Category Archives: Connecticut

Interview with author Carolyn Stearns

Carolyn, what are you currently working on as an author?

I am working on revisions to my new novel Christmas Letters. I have a self-imposed timeline to get it out by late summer – early fall. The push is due to the fact that it is a Christmas-time story and after January sales and readership will die back until the next holiday season rolls around. I want to give this book a good start in the world so getting it out well ahead of the holiday will help it find some readers. I have been working on this one for quite a while. It started as a writing project for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month – November) I didn’t finish it but had surpassed my goal. The story continued until I got all the characters where they needed to be and the tale totally unwound from my brain. It finished off at 111,000 words at about 300 pages.  Then came about 6 rounds of edits, front to back, repeatedly. Next, it was sent to my editor and here we go again. We work together on revisions and rewrites for clarity. That is the current stage, and it should be done by May. After the revisions, I will have beta readers and proofreading done.  The final step is adding all the front and back matter like the author bio etc. Then the book is ready for the book designer to make it publish format ready. I will order a couple of proof copies and the proofreader, and I go through them again looking for the inevitable typo.

What age is this book for?

This is an adult novel. There is nothing explicit, it is not my style. The story deals with war and service, family, and marriage. I would say the material would be all right for an upper middle school or high school reader but my focus audience is adults who enjoy my country voice in writing.

      Where does this book take place?

The main setting of the book is a dairy farm in Northern Connecticut. This is a family multi-generational farm. The family farmhouse has just been occupied by the young adults in the family. The story is of two women living parallel lives in the farmhouse. One women we meet through letters written during WWI. The other woman is living there while her husband serves in Afghanistan.

       I’m curious, where can I learn more about Christmas Letters?

I think you might enjoy looking at the Pinterest image board I made as inspiration for scenes in the book. I make these for all of my book projects. You can look at this link for the Pinterest board. You might wonder how such a diverse group of images all fit in one story, but they do. The food, the crafts, the scenes the history as there is a thread of Historical Fiction throughout the book.

Here is the link: https://pin.it/7vVgAGc

Anything else as you bring this new book to your readers?

I would just like to remind readers to review every book they read on Amazon, Goodreads, Blogs, any place, or all of them. A review is critical to all authors big and small. Reviews alert the algorithm to show shoppers a book they might like. No reviews, no sales, no readers. It doesn’t need to be wordy, but taking that couple minutes to click some stars and write a few words is so appreciated.

Why Spooky Stories

Why Spooky Stories?   I have been asked, why tell spooky stories? I immediately ask the person to define spooky for me. I have found that often the term spooky is closely misaligned with horror, it is not horror,!  I don’t tell, write or read horror, it’s not my thing. I think of spooky as… Continue Reading

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Are you afraid to walk in the dark, dark.   When something goes bump in the night do you shiver?   Does a wolf howl raise your heart rate?     Do you love a campfire and story?                                                  I’ve got a story for you!   In fact, I have Thirteen Spooky Stories      … Continue Reading

Historical Exhibit

Telling and Showing the Stearns Family History in Mansfield 250 Years I am preparing a historical exhibit for the Stearns Family’s 250 years in the town of Mansfield. What a journey as I research and sift the ages. Winnowing down this collection of dates, photos, artifacts, and mementos to what will be displayed is difficult.… Continue Reading

Estate Sale Glimpse to the Past

Estate Sale Glimpse to the Past Saturday morning errands included getting gas. As I left the station there was a homemade sign for an estate sale in nearby Hampton CT. Why not go for a ride. I love the village of Hampton Connecticut. Parts of this town seem untouched by time. The Main street is… Continue Reading

Fiona’s Viral Post

      Her name is Fiona, she is one of many beautiful calves at Mountain Dairy in Storrs/Mansfield Connecticut. www.mountaindairy.com  What is so special about her has been the reaction a photo of her received on Facebook. Mountain Dairy is our family farm. My grandchildren are the 11th generation. I take care of social media for… Continue Reading

Snow Day…Again

Snow Day…Again

      Another Connecticut snow day has me locked away in my home office. I had work to get done, but since I was up early my long day included some arts.         I had a fun time exploring the new set of watercolors, they are fancy, in little aluminum tubes. I painted  this Cod, that… Continue Reading

Launch of a Great Ship- The Charles W. Morgan

Launch of a Great Ship- The Charles W. Morgan

        The Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship of a bygone era went back into the water on July 21,2013. Her maiden launch was on July 21, 1841 at New Bedford, Ma. Through the talents of countless craftsman and steadfast fundraisers the iconic ship was carefully restored and readied for a launch. Towering over… Continue Reading

Job Posting: Troll Caretaker

Job Posting: Troll Caretaker

                                Caretaker Wanted: for single male troll        Person of interest in employment as Troll Caretaker should apply by visiting the realty site and arrange a tour of the home. The  current troll keepers are moving on. The well established and low maintenance troll wishes new caretaker to be easy going and patient with troll like behaviors. New… Continue Reading

Never the Twain Shall Meet

Never the Twain Shall Meet

We will never meet Mark Twain ( the pen name of Samuel Clemens), but standing in his home, surrounded by possessions that were his, a glimpse. Reading his works penned in the third story “man cave”, I know more. Reading what a few of our American Presidents had to say about Mark Twain, yet another… Continue Reading

Review- Tom  Callinan ; Commemorations and I’ll Take New England Any Day

Review- Tom Callinan ; Commemorations and I’ll Take New England Any Day

Tom Callinan Introduces us to two new CD’s of his  legendary music! Commemorations    and   I’ll Take New England Any Day Commemorations is a collection of local legends and National treasures put to music. The characters of a time past and gone are given the breath of life in their story told. The music is warm, engaging… Continue Reading

The Gospel of Mark Alive: Storyteller Rev. Bert Marshall

The Gospel of Mark Alive: Storyteller Rev. Bert Marshall

Stop right now and check November 27, 2011 on your calendar! Sure hope you are free at 2:00 p.m. for this very impressive performance of:  “The Gospel of Mark Alive”  a storytelling performance by Reverend Bert Marshall at First Church of Christ Mansfield Center, CT.                                                                                   Suggested Donation $5.00 per person $15.00 per family. We… Continue Reading

Little Lebanon Llama

I was driving through the town of Lebanon CT. a place so steeped in colonial American history, but on this day it wasn’t the classic colonials, the mile long green or the  huge church spire that caught my eye. My attention was grabbed by a tiny creature just over the fence from the road. I stopped the… Continue Reading

Civil War General Edward W. Whitaker CT. Hero

Civil War General Edward W. Whitaker CT. Hero

   Through storytelling, lecture, web promotion and sharing in conversation I am slowly spreading the word about the brave farm boy from Ashford and his heroic record in the Civil War.  His story like so many thousands of Civil War era stories is about a farm boy turned soldier, many of whom did not go home… Continue Reading

The Connecticut Charter Oak

The Connecticut Charter Oak

The Connecticut Charter Oak, what a story! Spring rain on the leaves of a young descendant of the CT. Charter Oak It is Memorial Day weekend and I am reminded  that we are celebrating freedoms earned my many Connecticut citizens. I am in awe of the strength, ingenuity, wit and talents of the Connecticut people.… Continue Reading

Snow Emergencies Strain CT. Agriculture Industry

Snow Emergencies Strain CT. Agriculture Industry

Snow Emergencies have struck Connecticut Agriculture a terrible blow.  The video shows the removal of the 14th horse from this barn  that collapsed under the weight of snow and ice.  Every day this week the news outlets have carried reports of more roofs in danger of collapse or in many case gone down.  The total loss… Continue Reading