Today we get write to the point with Caryl McAdoo. You will see her popping up a lot over the next few months as she is a very busy author. Read on to learn more about her.
Tell us about yourself, family, where are you from, how long have you been writing?
Born in Long Beach, California, I was brought to Texas before my first birthday and consider myself a Texan through and through. In 2008, with my husband and four grandsons, I moved from the DFW area—where we’d lived fifty-five years—to Clarksville, Red River County seat in far Northeast Texas, about three hours from the Metroplex. Our house sits a half-mile off the paved road back into the woods. I do love the small town, country life!
We have five dogs, three outside: Zoe, a Great Pyrenees, Faith the Border Collie, and Bodark the walk-up mutt who’s probably part lab, part bulldog, but as sweet as you can imagine! And two come inside, a
mother Berri Bitti Belle and daughter, Sassy, Markie duo (half Maltese-half Yorkie). Plus, a varying number of barn cats hang around depending on the day you count.
We’re surrounded by trees, and I can look out over a pond in the back from the dining room or kitchen or utility room window. We’ve found a wonderful Church of God with a great youth group for the boys only about twenty-five minutes away, and toward Paris which is where my Walmart is.
I am so blessed to share my life with my best friend since I was sixteen years old, the wisest, most Christ-like man I’ve ever known. With him, I brought four little McAdoos babies into the world, three sons and a daughter. All live in north Texas and all but the youngest is married giving me more children-by-love and fifteen grandsugars.
Four of those special grandsons have lived with O’Pa and me (Grami) twelve years, but last year, two of them left—one off to college, and one to his other grandparents’ because that granddaddy fell and broke his hip. Our sixteen-year-old asked to go so he could be a help to them. So we’re down to two now and enjoy our little family of four.
I enjoy the Brown Bag Book Club once a month at the Red River County Public Library, my Luncheon Ladies group that also meets once a month and two writers group meetings, and am hoping to set up an ACFW Chapter soon. I love working in the dirt, planting flowers, but getting up and down isn’t so easy anymore.
Though in the Seventh Grade, back in 1962, I wrote in an essay on what I would be in the year 2000 that I’d be a famous author—jetting from planet to planet signing books—I didn’t start writing seriously for publication until the mid ’80s (my mid-thirties).
How did you come to know Jesus as your Savior?
My parents reared me in a little Southern Baptist Church in Dallas. When old enough, I got to go to Mt. Lebanon Summer Camp in near-by Cedar Hill. I accepted Christ as my Savior during one of the nightly tabernacle services. I remember staying in my place crying, and a lady came and asked me if I wanted Jesus to live in my heart. She led me through a prayer then went with me to the front where I confessed my decision. I was so excited, I couldn’t wait to tell my parents. It was a wonderful night. I ran up to the payphone by the concession stand and called them that night to tell them what Jesus had done for me! I was a nine-year-old in the summer of 1959.
Tell us about your latest book(s). What do want your readers to take away after the last page?
Motivated by an effort to get my titles out as quickly as possible, which I believe God led me to do, I’m
on pace of releasing a book a month for 2015. Last year beginning with Simon and Schuster’s debut of VOW UNBROKEN in March, I published three more titles independently including LADY LUCK’S A LOSER in April then book two HEARTS STOLEN in the historical series, and A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, starting a Biblical fiction series The Generations.
During the time S&S took from contract to shelf and the six additional months I had to wait before another book could come out, I wrote six titles. My 2015 plan started with these and I plan four additional, taking June and December off. So, my latest books are January – HOPE REBORN, book three in historical Texas Romances; February THE PREACHER’S FAITH, a new contemporary Red River Romance series; March, THEN THE DELUGE COMES, volume two of The Generations, and April SING A NEW SONG, book two of Red River Romances.
I pray my story gives God glory, and hope at the end of every one, my readers feel closer to Him and have some issues to ponder on achieving just that. Life—to my way of thinking—is all about getting closer to Him, daily improving and deepening our relationship with our Maker.
How often do you blog and what do you cover in your blog?
I admit that I blog sporadically at my personal blog, mostly sharing my author’s life, new releases. I love supporting other Christian authors with interviews and book reviews. I’m a co-founder on India’s Crown in Christian Literature Excellence where we post an author’s interview each week, my turn comes up once or twice monthly. I’ve recently joined two other blogs: Stitches Thru Time – I post once or twice a month with a devotional or fun craft post—every day there is for something different; and Faith, Friends, and Chocolate where I also blog once a month. Always, every post, I desire to bring God glory.
Can you share with us a favorite book you have read?
Most recently, THE TOMB by Stephanie Landsem. It’s a Biblical fiction about Martha and her family. As Christians, we’re all familiar with the story of that famous Bible family who entertained and were good friends with Jesus. Later, the sisters send for Christ when their brother gets sick, but He doesn’t come in time, and Lazarus dies and is buried. In THE TOMB, Lazarus is the younger brother, a ten-year-old when we first meet him. Stephanie spins a wonderful, wholly believable story that absolutely lines up with the Word. I quit reading a book or watching a movie that detours one iota from the Bible’s Truth. I can tell you this, regarding this five-star-fiction, you will never see Martha in the same way again. I loved THE TOMB and highly recommend it.
Can you share with us a Genesis 5020 in your life?
I spoke earlier of moving to Red River County in early ’08. In the fall of ’07, our mortgage payment went from $750 each month to over $1500. Then in December, the City of Grand Prairie sent six or seven departments out to our River Bottom Ranch and shut down our only source of income. For five years, we ran a stable and took care of other people’s horses on the 113 acres God supplied us to use in the Trinity River bottoms between Dallas and Ft. Worth. Suddenly, we had these huge house payments and no income. Evidence that the enemy meant to destroy us.
Friends and family asked repeatedly, “What are you going to do?” We didn’t know. We only trusted God and prayed for Him to show us. On visiting Red River County, to ascertain if a little old farm house on the hunting property Ron’s brother had purchased the summer before might be inhabitable, we both immediately knew this was where God wanted us. But the house was too far gone. With assurance this is where we were meant to be, we rented a 1000 square feet farm house (one bathroom, no interior doors). When we met the owner to get the key, he refused our rent money. Told us to use it to fix the place up, that it was such a blessing to have us in his Mama’s house—although we’d never met before. That was God’s first confirmation we were in the right place. Many more followed.
What the enemy meant for evil, God used to move us into position to fulfill His plan. Of course, I fully expected revival to break out within two weeks. My time is never God’s! It’s been seven years, and I still fully expect any day that the Gateway to Texas—that’s Red River County’s claim since most all the men of Texas history came through this county in the 1800s—will be gloriously overwhelmed by the presence of God’s Holy Spirit and the revival will spread throughout the Lone Star State. All in His time. Those who wait upon Him will renew their strength and mount up with wings as Eagles. I will run and not be weary, I will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Wow, so encouraging. God is amazing and His timing is always perfect. Praying right along with you for my small town in Michigan 🙂
Do you have a life and/or a ministry verse?
Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
I have been waiting a long time. God gave me this verse three times on one early Sunday morning back in 1987. I was waiting before that. My Mama asked me once, “How long, Caryl? How long are you going to believe that vision and wait?” I told her, “Mama, until it comes to pass, or I go on to Heaven. I would rather believe and wait and be in obedience than give up and miss Him. He knows my heart. I trust Him.”She went to live with Him in 1997, and surely now cheering me on as I wait upon the Lord.
Where can we find you on the web?
All Books – http://tinyurl.com/CarylsAmazonPage
Sing A New Song http://tinyurl.com/NewSong
Website – http://www.CarylMcAdoo.com
(All First Chapters are offered here)
Newsletter – http://carylmcadoo.com/sign-up-to-the-caryler/
(Get FREE books for subscribing!)
Reviewer? – http://carylmcadoo.com/christian-evaluaters/
(Join Caryl’s Street Team!)
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/CarylMcAdoo.author
Puzzle – http://tinyurl.com/SingPuzzle
Blog – http://www.CarylMcAdoo.blogspot.com
GoodReads – http://tinyurl.com/GoodReadsCaryl
Google+ – http://tinyurl.com/CarylsGooglePlus
Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/CarylMcAdoo
Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/CarylMcAdoo
Is there anything I didn’t ask that you would like to add?
Nothing except to thank you for the opportunity to testify, Melissa! We shall overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony, loving not our own lives, even unto death! Revelation 12:11 Blessings to you!
Amen 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing with my readers and we look forward to you visiting again soon.
Genesis 5020 