Good morning, everyone. Happy September!
Today, I have a special interview to share with none other than Karen Bruce, author of Josie: A Story of Forgiveness and A Heart Never Dies.
Now, Karen is celebrating pre-orders of her newest release, titled Carly: A Story of Redemption.
What would you do if your father murdered your mother? That’s exactly what Carly is contemplating in this compelling novel that explores the life of a dysfunctional family that eventually erupts into a full-blown tragedy. You will laugh and cry at the antics that Carly finds herself in, just trying to survive in her crazy world. Find out how she prevails and is saved by God’s redeeming grace.
To pre-order Karen's newest novel, which serves as a sequel to Josie: A Story of Forgiveness, click here.
Now, please enjoy the following Q&A with Karen, and be sure to check out Bookmarked's podcast episode on Friday, because I will be chatting with Karen about her new book in greater detail.
BOOKMARKED: Congrats on your new book, Carly: A Story of Redemption! What can you tell readers about it?
KAREN BRUCE: Carly: A Story of Redemption is a continuation of my first novel, Josie: A Story of Forgiveness, but instead of focusing on Josie and her family, the storyline is about the daughter of Josie’s best friend, the friend who betrayed her with her own husband. Carly’s childhood is troubled by family drama as far back as she can remember. In my first novel, we know that Carly and Tyler eventually end up together, but in this story, we learn about the rollercoaster ride it took to get to their own happy ending.
What was it like to return to characters from Josie: A Story of Forgiveness and really give them their own story?
Returning to the characters of my first novel was a lot more difficult than I imagined. The timeline was another aspect that kept me on my toes, making sure everything coincided. I loved going deeper into the background of Carly’s parents and grandparents, so that the reader would understand the dysfunctional aspect of Shelly’s personality.
I also enjoyed bringing Shelly, Jared, and John’s perspectives into the storyline. It was challenging for me (and fun) to write from a young girl’s perspective. Carly’s personality was definitely different from any other character I ever created.
What are you hoping readers take away from Carly's story?
I would love for readers to know that whatever they’re facing, God is always there, waiting on them to turn to Him. Life is always full of twists and turns, and unfortunately, we often try to get through on our own or don’t think we’re worthy of God’s grace (like Carly). Also (like Carly), we sometimes hit rock bottom before we finally say, “I can’t do it on my own anymore!” Redemption is available for us all.
Who and what are you reading right now? Any reading recommendations?
I’m reading a novel by Liane Moriarty, The Last Anniversary. Liane, from Australia, is one of my favorite authors. As soon as I finish (and at my son’s suggestion), I’m going to read Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, who was only 18 years old when she wrote it. It’s not something I would usually read, but I’m excited to branch out a little.
Is there anything you'd like to say to the supporters in your life?
Words can’t express how thankful I am for all who have encouraged me and who have loved my stories about faith, love, and everyday people who have everyday problems.
I still can’t believe that I’m getting ready to release my third book and people are excited about it!
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Thanks again to Karen for a great Q&A! Tune in to JCP's podcast, Bookmarked, on Friday for even more content from Karen and to hear all about her new book.
From all of us at JCP, thank you for reading and supporting our blog and podcast! Have a great rest of your week.
Allison Chudina
Editorial Assistant
Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.
Bookmarked
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