Carole Brown's "The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman" interview & book giveaway

Hey, All! Please join me in welcoming Carole Brown to my blog. She's here to share with us and a little about herself and her book, "The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman."

Winner alert! Congratulations goes to... AMY C.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I live in SE Ohio, full of rolling hills and lots of beautiful woods. Our country and small town life consists of flower gardens for me, walks in the woods, too many cats, three dogs and one horse. We’ve had cattle before (and don’t ask me about the bull we had that hated me!), a potbellied pig, and chickens. But we’re not farmers! I always said I’d never marry a farmer (for some reason! Lol).

Seriously, we’ve traveled a lot and enjoyed many of the states, met lots of friends, and experienced tons of thrilling things including gold panning in the mountains out west with a real live mountain man, eating fried sheep’s intestines and ministering to a “Bonnie and Clyde” couple. Less you think us really unsophisticated, we also enjoy several times a year, dinners and shows at theaters and take in other interesting events too.

Our best experience in the last two years was gaining three grandsons! Two are adopted and now eight and ten, and we love them dearly! The third is a birth grandson and the light of our eyes. I never get tired of talking about them. J

Why do you write the kind of books you do?

Suspense and mysteries have always been my favorite genre from a child up. In my current book, I not only employ suspense but added some romance and a real, today’s-world-topic of abuse. Throw that mixture into an evil cult and you have suspense multiplied several times over.

Besides writing, what are some of your favorite hobbies?

Besides enjoying our grandsons? Reading together, walking, working in our gardens and fruit trees, family time with out two sons, boating and fishing occasionally, some traveling and keeping up with our friends and relatives. We’re never NOT busy. My husband’s dream is to retire early and travel extensively throughout the country. He’s not quite got me convinced; not sure if I could do without seeing my grandsons that long.
ave you always wanted to be a writer?

I’m not sure when I consciously realized I would be a writer/author some day. I’ve written all my life and still remember in grade school the class clapping after one of my readings. I’ve dabbled with short stories, articles, poems and research papers until one day I knew it was “the time.” Now or never, and I hit the re-learning hard: conferences, critique groups, agent and finally, publisher. A long journey, but worth it.
What advice would you give to a beginning writer?

Never, ever quit. If you have a desire in you to write, then write. Of course, you’ll run into obstacles. Of course, you’ll become discouraged. But don’t give up. Discover where you need to go with your writing and aim for that goal. There are too many possibilities in the world today to give up.

What book are you currently working on?

I’ve been focusing on marketing, editing two books and working on a Companion book for The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman. That’s more than enough to keep me busy.

But when I can I want to get back to a historical (with a little suspense) I’m writing--a fun, lighter novel and have second books in a couple series I’m working on when I can. I never run out of ideas.

If I do a sequel to The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman, this is a brief blurb of what it will be about:

It begins with a baby kidnapping. Elder Simmons, the antagonist, will not let go. He is determined to wreck vengence upon the MacFarlands, even if he has to do it from prison.

Cara and Dayne, now happily married, go through trials that will shatter their self-complacency and test their love. Dayne will be lied about and like Joseph in the Bible must hold steady for God’s timing. Cara has suffered hurts and abuse from her former marriage. With Dayne she thought everything would be smooth sailing. But when the lies surface, can she trust him, does she love him enough to stay strong for his sake? Will her mustard seed faith grow or be uprooted?
Please tell us a little about your book…

The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman:                                                                 
How far would YOU go to avenge the murder of a daughter?

Caralynne Hayman is angry and bitter over the abuse and death of her eleven-year- old daughter from the hands of her religious group, The Children of Righteous Cain. When her husband suffers a sudden heart attack, she does nothing to help him. In her eyes someone needs to pay, and if that means all of the men in the group, then so be it.

Dayne MacFarland is sent away to college by the senior elder of the group to learn ministry. When he returns after finding salvation, determined to bring the truth to the people he’s known all his life, he rediscovers Cara and realizes the love he once felt for her is still deeply embedded within his heart. 
Dayne faces men unwilling to turn their backs on the cult training he despises. Cara faces men who follow their leader in abuse toward their wives and the young girls of the group. Cara is considered rebellious and inappropriate to befriend. Dayne is the apple of Elder Simmons’ eye—until he takes a stand against their teachings.
Can Cara overcome the feelings that have governed her most of her life? Can she learn to trust

Dayne, and most of all a God whom she sees as uncaring—if he’s really there at all? Only Dayne’s prayers and love can reach Cara and show her the way to redemption, and Cara must recognize and accept God’s love and forgiveness before she goes too far.

 How can readers find you on the Internet?
I’d love to connect with readers at:                          
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.author       
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/browncarole212                             
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5237997-carole-brown                                                 
Website: http://carolebrownauthor.com/             
I also participate on:        
Barn Door Book Loft http://www.barndoorbookloft.net                                                                                                                   Geezers Gals and Guys: http://geezerguysandgals.blogspot.com/  
Stitches in Time: http://stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com/

 Thank you for hosting me, Debra! I really appreciate it.

 
Thank you, Carole for visiting with us this week. I really enjoyed it!

Drawing will be held October, 26