About the Author

More from Caryl

I have so enjoyed writing these mystery stories with Morgan and Charity Lowell—from several books, but primarily LEAVING TEXAS, book four in the “Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga—as the wise and apt investigators! Of course, I have to throw in a little romance. I just can’t help it!

In COERCION at The Cow Palace, we take a little jaunt from Dallas over to Fort Worth and its Hell’s Half Acre. The city was incorporated in 1873, the year COERCION is set, but already acted as a hub for all the cattle drives coming north through Ft. Worth to the Kansas Railways.

I grew up in Dallas and really hadn’t known that much of Fort Worth’s history, so the research proved so exhilarating! Army General William Worth proposed a string of forts to protect Texas’ new settlers but died with cholera before seeing this come to fruition. His successor named the fort for him thirty years before our story.

It had a booming population of over five thousand—plus almost another thousand slaves—before the Civil War. Afterwards, during the reconstruction, its citizenship dwindled to less than two hundred in the 1860s, but the following decade with the arrival of the railroad in 1976 firmly established “Cowtown, ” Fort Worth’s famous nickname.

I loved setting these characters in this famous Texas town. It’s been said that  Fort Worth was where the West began! I say, “Let the fun begin as we figure out along with the Lowells who done it!”

Blessings, y’all!

Author Interview with Caryl McAdoo 

First, thank you so much Kimmie for the invitation to come and visit at your blog! I appreciate you choosing me and my new mystery release as one of the Celebrate Lit Blog Tours to participate in! I know there are so many!

What is your favorite book that you have written (Published or Unpublished), and why?
Of my sixty-two stories, I do not have one favorite, but I could mention my top three!

THE BEDWARMERS’ SON is a fantastic novel that spans generations and has two stories going on almost all the way through it with twists and turns galore! It’s the first Companion Book to the Texas Romances because it has some of the characters from those stories in it!

One reader blesses me so, saying it is her all-time-favorite book—and she reads a LOT! A male and ‘Top 50’ reviewer at Amazon who’s read most of my works, called it my magnum opus. He went on and on praising it! I think the title may turn some readers away, but most everyone who gets past that, applauds me for how I handled  the difficult situations in the tales. I love it!
 
HEARTS STOLEN is book two in my Texas Romance Family Saga. My proofreader—who tracked me down because she wanted the position—said to me, “Caryl, you know how much I loved VOW UNBROKEN (book one published by Simon & Schuster) but this one (HEARTS STOLEN) is the cat’s meow!”

I love it because of the adorable little four-year-old Charley in it, and the Texas Ranger, and the mess made when he falls in love with Sassy, the heroine . . . she’s already married, you see! Yikes! As their relationship progressed, I didn’t know how in the word God was going to fix it so they could be together—isn’t that what is supposed to happen in a romance, after all? A great story!

While those first two are both historical Christian romance, I AM My Beloved is a Biblical fiction, the story of Abishag, King David’s last queen. She remained a virgin, even after he died and she became Solomon’s property.

Writing this story, I often had to stop and weep and worship. Readers will be present at the building of the first temple, the writing of two books in the Bible, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. A book I believe readers will long remember.

How do you pick your characters personalities, or looks?

Their personalities come from the premise of the story and the characters backstories, which is decided on as soon as they get names. This is one of my favorite parts of writing a book! Getting to know the new characters!

While I believe it’s important for the author to know the background stories in the beginning, I hold that it’s boring for the readers. They aren’t invested in them yet, so I toss them right into the action or drama then try to spoon out the backstories gradually, revealing only what they need to know.

Their ‘characters’ develop as I write each chapter. Their actions toward others and things they say give me great insight into them as the story progresses.

As far as their looks go, I hardly ever describe any of them unless there’s s particular trait that stands out or is  important. I let the readers create them in their own heads. I love seeing the covers for the first time. That’s when I see them! 😊

Once an idea takes root, how long does it take you to write it down? 

When we’re (Ron and I) ready to start a new book, we discuss the characters we’ll need a choose names, then start working back and forth with the premise. We start writing the next morning—we write in the mornings! We average a thousand words a day, so a ninety-thousand-word novel is done in about three months!

What are your hobbies other than writing?

I love gardening and sprucing up The Peaceable, our home on 20 acres in the woods about five miles south of Clarksville, Texas. I mow about four acres on my zero-turn and have fun doing it! Almost like a Six Flags ride! I love planting flowers, perennials most, but every season a few annuals as well!

I also enjoy painting, but don’t get around to it very much. Ron’s going to build me a “Grami’s Garden Shed” and I’ve already been thinking what I’ll paint on the front or side of it. Big happy flowers and butterflies. At our last place, I painted the back wall of the goat shed in the fold with a song I made up.

Singing and making up songs counts I guess as hobbies, too. I’m so blessed that the Lord gives me new songs! Praise and worship are my favorite. I like to craft, too, but again, don’t get around to it a lot!

What is one thing in your life that you would say has had the greatest impact on your writing? Or in your life in general?
The easiest question of all. Besides my relationship  with Father God through Jesus, the one thing that’s had the greatest impact on every aspect of my life is my husband who I met when we were sixteen, the summer before our junior year in high school. We got engaged the next summer and married the next in June as soon as we graduated in May! Looking back, it’s no wonder our parents wanted us to wait—well, his. Mine adored Ron and knew I was ready, I guess!

Ron is the most Christlike man I know and God has blessed me so being his wife!

Awe Thank you so much for the interview I enjoyed learning more about you!
Sincerely,
The Travelers Wife

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/19bc4/coercion-at-the-cow-palace-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 4

For Him and My Family, February 5

Texas Book-aholic, February 6

Through the Fire Blogs, February 7 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 7

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 8

Inklings and notions, February 9

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 10

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, February 10 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, February 11

Connie’s History Classroom, February 12

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 13 (Spotlight)

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, February 14

A Baker’s Perspective, February 15 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 16

Pause for Tales, February 17