Fiction Friday | Carolyn Miller Talks About Restoring Fairhaven With Giveaway

Please welcome Carolyn Miller to our blog today. Carolyn has a new book out, Restoring Fairhaven and is going to tell us a little about this book.

What is the first thing you do when you receive a physical copy of your latest release?

Ooh, I might get a little excited! I’m pretty sure the first few times there might have been clapping and jumping involved.

Do you enjoy writing contemporary?

I LOVE it! I actually started my writing journey by writing contemporary, and it was only after 3 or 4 books that I tried my hand at historicals, as I wanted to see if I could write a type of Jane Austen / Georgette Heyer book infused with Christian perspectives – and some Aussie sensibility. (Now, with 10 historicals published, and more on the way, I guess it’s fair to say I can!) But there is a freedom in writing contemporary, in using language that doesn’t require checking if this word was in use 200 years ago, with characters able to act far more like we do, that I find really energizing. I’m still writing historicals (my first Wallflowers book releases in April next year), but now is the season for contemporary, which is like a breath of fresh air for my brain.

What sort of research did you have to do for this story?

Restoring Fairhaven concerns a gardening company, Greener Gardens, in the (fictional) Independence Islands, which meant I needed to research what flora etc can be found in the South Carolina / Georgia area of the US. My husband is a horticulturalist, and has owned his own company for years, so he provided a lot of inspiration and advice for these stories. I also had to research some medical information about a condition that has affected several characters.

Can you tell us how you find writing with other authors in a continuity series?

It’s been a great learning curve! I’m always trying to push myself with plots or word length or process, so working with other authors has helped me see how others approach writing. We have a private facebook group and use Notion for sharing details about our books, characters, mobile businesses, etc. We even had a few Zoom chats to nut out various key events. It’s fun because the other authors are all American, and we’re in a bunch of different time zones, so when we post information it can be either everyone all in shooting through ideas or it can be a bit hit or miss. Definitely worth liking posts to make sure you stay in the loop!

Are there recurring characters or is it a stand alone?

My heroine for Restoring Fairhaven, Samantha Green, has taken on her ailing father’s business, so we see her and the other workers in the business pop in and out of each of my stories (there are four more after this). But this story is pretty much a standalone, although other authors have referenced Greener Gardens, and I’ve woven in some details from their stories, too. Lots of fun!

What would you like readers to take out of this story?

I’d love people to see how we shouldn’t be quick to leap to conclusions, as may happen a tad in this book, and that trusting God doesn’t guarantee there will always be sunshine and roses in life, but a quiet certainty that God will ultimately work all things out for our good.

Now for a few fun reader questions. If you were a butterfly what colour would you be?

Mmm, maybe one of those gorgeous Australian Ulysses butterflies, all dramatic blue and black. They live in rainforests but are rare – who wants to be common?

How do you figure out your characters’ personality?

It depends a little on their role, their job, who their ‘opposite’ is, even what the previous published book might be about. For Restoring Fairhaven, I knew Samantha would have to be somewhat sassy and tough, a woman in a man’s world, keen to prove she knows her stuff and hasn’t just been handed the keys to her dad’s business because she’s his daughter. This of course means Max Fairhaven has to be a little more aloof and serious – which is not surprising, considering what he’s been through!

For the next book I’ve written in the series I’ve changed things up a little, so readers don’t always get the same sort of character or personality type. But really, a lot comes down to relatability and believability – I want readers to connect with these different types of characters, so will try to add aspects that ground them in reality while being completely fictional.

Do you have a pet that keeps you company when you write?

We got a puppy at the start of the Covid fun – DeeDee (short for Doris Delores – my kids couldn’t decide) loves to sleep on the lower bunk bed in my daughter’s room or in the comfy armchair (now missing several layers of padding, thanks to DeeDee’s awesome chewing ability – oops!). She’s a mix of terrier, kelpie, poodle and lab, and has been great for our family this year!

What do you like to eat or drink when you’re writing?

Ooh, I’m doing keto this month, so as much as I might like eating chocolate and toast and drinking copious amounts of tea, I’m now trying to restrict it to water, more water, and herbal tea.

Can you tell us a little about your latest book or books and where to find you on the web?

Sure!

Here’s a little about Restoring Fairhaven (released December 8).
Sam Green of Greener Gardens gets more than she bargains for when she takes on restoring the gardens of a reclusive writer whose novels about unrequited love are bestsellers. Can she help him discover happily-ever-afters can be found in both real life and fiction?

My most recent published book is my Christmas novella in Joy to the World: A Regency Christmas Collection, which came out in October, and has been getting some nice reviews (thanks, reading friends!).
For all my bookish news and to subscribe to my newsletter I hope readers will visit www.carolynmillerauthor.com where you can visit pages with fun contests and behind-the-scenes details about my books.

I also love to connect with readers through facebook | pinterest | twitter | instagram

Giveaway

Carolyn has offered to giveaway a ecopy of Restoring Fairhaven to someone who comments on either todays interview or yesterdays book review. The giveaway will be open till 18 December. Subject to our giveaway guidelines.