Author Interview (and a Giveaway!): Carrie Turansky & Waiting for His Return

I always love getting to chat with today’s guest, but I realized not too long ago that I’ve never actually chatted with her here on the blog! Let’s correct that ASAP! As in, right now 🙂

Carrie Turansky has loved reading since she first visited the library as a young child and checked out a tall stack of picture books. Her love for writing began when she penned her first novel at age twelve. She is now the award-winning author of nineteen inspirational romance novels and novellas. Carrie and her husband, Scott, who is a pastor, author, and speaker, have been married for more than thirty years and make their home in New Jersey. They often travel together on ministry trips and to visit their five adult children and five grandchildren. Carrie leads women’s ministry at her church, and when she is not writing she enjoys spending time working in her flower gardens and cooking healthy meals for friends and family.  She enjoys connecting with friends on social media.

You can connect with Carrie on her website, Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads and Twitter.

Her latest release is the Civil War novella, Waiting for His Return!

The daughter of a wealthy Tennessee doctor falls in love with an injured artist-correspondent on assignment to cover battles near Union occupied Nashville.

The year is 1864 and the Civil War rages on, impacting families in the North and South. British born James Galloway, a special artist for Harper’s Weekly, travels with the Union troops, sketching battle scenes to bring war news home to those in the North. It’s dangerous work, but he is committed to the Union cause. When he is captured by Confederate troops, he spends several months in a prison camp. Finally, he escapes and travels north, hoping to reach the Union lines, but a bushwhacker attacks him, steals his horse, and leaves him seriously injured at the side of the road outside Nashville.

Rachel Thornton, a kind-hearted doctor’s daughter, takes James into her home and nurses him while he recovers. Her feelings for James grow, but she has already lost one man she loves in the war. How can she give her heart to James, when she knows he may become another casualty of the war? With Christmas coming, will James return to Rachel or will she be left waiting for his return?

This novella was originally published in A Blue and Gray Christmas. It has been revised and updated for new readers to enjoy.

Hi dear Carrie! Welcome to the blog!

Carrie T: Apples! I’m originally from Oregon, and we grow the best apples there. Whenever I enjoy a crisp sweet apple I’m reminded of home.

Carrie: Yum… My mouth is watering…

Carrie T: Summer! I love working in my garden and seeing my flowers bloom and grow.

Carrie: If only we could have summer without the heat and humidity 😉

Carrie T: Dogs! They make great companions! We had a border collie for many years and she was very sweet and loyal.

Carrie: Zuzu heartily approves of this answer!

Carrie T: Tea! I love a good cup of Earl Grey with lavender when it’s cold out, and when it’s warm, I like iced Tazo Passion Tea.

Carrie: I don’t like tea but I do actually enjoy some iced Tazo Passion tea every once in a while.

Q: Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?

Carrie T: I think I’d say my superpower is coming up with creative, healthy meals and snacks. I follow recipes, but I usually end up switching some of the ingredients. I eat gluten-free and dairy-free to help keep autoimmune issues under control, so that means I have to be figure out how to make some of my favorite recipes fit my food plan. I just made some really delicious pumpkin spice muffins this week. Yum!

Carrie: Yum! I’m gonna need to get that recipe 🙂

Q: Who is your favorite book character from childhood?

Carrie T: When I was young I had an aunt who gave me an award-winning children’s book each year for Christmas. She helped spark my love for reading, and I still own some of those special books. She gave me Charlotte’s Web the year I turned ten, and I really enjoyed that story. Fern is a wonderful character, and I love Wilbur and  Charlotte too.

Carrie: What a great aunt!!! Ooo that gives me some cool aunt ideas….

Q: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever Googled while researching a book?

Carrie T: I use Google and Google image search all the time when I’m writing! When I was writing Waiting for His Return I looked up Medicine during the Civil War, and I had to cover my eyes. Yikes! It was pretty gruesome. I’m so glad for the medical advancements of the last 150 years!

Carrie: Oh goodness! Amen to that!!

Q: In Waiting for His Return, your hero James Galloway is an artist for Harper’s Weekly who travels with the Union Army to record Civil War battles & news. What is something interesting or surprising that you learned about artist-correspondents like James during your research?

Carrie T: I come from a family of artists, and I was an art major in college, so when I learned there were artists who traveled with the troops during the Civil War I thought that would be an interesting occupation for my hero. I was surprised to learn the drawing they made were sent back to New York, and then an engraver carved the image into wood so it could then be printed in the newspaper. The artists were in just as much danger as the troops. Some were injured, and some were captured and held in prisoner of war camps.

Carrie: Wow – that is incredible!

Q: Your heroine Rachel seems like James’ opposite in many ways. What kind of heroine is she? And, who is most like you – Rachel or James?

Carrie T: Rachel is a bit of an introvert, but she has a deep faith and love for her family.  She is young and makes some foolish decisions that cause problems between her and James, but she is also courageous when the need arises.  I’d say I’m more like Rachel than James. I’m a homebody, and I love spending time with my family.

Carrie: I think Rachel and I are going to be kindred spirits 🙂

Q: What do you most want readers to take away from Waiting for His Return?

Carrie T:  I hope readers will feel transported back in time and will identify with James and Rachel as they face the impact the war has on their family, their faith, and future. I hope they will feel hopeful, inspired, and encouraged.

Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me! 🙂 Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.

Carrie T: My next English historical novel, Across the Blue, releases February 20^th.  I’m very excited to share this story with reading friends. The hero is a young aviator and airplane designer who wants to be the first to fly across the English Channel and win the prestigious prize offered by the Daily Mail of London. The heroine is an aspiring journalist from a wealthy family who longs to write about the race across the Channel. But her parents want her to focus on finding a suitable husband who will help them move up in society. I loved learning about early aviation and women’s roles in Edwardian England. Across the Blue is a bit like Downton Abbey meets the Wright Brothers, with high-flying adventure, romance, and inspiration.

Carrie: Yay!! Can’t wait!!

(FYI – You can preorder Across the Blue here)

Carrie Turansky is graciously offering an ebook copy of Across the Blue to TWO of my readers (Open internationally except where prohibited by law) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What about you? Are you more of a risk taker like James or a homebody like Rachel?