A little bit about Lee
Lee Carver is once again failing at retirement, a hybrid author in every sense: fiction and nonfiction, traditionally and independently published. She also does freelance editing, formatting, and print book and e-book uploads as well as being a Stephen Minister, alto in the choir, crocheting with Prayer Shawl Ministry, and volunteer pianist, among other activities. Married forty-eight years to a very supportive man, they have two children and five grandchildren.
Connect with Lee
www.LeeCarverWriter.com
http://LeeCarverWriter.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/lee.carver.507
https://www.pinterest.com/leecarver2
What inspired your latest story? A group of authors I enjoy working with invited me into their project: a Christmas-theme inspirational contemporary novella set where each story mentions a candy. The title of the set is A Sweet Noel, and it released Nov. 1st. I accepted the challenge, and wrote A Cordial Christmas, punning on “cordial” as the name of chocolate-covered cherries. Also, I posted on the ACFW Blog for Dec. 2nd on novella sets from the author’s POV. It isn’t a sales pitch. You might want to check it out.
Describe your decision to become a writer. I’d written lots of short stories, some published, as well as nonfiction articles. We’d just returned from six years as volunteer missionaries in the Brazilian Amazon, and I wanted to write a novel about the dedicated but very human missionaries we’d worked with and what life is really like as a missionary in a hardship area. Soon discovering that a novel is NOT a very, very long short story, I wrote a starter novel first, joined ACFW when our daughter told me about it, and began a long study process. So I never decided to become a writer. I decided to write a book. And then the next, and the next. Since “retiring” ten years ago at age 61, I’ve written eight novels, a nonfiction book, and assisted many authors as a freelance editor and indie uploader.
What is your writing process like? As a retiree, I do a lot of volunteerism. I don’t write for income, which gives me a terrifying amount of freedom. Writing a book requires a lot of dedication to the process, study, and a certain amount of forcing myself into the chair. I do observe personal and publisher-inflicted deadlines. I exercise regularly, cook wholesome dinners for the two of us, and have a pair of maids who come once every two weeks. With no children or pets at home, I’m free to work as I wish. Don’t envy me. You’ll get there someday.
What advice would you give to your younger self? Jump in sooner. Keep a journal of all the countries you’ve lived and traveled in. You’ll want those notes when you start writing.
What the hardest thing about being a writer? The middle doldrums, when you wonder if there’s any point to doing this. Will anyone ever read it? Would anyone actually pay to read it? Why are you doing this when you could be quilting or having your nails done? I can honestly say that God told me to write two books. The first experience is recorded in the preface of Flying for Jesus. The second relates to a novel which hasn’t been published yet—the publisher who requested it was sold. I prayed about whether I should do the book and what it should be about, and I received an actual answer in my mind. So when those center-of-the-book doubts came, I knew I was supposed to finish those two books. Makes me wonder if I pray enough about every book I write.
About A Sweet Noel
A Sweet Noel is a collection of seven novellas including Lee Carver’s A Cordial Christmas. The book is an e-book only, and sells for just $0.99 on Amazon. Here’s the blurb:
Exercising his sharp business mind and control over his firm, Elena Trackett’s father has chosen his successor to be her groom. She rejects the smooth, handsome man who leaves love out of his proposal. Elena has other ideas, causing conflict in their family.
Elena and Forrest Kisler, executive for a competing firm, meet as volunteers and grow to be close friends. Both seek harmony in their worlds of dissent. Perhaps their relationship will lead the way to a cordial family Christmas.
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