Interview with Carrie Fancett Pagels!

Hi everyone, Angela here and I have the great privilege of introducing author Carrie Fancett Pagels to you all today! Here is a little about her:

Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D.

Carrie Fancett Pagels is a multi-published award-winning author of Christian historical romance.  Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn't "cure" her overactive imagination! She resides with her family in the Historic Triangle of Virginia, which is perfect for her love of history. Carrie loves to read, bake, bead, and travel – but not all at the same time!

Welcome Carrie! We're so glad you could visit us today. 

Thanks for having me on, Angela! We’re so glad you joined us over at Colonial Quills blog, too!!! Glad to have you with the Colonial American Christian Writers group!

It has been so fun getting to know you over there and will subtly leave the link here incase anyone here enjoys reading about Colonial America. ;)

What made you decide to become a writer?

When I was a child I loved to read and aspired to be a writer. Ultimately, God drew me to become a writer. He’d been calling to me for years and I’d continued as a psychologist thinking I’d answer that call when I retired. God had other plans and after I became disabled from my RA, He helped me become a pretty productive writer. He helped me get out two short novels in the last year plus two long novellas, completing another standard size novella now, plus get another full-length novel to market!!!

So exciting about all your books! I know you have a great line up this year. It is amazing how the Lord can turn our lives around on us to make us into what He wants us to be. One of your websites is called: Overcoming with God. What does this mean to you?

This originally was my solo blog entitled – Overcoming Through Time with God’s Help. That was my tagline for my writing. I’ve been blessed to have others join me so now this is a group blog. My intention was that in some form this blog would be both a ministry to readers and especially provide reviews of books that had some bibliotherapy element in them. Prior to beginning this blog I posted in a mini blog on both My Book Therapy and on the old ShoutLife site, which no longer exists. My life is about overcoming with God’s help and this happens over time, not necessarily as quickly as we’d like! He’s really brought me through some things, e.g., praise God after five years of barely walking and then surgery and two procedures and much physical therapy I am now walking again (thirty-five to forty minutes a day at least!) God is good!

Yes, He is! I can't imagine life without His help. How does your faith and spirituality work in with your writing? 

Big Daddy Weave explains my story writing far better than I could write it here. I’m sharing the link to the video. This is exactly how I feel, the way this song says!!! And I’m thrilled that my readers use those key words to describe my books: grace, hope, love, victory, freedom, life, overcome, Jesus, praise, savior, and mercy. As he says “To tell you my story is to tell of HIM!”

Wow, what a great song! Thanks for sharing. I'll have to save that to my playlist. Very inspiring! 

Where did the inspiration for your latest book come from? 

I live in the Historic Triangle of Virginia. I have a Civil War book – Return to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War Romance, set in Charles City, Virginia. As part of the research for this book and for another series I wrote (not yet published), I have spent a great deal of time researching this area which is home to many beautiful horses and to the Queen Anne Hunt Club. I’d already had a manuscript set during the War of 1812 and I imagined a bunch of “What Ifs” related to horse racing in the area, before the build up to the war.

Thanks for sharing the picture of the steeple from Grace Episcopal Church in Yorktown which is featured in your story. I must admit that's how must of my books start as well--the big "what ifs". It's fun to be able to discover the answers.

What is one of your favorite scenes in The Steeplechase?

There are a couple. One of my most memorable ones for me is the black moment scene. I don’t want to spoil it, but I had trouble writing this. I wanted there to be justice for the antagonist but we serve a merciful God so I often have difficulty writing hard consequences. So the big scene where Tarleton’s, Martha’s, and Phillip’s lives overlap in such a way that at least one of them isn’t going to get out of that dark moment unscathed is my favorite for this book.

I must admit, dark moments are usually my favorite parts of books, and the emotional depth found there. 

What are you working on next? 

I am completing a novella, entitled “Requilted with Love” for Barbour Publishing for the Blue Ribbon Brides collection, releasing in November, 2016.  I also have another release in May, entitled Mercy in a Red Cloak (Forget Me Not Romances) and a full length novel, Saving the Marquise’s Granddaughter, with White Rose/Pelican in June that I am very excited about! BOTH are colonial era!!!

Very exciting! You have some great stuff going on. Here is a the cover and a little about the Steeplechase:

Martha Osborne fears for her six-year-old brother, who was shuffled off to boarding school when his British mother departed to England. Set in Hampton Roads, Virginia, in the build-up to the War of 1812, expert rider Martha plans to substitute for her older brother in a “race to the steeple” to win the prize—and a bet with Phillip Paulson, equestrian trainer at Yorkview Academy, to help have her little brother returned home. When Phillip stumbles upon the real reasons behind the secret race he finds he may not be able to keep his end of the bargain. Can he save Martha and her brother? And will his heart be lost in the process?

Thank you so much for being with us, Carrie! 

Thanks for having me on, Angela!!!

To connect with Carrie and to find out more about her new books:

Website: www.carriefancettpagels.com

Blogs: Overcoming With God and Colonial Quills

Facebook Author Page

Facebook Personal Page

Twitter

Pinterest

goodreads

LinkedIn

Amazon author page

Also, say hi in the comments to be entered to win The Steeplechase, your choice of e-book or print (US address only for print)!