Author Interview – Jennifer Lynn Cary – Romance

Guide to Categories – Author Interview – an interview with an author, if there is no review from me, I have not read the book and cannot speak to its appropriateness for a school library

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About the Book

Book: Tracy: A Sweet, Quirky, Romantic Masterpiece (Book 6 of the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series. It can be read as a stand-alone.)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary

Genre: Sweet, Wholesome Romance (Retro)

Release date: October, 2024

Her heart can’t take more breakage…

…He’s been wounded enough

Yet they’re becoming best friends without ever having met.

Tracy Callahan has learned that relationships aren’t for her. The struggling glass artist puts up barriers to keep romantic entanglements from causing more pain. However, her feelings are growing for her roommate’s brother, despite having never seen him in person.

How can just his voice on the phone hold that much attraction?

Danny Mitchell left a large part of himself in Viet Nam and is learning how to navigate life back here in the states. It’s better to just avoid the public. As long as he doesn’t have to see anyone in person, he can pretend he’s his old self, and the caller on the other end of the phone won’t know the difference.

But Tracy is breaking through, resurrecting feelings he thought were dead and gone.

They might find a way to make a telephone relationship work. Unless meddling loved ones get involved.

When that happens, can Tracy and Danny’s friendship survive meeting face-to-face?

Or could there be something more than friendship in store for them? Maybe a God-designed masterpiece built from their broken parts?

Return to 1973 Kokomo, Indiana where the legend of the cardinal in the sycamore can still prove true love.

You will enjoy this sweet, quirky tale of hidden worth, because sometimes what we need is right in front of us.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author – Jennifer Lynn Cary

Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty plus years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawl and The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. Her current spin-off series, The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue, contains standalones with a common thread.

 

Interview with Jennifer Lynn Cary

When you are not writing, what other hats do you wear? What do you do for fun? 

I love this question! I have two main hobbies: I crochet, and I enjoy paper-crafting. 

The crocheting is mainly in connection with a group who provides prayer shawls, cancer caps, baby booties and blankets, lap robes, hats for the homeless, etc. Sometimes I know who I’m making something for and sometimes I never find out. But it is a blessing not only to give but to get together once a month with these ladies.

The paper crafting can be attributed (blamed) on my youngest daughter. Before I retired from teaching, I’d seen an ad for a Cricut Explorer Air II. I thought if I had one, I could do more at home and not have to wait my turn for the Ellison machine in the teachers workroom. Only my daughter found it on my Amazon wish list long after I left teaching and got it for me for Christmas a few years back. I’ve had so much fun and expanded my horizons to all sorts of crafting, including making a one-of-a-kind game for a prize that was inspired by my Weather Girls trilogy and Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series. That was a labor of love.

I know by the time this is read, we’ll have been through the Christmas season, but right now I’m gearing up to make all sorts of gifts, large and small, with my paper-crafting.

What is your favorite thing about this time of year?

As I write this, Thanksgiving is next week with Advent and Christmas right after. I love the nudge to think in terms of gratitude. I believe Thanksgiving sets the tone for entering into the Holy Season with the right posture and attitude. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. I take that to mean I’m already blessed beyond measure and can share that blessing by freely giving. 

My brother-in-law was always difficult for me to buy for. If he wanted something, he could just get it. But then I stumbled onto the idea of helping a child through some organization. I purchase the gifts and then write my brother-in-law a letter telling him what I know of the child and what I gave in his name. I learned he looks forward to that every year.

How does your faith play out in your writing?

I don’t know how to set my faith aside when I write things. Sometimes it is very evident (though I do try to keep it real and not so in-your-face) and sometimes it needs a lighter touch. But I made a decision when I started that I’m a Christian author who writes for the Christian market. Not all Christian authors do that—and that’s not a judgment. Some are called to a different ministry field. But I felt my calling was to write for Christians. I also think about the person who picks up my book who is not a believer or who has experience church hurt. I want them to keep reading and not be turned off by a holier-than-thou flavor in my stories. 

The bottom line is I write what God puts on my heart, do my best to honor His trust, and leave it in His hands to reach those He chooses to reach with my efforts. He equips the chosen. I trust Him to equip me.

As a former K-12 school librarian(and since this blog is geared toward school librarians) I have to ask – what is your favorite children’s book?

First, let me say that you are a hero! I always relied on our school librarian for so much! Thank you for all you’ve done to support the classroom teacher, and the students, and parents of your school.

Second, I don’t know how to narrow it down to just one!

I’m a huge fan of Robert Munsch. I’ve taught all over the board, from preschool to sixth grade (my absolute favorite was gifted education). One preschool class took a vote on their favorite Robert Munsch book and then we sent him the results with each little one signing their name on the letter. He wrote back with lots of swag and sent them a story where he used all their names in it. That was so amazing.

Another author I’ve loved (and miss) is Barbara Park who wrote the Junie B. Jones series. I got to meet her one day after a signing here—she lived in Tucson and came up for the day. A lovely lady. I had a kinder class who read through the whole series, and we wrote to her. The problem was it was too close to the end of the school year. So, when her answer arrived that next fall, I ran to all the first-grade rooms to share the letter with my former kids.

For fun with my grands, I enjoy reading When Will It Snow? and Skippy John Jones. For something relaxing to get their imaginations ready for dreaming, I like The Salamander Room.

For my older kids, I’m an old-fashioned girl. Let me read Nancy Drew books, the Bunnicula series (my favorite title is The Celery Stalks at Midnight—I love that!) the Chronicles of Narnia, or anything written by Janet Lambert (she was my favorite author when I was in junior high).

Young Author’s Days were an important part of my work as a school librarian.What advice would you give to a child or teen who wants to be a writer?

I would say there’s two important things to always do to be a writer.

1. Read. Lots. Read so much and so widely that you learn where your heart is with story, gather discernment for what makes the story work, and what builds your ability to imagine what could make a story even better. Also read the masters of writing—their how-to books so you understand the mechanics. But above all read.
2. Write. Lots. Often. Many authors have said this in various ways, but it comes down to something on a page, no matter how awful, is still something to work with. You can make it better. But nothing on a page is still nothing. No progress, no potential. 

One of my favorite books that I wrote came about because I’d had a meeting with Susan Meisner at a conference. She told me that although my story and writing were good, she’d suggest starting with something less controversial, but something close to my heart. 

I took her advice and started a story when I got home. Only life got complicated, so I put it on the shelf with all my other writing, kept my head down, and focused on teaching until I retired. 

Fast forward, a few years after retirement. One of my books, The Traveling Prayer Shawl, was well received, and friends suggested I do another split-time book. I remembered that story I’d started, pulled it out, changed the title, did a lot of rewriting and out came The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. 

Last September I saw Susan again and was able to share that story with her. The moral is, that book wouldn’t have happened except I’d already started it. I had something on the page to work with. 

Thank you for joining us today. It was great to learn a little more about you.

More from Jennifer Lynn Cary

Have you ever met characters in a story that stayed with you, even when they weren’t the main characters? That’s what happened to me after I wrote Runaround Sue. Sue’s brother and her roommate seemed to hit it off so well, and I loved those characters.

It only made sense to give Tracy and Danny their own story.

However, I will confess that I had planned to make a character named Tracy because of the song, “Tracy” by the Cufflinks. It’s such a happy, bouncy tune and I thought that fit Sue’s roommate.

I do need to add that I relied on a childhood friend for some Danny’s antics. At one point I was told that something he did wasn’t possible. The problem was, I knew it was because my friend, Maureen McKay did that very thing. Maureen had a personality like Tracy’s and determination like Danny’s.

A few years ago I was back in Kokomo for a special wedding anniversary party. I noticed a guy sitting at a table and went to talk with him. At that time, I was combing faces for someone I’d known back when I went to school there. He had that look, but as we talked, it was obvious we didn’t know each other.

A little later I told my cousin about that, and she said that he was ahead of us in school, but he had a younger sister who would’ve been about my age. I knew immediately why he’d looked familiar. He was Maureen’s big brother.

I searched him and his mother out quickly and let them know I remembered Maureen. I mentioned a few of our escapades. Then I told them that my husband and I had lost a son, and that the kindest thing anyone could say was that they remembered our Ian. So, for that reason, I wanted them to know I remember Maureen.

And that’s why Tracy is dedicated to the memory of my friend Maureen McKay.

Views expressed in this interview/guest post do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog host.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 21

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 22

Texas Book-aholic, January 23

Vicky Sluiter, January 24 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, January 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 25

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 26 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 27

Simple Harvest Reads, January 28 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 29

For the Love of Literature, January 30 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 31

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 1 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, February 2

Blossoms and Blessings, February 3 (Author Interview)

Leslie’s Library Escape, February 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of the book!!

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

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54137

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