with Carrie Turansky

Welcome to Patterings, Carrie! Tell us about your epiphany moment when you decided you were going to seriously pursue writing and eventually publication.
In 1996- 97 our family spent time in Kenya as missionaries. When we returned to the US I missed it so much I decided to write a story set there so I could relive some of our experiences. I had always been a reader with a great imagination, but I had never written fiction before. I poured out the story and enjoyed the process very much, writing not just one book, but two. In 1999 I attended my first writers’ conference and showed them to an editor. She encouraged me to not only tell a great story, but learn the craft of fiction writing, and that’s how my journey began.

Missions is near-and-dear to my heart, Carrie, which is one reason why Along Came Love spoke to me so much.
Which of your books (published or upcoming) has been the most fun for you to write and which character is your favorite?
Tessa Malone, the heroine of my first novella, Wherever Love Takes us in WEDDED BLISS? was probably the easiest and my enjoyable character for me to write. The story is about a couple who is approaching their 25th wedding anniversary and faces some serious struggles in their marriage. Since Tessa and I are the same age and at the same stage of life, that made easy for me to understand her struggles and create her character.

My favorite character is probably Wes Evans, hero of ALONG CAME LOVE, my first Love Inspired novel. Wes is a former missionary who struggled with finding forgiveness for the mistakes he made that led to his imprisonment in the Middle East and trouble for his friends there. His patience, caring, and sacrificial love for the heroine touched my heart and the also connected with many readers.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
My most difficult writing obstacle is overcoming discouragement during times of waiting or when I receive a rejection. Those can be tough hurdles, but writing isn’t a career for the fainthearted. I believe God has called me to write, and then pray every day that He will continue to guide me and direct me each step of the way. Maintaining that focus helps. Spending time with other Christian writers is also important to me. We all go through challenging times, and it is great to give encouragement and receive it from my writing friends.

Which character in your new release most interested you while you wrote?
James Galloway, hero in my novella “A Shelter in the Storm” from A BLUE & GRAY CHRISTMAS has a very interesting occupation. As a special artist for the Harpers Illustrated Newspaper, he traveled with the Union troops, making drawings of camp life and battle scenes. These drawings were then sent back to New York and turned into lithograph prints for the newspaper since they didn’t use photos in newspapers at that time. My degree is in fine art, so I enjoyed including an artist in one of my stories and looking at life through his eyes. I also loved learning more about the Civil War and the issues people faced in both the North and the South.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
How about chasing zebras across the plains of Africa? That was a pretty wild experience! Actually my kids did most of the chasing, and I usually just hooted from the safety of the car. While we traveled across Kenya we saw many awesome animals and sights - Dust Devils swirling through The Great Rift Valley, lions on the prowl, graceful giraffes galloping across the savannah, and monkeys trying to pry off our windshield wipers! Our family loved our time in Africa, and part of my heart will always remain there.

Are there things you put off doing because you dread them?
Cleaning out closets and storage areas is low on my list of fun activities . . . but when I finally tackle them, I feel so good about getting it done. That encourages me not to put it off so long next time.

What would a perfect day for you look like?
The perfect day would include having all of my children, their spouses, and children here with us to enjoy time together in our backyard. We’d cook out on grill, laugh, talk, and play with the kids. Then in the evening we’d relax and watch the fireflies while we shared what the Lord has been teaching us and the deeper thoughts in our hearts.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I love CBA Fiction, and I read several different genres including Romance, historical, women’s fiction, young adult, contemporary, and romantic suspense.

Are there certain foods or snacks keeps the words flowing for you?
I enjoy taking a break to have yogurt and fresh fruit, especially grapes, blueberries, cherries, and strawberries. But I don’t like to get my computer keys sticky, so I usually avoid eating while I am writing. Iced tea in the summer, and hot tea in the winter are my favorite drinks.

Are there spiritual themes you like to write about?
Several of my books include the themes of forgiveness and redemption. In “A Shelter in the Storm” one theme I hope shines through is the strength and security we can have when we learn to trust God through storms and trials of life. A theme in my current WIP, HOME TO FAIRHAVEN, is the importance of honesty in relationships and the blessing of reconciliation between family members.

What lesson is the Lord teaching you right now or recently taught you?
He has been teaching me more about the importance of keeping my relationship with my husband strong and growing. He’s also been showing me ways to deepen my love and commitment to my husband. We are moving into a new stage of life where our children are just about all launched, so we have more time to focus on each other and make the most of our time together. I am training a group of women to become marriage mentors to the younger wives in our church, and I am being blessed and encouraged as I study and share with them.

When is your next book due out and can you tell us about it?
A BLUE AND GRAY CHRISTMAS, released September 1. It is a Four-in-One Historical Romance Collection, including my novella “A Shelter in the Storm.”

Surrender yourself to the forces of love in four engaging Civil War Christmas romances. In ‘Til Death Do Us Part by Lauralee Bliss - Join up with Leah Woods as she searches for her missing fiancé in Fredericksburg, Virginia. In Courage of the Heart by Tamela Hancock Murray - Stick to your guns with Arabella Lambert as she pledges her allegiance to pacifist Barry Birch, a man labeled a coward. In A Shelter in the Storm by Carrie Turansky - Ride out the storm with Rachel Thornton as she resists her attraction to the wounded artist-correspondent James Galloway. In Beloved Enemy by Vickie McDonough - Saddle up with Confederate-born Hannah McIntosh as she falls for Chris Haley, an embittered Union soldier. Can these couples forge an everlasting union in the tide of civil war?

Please stop by my website! I have some delicious recipes from my books, photos of family, author events, and conferences , articles on settings and topics related to my books, lists of book review web sites, recommended books I have read and enjoyed, tips for new writers, excerpts from all my books, and links for ordering them as well.
www.carrieturansky.com

Thanks, Patty! I appreciate this opportunity to connect with you and your blog readers!

Thank YOU, Carrie! It was wonderful having you here at Patterings!

Carrie is giving away a copy of A Blue and Gray Christmas. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment and check back on Sunday, September 20th to see if you've won. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar. OR you could sign up to have Patterings updates delivered to your inbox. If you do, it will give you a bonus entry in the giveaway, otherwise you can enter twice--once for each post you leave a comment on. :^)

Be sure to check out the other two book giveaways currently going on here at Patterings! One is with Candy Arrington, who is giving away a copy of When Your Aging Parent Needs Care: Practical Help for This Season of Life and the other is with Terry Brennan who's giving away a copy of The Sacred Cipher. Be sure to leave a comment on those posts to be entered in the book drawings.

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