I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to introduce you to Carol Moncado today! Carol’s such an outgoing, warm, and generous person. She brings cookies to writer’s conferences to share with everyone, makes you feel at home in her presence, and hugs you when it’s time to part. I asked her to visit today and share with you a little about her publishing journey.
Stay tuned for a GIVEAWAY! More details on that at the end of the post. -Becky
My writing journey started in October 2009…
Well, not really, because nothing really starts in the middle of your life. If you look back, there’s always something that leads to the new start. For me, that ‘something’ began, in part, with my mother’s death in the mid-80’s. I know that seems an odd way to start a writing journey, but over the course of the next few years, my best friend’s mom adopted me as her “other daughter.”
L to R: Stacy (Carol’s lifetime friend), Jan (Carol’s “other mother”), and Carol
Fast forward to 2009 when Jan, now my long time “other mother,” mentioned she was doing National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo challenges authors to write a full manuscript (50,000 words – roughly the equivalent of a Love Inspired book) during the month of November. Jan was looking for friends to join her. So I did.
I’d done NaNoWriMo several times before, but just for fun. However, when I took on NaNoWriMo in 2009 I was determined to write something I could use to pursue publication.
Ah. How little I knew. 😉
Isn’t that the way it always is? We start a journey believing we know the route we’re going to take, the steps along the way, only to run into huge DETOUR signs along the way. For an author, the steps to publication generally include writing a book, submitting it to agents and/or editors, getting signed by an agent, then receiving a three-book deal with a major publisher, all while writing more manuscripts.
But boy, howdy! Have I had a few detour signs!
Carol’s view while writing poolside as her kids swim.
That manuscript from 2009 is still hiding on my hard drive. I’ve written twelve more complete manuscripts since that one and who knows how many partial ones. I submitted to editors and agents for years and eventually partnered with Tamela Hancock Murray, agent extraordinare! But the three-book deal?
Yeah, notsomuch.
Carol and Tamela.
I came to a point where I knew that if I wanted to continue forward on my journey, I’d need to take a detour that hadn’t been in my original plan. But sometimes, those detours lead you to beauty you never would have found if you’d stayed on the route you intended. Remember Radiator Springs? Lightning McQueen never would have found that beautiful little town if he’d stayed on the Interstate. (What? You don’t remember the animated movie Cars?! Go find it.)
For the last year, I’ve felt God leading me away from the traditional path and onto a detour that included a foray into indie publishing. It’s scary and intimidating. There’s lots of risk, but potentially, lots of reward.
I’m officially just over two months into my indie publishing journey, two months since Finding Mr. Write released. The preparations started before that – getting my publisher name set up, investing in pictures for covers, ISBNs, learning to format ebooks and paperbacks, and everything else that has to be done when you go it alone.
Except I’m not doing it alone. Even if I’m my own publisher for now, I have friends who have been with me, helping me every step of the way. Friends like my lovely hostess, Becky Wade, and so many others.
I’ve released four books in the last two months and have two more coming in very short order!
Pictures from the first time Carol received boxes of HER OWN books!
As it turns out, I’m loving every step of this detour God’s taking me on.
When she’s not writing about her imaginary friends, Carol is hanging out with her husband, four kids, and a dog who weighs less than most hard cover books. She prefers watching NCIS to just about anything, except maybe watching Castle, or watching Girl Meets World with her kids. She believes peanut butter M&Ms are the perfect food and Dr. Peppers should come in an IV. When not watching her kids — and dog — race around her big back yard in Southwest Missouri, she’s teaching American Government at a local community college. She’s a founding member and President of MozArks ACFW, category coordinator for First Impressions, blogger at InspyRomance, and represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. You can find out more about Carol and her books at carolmoncado.com.
Becky here! Carol has agreed to give away a Kindle copy of one of her books to an Inspired by Life…and Fiction reader. To enter, simply comment below and I’ll select one winner at random on Monday. The winner can choose which of Carol’s books they’d like to receive.
My question to you…. What life ‘detour’ have you encountered that ended up bringing you beauty you hadn’t expected?
Becky Wade
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A child born with an unexpected disability! That’s a life changer! But oh the joy that child has brought to my life!
God brings joy and blessing to us in unexpected ways, doesn’t He? What a beautiful example, Tonya.
Oh my! It would be! I have several friends who would agree with that joy in unexpected places!
I’d love to try one of Becky’s books! My unexpected detour was a neurological illness which left me unable to walk on my own for a few months. Though I can walk now, I have balance issues and other various residual problems. I used to think/pray/whine, “God, I could serve you so much better without this!” But something Elisabeth Elliot wrote once inspired me: she said limitations don’t hinder ministry, they define it. Accepting that this is a part of my life, and that God will work in and through it to work in and through me, has led to a great measure of peace. He has enabled me to meet and minster to people I never would have without these circumstances.
What a wonderful testimony, Barbara. “limitations don’t hinder ministry, they define it.” — love this! It reminds me of 2 Cor 12:10 and the idea that when we’re weak, then we’re strong because of His ability to work through us.
I love that, too! One of my other favorites is “Mistakes become ministries” – not quite the same, but the unexpected trials can often bring great blessings for many people, not just us.
So fun to see you here, Carol! How brave you are to jump in to the indie publishing world. There is so much potential but so much WORK, too. I admire you for taking the detour God laid on your heart.
I faced many of my own getting started. Including a rejection that forced me to scrap an entire manuscript and start over from scratch before landing the contract of my dreams.
Detours can be discouraging, but they also promise new roads to explore and destinies we never could have imagined on our own. Just like that classic romance movie – Cars – Lightning never would have met Sally, his true love, if it weren’t for that detour. (Love Disney analogies!)
True! Detours from our plans can be SO discouraging. So, so, so discouraging. Thank goodness that God has the most wonderful ability to redeem anything and everything in His time.
Karen! I am so very glad you didn’t let that detour discourage you! Travis Archer would have never come into being! What a tragedy that would have been!
I love Cars! In many ways, it’s as much a story of Doc’s redemption as it is Lightning’s. I cry every time when Doc gets his “standing ovation” and again with that “bump draft” on the last lap when Lightning says something about how a grumpy old car he knew once told him it was only an empty cup. /fist bump to chest/ Right in the feels. Every time. And I’ve seen it a hundred or more. :p
I had been to Brazil twice to teach English. I really felt like I should go back, but instead, I met my husband!
Ha! Thank goodness you weren’t in Brazil when your husband walked into the scene. 🙂
Wow! Brazil! How awesome! And you never know… maybe you’ll end up back there again someday!
My life’s detour was when I came home from Canada after living there for 5 years in a bad marriage. I got out and found my wonderful husband here. We have 3 awesome sons! God helped me through the thick and thin and it strengthened my faith in the Lord. I live by Jeremiah 29:11 daily! The beauty of my marriage to my husband has blossomed over the past 9 years!
God bless you, Karen! Your story reminds me of God’s graciousness to use hardships and disappointments to strengthen our faith.
You have three sons! I’m from a family of three daughters, as is my mom. We had plenty of girl drama happening when we were all growing up…. Do you have lots of sports happening at your house? 🙂
Bless you, Karen! I love Jeremiah 29:11! It’s one of my favorite verses.
We have lots of girls around here, too, like Becky does, but we do have one boy. Not too many sports around here yet, Becky, but they all do swim team and my oldest daughter is in band and wants to get a scholarship eventually [tenor saxophone] and do marching band etc. My second daughter wants to be in band next year – I’m trying not to focus on the monthly expense of more instruments ;).
I was in a job situation (a job I wasn’t looking for) that was horrible and causing a ton on anxiety. After quitting I learned that God taught me so many things during that detour.
Velva – I got a job I wanted badly just as I graduated college – teaching at a middle school [albeit as close to inner city as we get in my area which wasn’t my first choice but it was December so…]. After one semester, I was so done. I’ve been teaching at a community college ever since. It’s been such a blessing – allowing me to spend most of my time with my kids while they were young and now allowing me to write while getting a steady paycheck. Because of the partnership that middle school had with a local university, I was able to complete half my Master’s degree in a spring/summer and that allowed me to get the job at the college because I had the minimum number of credits needed to get it. God knew what He was doing.
My life detour – a divorce that prompted a move from Ohio to Arizona. Had I not moved, I never would have met Carol and known the joy of encouraging another daughter to be all God meant for her to be. I’m one proud Mama!
Mama! Thank you for stopping by! I wouldn’t be here without you encouraging me that first year! I am so very grateful for you and, as much as I wish my mom was still around, I know the detours have led me to where I am today and I wouldn’t have you and Stacy in my life in nearly the same way! Love you!
Carol Moncado is one of my favorite authors.
I have been privileged to review many of her books.
Keep em coming Carol.
Aw! Linda, you are too kind! And thank you so much for those reviews! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the books!
Moving away from family made me grow in ways I would not have done with them around!
I admire all authors and would love to win this book!
Joan – I understand! I moved halfway across the country at 17 to go to college. One of the first people I met? The guy I married a few years later – we’ll have our 18th anniversary in a few months. It turned out all right ;). As much as I miss seeing many of my old friends [like Jan and Stacy], I have a wonderful extended family here in the form of in-laws and friends-who-are-like-family . And I thank God for Facebook which lets me keep up with all the others! 😉
Joan,
You’re the winner of one of Carol Moncado’s novels! Please email me at becky at beckywade com and I’ll put you in touch with Carol so that you can let her know which of her books you’d like.
Thanks for following Inspired by Life… and Fiction! Warmly, Becky
Welcome, Carol! So great to have you here! My unexpected life detour was my husband’s layoff from his job almost 6 years ago. In the years since, we are gradually realizing that layoff was the best thing that ever happened! Yes, we’re living on WAY less than ever before, and yes, there’ve been some scary times when we weren’t sure how we’d pay the bills. But God has provided every step of the way, and a side benefit is that my husband is happier in his new job (he opened his own graphic design company) and working from home means that we can work from anywhere, which means we can travel together to conferences and to visit our kids. God knew what He was doing!
Hi Deb! I’ve heard some wonderful things about your husband’s graphic design company! That is a huge blessing to be able to travel together! [And next time you’re travels have you swinging through my area, let me know!]
My company forced me to “retire,” (before I was ready to retire) and a non-profit company offered me a “token” office job. My boss put me back in a remote corner office, to do data entry, lunch orders, update annual goals/supports for individuals w/ disabilities…I can listen to Christian music, & sermons in the morning, & then in the afternoon, I listen to Dave Ramsey! I’m learning & growing!
Good for you! Learning and growing is what it’s all about right?!
We love Dave Ramsey around here! We’ve had some unavoidable setbacks working the plan but we’re WAY better off than we would have been otherwise! Thank God!
Hi Carol,
Just wanted to pop by and say congrats! I’m so impressed by your bravery and your hard work! Have your first book on my Kindle but haven’t started it yet!
Keep up the good job!
Sue
Thank you so much for stopping by, my friend! Big hugs! I hope you enjoy it – let me know?
I left a job of 14 years because they were cutting back my hours. I later got a better job, not money wise, but interesting and more fun.
Sometimes the best job isn’t the one with the best pay is it? My husband left a job [voluntarily] for a similar but different one and took about a 25% pay cut [and it didn’t pay THAT much to start with – not too shabby but we were never going to get rich – and some of that was in higher expenses for the family portion of insurance coverage, much farther distance/drive time, etc.]. But I tell you what – it was a GREAT decision. Several years later, he’s about back where he was before the job change salary wise, but he’s Director of the program he runs with two employees working directly for him, he’s been tapped to take over for his boss when she retires in a few years, he’s on a governor’s commission in our state because he’s rapidly becoming one of the leading experts in the state in his field [he works with mostly teen boys who have sexually abused others – 85% of kids who successfully complete a program like his go on to be productive members of society and don’t reoffend], and many other opportunities are coming his way. That never would have happened if he stuck with the old job [plus the environment was rapidly becoming toxic so… :p].
So glad you found an interesting/fun job! That and the people you work with can make all the difference!
Hi Carol! Congratulations on your indie publishing success! 🙂
Loved reading about your journey.
God’s plans are always so much better than ours. My detour happened when my spinal pain became so severe I had to
take an early disability retirement from my teaching career (resulting in 4 spinal surgeries in 2010).
The good part (besides my spine is much improved and I’m not in a wheelchair) is that being retired from teaching now allows me to write. A life-long dream realized!! 🙂
Blessings, Patti Jo
And if you didn’t write… I wouldn’t know you! I’m so sorry for the pain, but so glad you’re able to live your dream! Love ya! (See you at conference again this year?!)
I love NCIS too!!! And I must look up Castle; don’t know that one. Would love to win one of you’re books!
Karen! No Castle?!?!?! Okay – NCIS is plenty good enough! Love Gibbs!!! I wish Tony would settle down [and still bummed there’s no Tiva :p] but sigh. I just love it! Castle is great too! Writers have to make sure they get through the “muddle in the middle” without making it too muddly [goodness – I hope none of these fabulous author ladies read that description ;)!] – to make sure the middle doesn’t end up sagging or dragging on etc. Castle had a couple of seasons of that but the first year or two and the last few years have been fantastic!!! Which reminds me… I never watched this week’s! AH! Good luck!
My life detour was what my dr thinks was a mini-stroke that I suffered 5&1/2 yrs ago. I had to quit my career, which I loved, and lay around at home because I couldn’t do anything else. There is a lot of beauty in this experience. God taught me that my identity wasn’t an educator (I was Jr high/high school principal) or a leader or a praise dancer (which I also had to give up); my identity is simply that I am a child of God. Everything else is just a task or a gift or calling. God also showed me that I could still fulfill my calling – to be of use – while what I considered incapacitated. I have former students I keep in touch with and counsel, I have my 2 kids that I teach and love and help grow, and I have random divine appointments with friends and strangers – all ways that God uses me. God is good – all the time!
You have my utmost admiration! I taught middle school for a semester – which was enough to know it WASN’T my calling! Teaching at our local community college has been SUCH a blessing and I never would have thought to apply even if I hadn’t had that semester behind me. And don’t you love divine appointments?! His timing is the best – even if we don’t realize it at the time! He is so good – all the time!!
Something unexpected (in the timing) and absolutely the very best thing that happened along my journey was the birth of a most beloved grandson. While he developed right before my eyes (must have been blinders of denial) when in the delivery room they stamped his foot for his birth certificate they also stamped his foot on my forearm. They might as well have stamped it on my heart. We adjusted our lives to accommodate this precious tiny baby and my life has never been the same since.
Thanks for the great comments, everyone! Joan Arning is the winner of one of Carol’s novels! Congrats, Joan. Email me and I’ll put you in touch with Carol so that she can get your book to you.