Christina: What is your book called?
Jenny: Hope Takes the Reins
Christina: When was it released?
Jenny: March of 2022
Christina: Is it a series?
Jenny: Yes, it’s book one of my Crossroads Series.
Christina: Can you share your blurb with us?
Jenny:
Nineteen years old is very young to take on the business end of a family rodeo, but Hope Caldwell has no choice after cancer takes away her mom. She’s already experienced in helping behind the scenes while her dad handles the announcing, sister Faith excels at barrel racing, and brother Junior entertains the crowd as a rodeo clown.
On the family’s first night back after the funeral, an overdressed stranger conspires with Hope’s uncle. She fears they want to make a huge change to the only life she’s known since before she could braid her own pig-tails.
A dark-eyed calf roper is there to comfort her, but O.D. Billings has problems of his own, beyond the awkward name that led him to use only initials. His war hero older brother has returned, so their dad wants to turn over management of their truck dealership in preparation for retirement. But the wounded warrior seems to be dodging responsibility. O.D. saddles up to make things right, while keeping an eye on the youngest Billings, who is determined to be the greatest bull-rider Crossroads, Arkansas has ever seen.
After years of discussions over the back fence, Hope and O.D. realized they don’t have to shoulder family burdens alone. Teaming up may lead them down the right trail, if they can stop stumbling over their own cowboy boots on the way to finding God’s direction for their lives.
Christina: What inspired you to write this book?
Jenny: I’ve always loved horses and all things western, though I was raised inside the city limits. At Rodeo events and horse shows, I admired the sportsmanship and camaraderie of the young men and women participating. My romantic heart began to picture what it would be like for a no-nonsense cowgirl and a show-off calf roper to develop an attraction to each other.
This book was born when Shannon Vannatter, who has written many wonderful cowboy romances, suggested that I discard another book I had been proposing to agents and editors for years, and work on the story that had been playing in the back of my mind. (Shannon knows me well.) Finally, O.D. Billings and Hope Caldwell would be able to tell their story.
Christina: What’s your favorite part of your writing process?
Jenny: I love getting lost in a story. I start with main characters I have come to know well, with a rough idea of the beginning middle and end. I thrive when ideas begin to flow, and my fingers fly across the keys. Of course, it is always fun when minor characters assert themselves, and I begin to get ideas for future books.
Christina: Can you share any challenges you faced during the research or writing process?
Jenny: Since my fascination with horses has been only second hand, I needed to develop relationships with people who had actually raised and competed with them. Luckily, we have family friends who are very familiar with the horse show life, and they were available to help and advise with tricky details. You’ll find their names on the dedication page!
My husband is always willing to talk about things like tow hitches, fence building, mucking out stalls, etc. I usually do my best research in the middle of writing a scene, so YouTube videos are both a welcome distraction, and way to feel comfortable with what I am writing.
I never envisioned I would be researching the best way to rescue a horse from a wrecked horse trailer, but I have learned to expect the unexpected.
Once the book was published, the supreme affirmation came from a real cowboy I attend church with. He said he loved my book, and he was very glad to see that I “got the horse and rodeo stuff right.” Wow. I sighed all the way down to my toes.
Christina: I love that! How do you develop your characters? Do they come to you fully formed, or do they reveal themselves as you write?
Jenny: I spend some time creating the main characters, getting to know their likes, dislikes, the wounds they carry from their past, and their hopes for the future. Less time is spent with siblings, best friends, and other sidekicks, but they often try to intrude and take over the story as it develops. When that happens, I politely ask them to be patient. Sequels become a joyful possibility when I store their ideas for the future.
Christina: If you could give one piece of advice to budding creatives, what would it be?
Jenny: Keep creating! Read from all kinds of genres, and learn to listen to criticism with an open heart, using what makes sense and shaking off what doesn’t. Be sure to write YOUR story. If you do the best job you can with that, it will find its own niche, its own audience.
Christina: Great advice! Can you describe your writing routine?
Jenny: Even as a retiree who works from home, my routine must be flexible. Work/life balance is a real thing. I grab every chance I get to read, write, and research, whenever that may be.
Christina: What has been the most rewarding part of your publishing journey?
Jenny: My goal has always been to use the gifts God gave me to glorify him and edify others. The best thing is meeting or corresponding with a reader who really “gets” the message of hope I am trying to present.
God is so Good! I pray I can reflect His glory for the good of others.
Christina: Name something quirky in your workspace. And, can you give a little backstory about said item?
Jenny: I love using my laptop everywhere possible, in the car, on the porch, or in my recliner. My official “workspace” is shared with my husband, so my poster sized book covers share wall space with his Denver Bronco and Arkansas Razorback memorabilia.
Christina: Favorite snack to get your creative juices flowing?
Jenny: Quaker Rice Crisps (apple/cinnamon or chocolate) and cold ice water
Christina: If you could have dinner with any author, living or deceased, who would it be and why?
Jenny: I tend to go “fan girl” when I meet my favorite authors, so conversation would be awkward. Except for my friends Tonya Ashley and Ellen Withers. We have collaborated on two novellas, and ideas for future stories always seem to bubble out when we are together.
Christina: What upcoming writing projects are you working on?
Jenny: I am promoting my Crossroads series, Hope Takes the Reins, Faith Moves Mountains and Love Never Fails to generate excitement before my next story comes to life.
Also a contemporary romance, this one has no rodeo events involved. It centers on Julie MacNichol, who has grown up in a family-owned motel in an Arkansas resort town. She is bitter about her relationship with her dad, because he spends a lot of time in Scotland, where his side of the family still lives in a real castle.
Julie’s best friend’s older brother Ben wants to help her navigate recent upheaval in her life, but health challenges make him question his ability to play his traditional role of Mr. Fixit.
I am placing finishing touches on this project before preparing a proposal. This baby bird needs to leave the nest soon!
Christina: What are you looking forward to over the next few months?
Jenny: My husband and I are planning to take an Alaskan Cruise in September. Looking forward to my first trip to that part of the world. I will undoubtedly come back inspired for another book. Coming up with new ideas has never been a problem for me.
Christina: Thank you, Jenny, for joining us today and giving us a glimpse into your author life!
Jenny has been writing since she could hold a pencil. She grew up in Southeast Kansas, and moved to Arkansas as a senior in high school. She worked in Human Resources and training for the State of Arkansas for over 40 years, retiring in December of 2020. Always dreaming of being an author, she joined writing groups, attended conferences and entered contests, until Scrivenings Press published her first novel in 2022. She was a long-time member and officer of the Arkansas Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. Friends she met there are still a constant source of encouragement. Jenny and her husband of fifty years are the parents of three married children, and grandparents of eight. She is a member of a community minded congregation of the Church of Christ, and her favorite volunteer activity is journey partner for Women Equipped, a Christian Women’s Job Corp.
To connect with Jenny and learn more about her books, check out these sites:
https://www.facebook.com/jennycarlisleauthor
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/173621551-jenny-carlisle
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jenny-carlisle