earning just as many 5-star reviews (or more). Happy Grami, happy Grami :)

Your Writing

Tell us about your year, and what you’re currently working on.

...What I’m working on changes almost weekly keeping up with the motivation to reelease ten titles in 2015, maybe eleven. HOPE REBORN came in January and THE PREACHER’S FAITH in February, THEN THE DELUGE COMES, volume 2 in The Generations Biblical fiction series in March, April’s SING A NEW SONG, book 2 in contemporary Christian Red River Romance series, then SINS OF THE MOTHERS, bk 4 of the historical in May. I took June to catch up then released a new contemporary ONE AND DONE during the World Series Break since it has a Texas Rangers backdrop. J

In August came TOKEN OF THE COVENANT, volume 3 of the Biblical fictions, and now in September, I can almost sigh a big whew, so pleased to have DAUGHTERS OF THE HEART SING A NEW SONG, book five in my historical Texas Romance series. I’ve said, ‘if God wills’ since January, even before, and He’s been with me and leading me every step of the way!

October will bring ACQUIRING A WIFE, book 4 of contemporary Christian Red River Romances, and November’s offering is CHILDREN OF EBER, volume 4 of The Generations series. And of course, besides writing, there’s been editing, proofing, working with my very talented graphic designer on the historical, my highly gifted artist who paints an original piece for each of The Generations books, and all the marketing and promoting to keep up with… What a Year! What an awesome year! I’ll never forget 2015 and all that God has done!

When you write, what is your overall intention with your stories?

...I pray my story brings God glory. I’ve adopted that prayer as my mantra, so that is always the first thing I write my stories to do. Next I hope readers will be drawn closer to Him, discover a tip to trust Him more, and build their faith. Since I think I’ve learned a thing or seven in my sixty-five years, I also hope my characters offer them practical ways to live a better life in Him through obedience and scriptural principals. If I can just accomplish a fraction of what I hope, I’m expecting to hear, WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

What about that marketing you mentioned? I heard authors have to do a lot of their own these days.

...Oh the joys of marketing. Yes, ma’am, it is true that in today’s world, an author isn’t through when she writes THE END on the last page of her story. Far from it. Publishers want to know that you’re willing to put in hours of social media time and blogging and scheduling and traveling to sell your books—the novels that they have so much time and money invested in. They want the author to invest in the success of their novel as well.

I’m so blessed again to have Howard Books behind VOW UNBROKEN, and it doesn’t hurt that I’ve been in sales all my life either. Being connected with people, talking and sharing and visiting—I love it, every aspect of it. I love people. I love getting to know them. I can sell my novel because it is a well written, engaging, God-inspired story. I believe in it.

I have prayed over it from start to finish, through edits, and every step since. I fully believe that the words I write, Holy Spirit will use to touch readers and change lives because I trust that He will open and prepare hearts to receive the truths presented in my character’s lives. I can hardly wait to receive testimonies as to what God has done in lives through my stories.

Thanks so much for being on the blog Caryl! And everyone, leave a comment to enter to win this amazing book! Check back next week for the winner.

****

And speaking of WINNERS, we have one from last week with Linda J. White's giveaway for Battered Justice.

Congratulations to...

Patti Shene

Congrats Patti! I'll be emailing you soon :)

Caryl McAdoo | New Novel News

Sing a New Song
by Caryl McAdoo

Published April 15, 2015
Indie Published
Purchase: Sing a New Song (Red River Romance Book 2)

The untimely death of her father shatters Mary Esther Robbins’ heart and separates her from her grade school best friend, Samuel Levi Baylor. During their twenty years apart, she fulfills her life’s dream of penning new songs and singing God’s praise with a Christian band, while he tends his growing cattle herd and shares the Good News at every opportunity.

The Lord brings her home then throws them back together when Samuel agrees to help Mary Esther move and remodel her childhood home. The two decades lost vanish, and their time together convinces both the other is the true soul mate. But misunderstanding and fear keeps them from expressing their true love. Though jealousy rears its ugly head, can love and commitment hold the two together? And while they’re both committed to ministering the Gospel together, can they do it as husband and wife?

Get to know Caryl...

What are the names of your pets?

I have two inside dogs, Markies (part Maltese, part Yorkie), Berri Bitti ‘Belle’ is the mama (6 lb.), and her lil’ girl, 4 lb. Sassafras a.k.a. ‘Sassy’. Outdoors, 3 more dogs, Border Collie Faith, Great Pyrenees Zoe, and walk-up sorta lab-pit looking Bodark, and he’s plenty henpecked :) At last count, 7 barn cats – all the gray ones are ‘Charlie’ and there’s Pat (yellow tiger-striped) Smoky and Misty (calicos). And I have a horse named Bliss, a Rooster named Roscoe and his hen is Tulip. Roscoe has his own song :) I sing new songs like Mary Esther, my heroine, but not ALL are praise and worship :) Some are just fun!

Share one pet peeve you have.

Ooooo, you’ve gone and done it now, Emilie :) Christian women dressing immodestly! They model such bad examples for all the younger women we are SUPPOSED to be teaching to be modest. Rhinestones and sequins on back pockets only draw attention to that ‘area’. It breaks my hearts when mothers put those and those skin tight yoga pants on their precious little girls. How can it be that they want to draw the attention of so many perverts in the world - - - not to mention Christian brothers who may have trouble with lust! They also wear blouses too low cut showing cleavage or leaving nothing to anyone’s imagination if they lean forward! And clothes in general that are too tight.

Next time you’re at church, notice this: when everyone ‘stands’ see how many women grab their belt loops or waistbands and hike the jeans allowing their derrières to settle again. It’s going on all over the sanctuary every time we ‘stand’ again! How does that affect the men behind them? Do they even care? Shall I step down off my soapbox? I could go on…
 
Do you have a nickname? Care to share?

My favorite granddaddy called me Lavonnie (my middle name is Lavonne) and he’d razz me calling me a Prune Picker because I was born in California. MY cousins were Okie and Arkie. I figured I should at least be a Callie, although what I wanted him to call me was Texan! :) And my mother called me Queenie a lot. You know, I mean, I am the firstborn; and an only child for eight years. I guess somehow I grew up thinking I should have my way in pretty much every instance. Then I married Ron and he was as bad as Mama and Daddy spoiling me. He called me Queenie, too, sometimes :) tee hee hee I still get my way a lot! :)

::WINNER::

Had the lovely Pepper Basham on the blog last week introducing her debut Historical Romance, The Thorn Bearer. She graciously offered a copy up as a giveaway and it's time to announce the winner! 

Congratulations to...

Rebecca Bell

Contact me Rebecca and we'll get you your copy :)