About the Book
Book: Prodigal Lives
Author: Carol McClain
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release date: April 1, 2022
Life keeps piling problems on Meredith Jaynes. She loses her second foster child—one she was scheduled to adopt. Then Parker Snow refuses to marry her. With only her goats and artisan soap to support her, life will get no better.
If she is honest, though, she still has Crystal. Her funny, happy, loveable toddler makes the sun shine and reminds her of the never-failing love of God.
Pearl Solomon loves her life with her grandfather Guy, but every one of her triumphs is overshadowed by her sisters’ lives. With Mama Meredith, they live a life she envies. Because of her jealousy, she refuses to contact them.
Years later, life for both families twist down paths they do not wish to travel. Pearl knows she’s lost what was most precious in life but has no means of fixing things. Left to her own devices, she spirals out of control.
Meredith finds it harder to mask the despair infertility has brought to her life.
Both families believe they must reconcile themselves to their fates as reality shatters their dreams unless they dig deep for the promise of love.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Carol McClain is the award-winning author of four novels dealing with real people facing real problems. She is a consummate encourager, and no matter what your faith might look like, you will find compassion, humor and wisdom in her complexly layered, but ultimately readable work.
Aside from writing, she’s a skilled stained-glass artist, a budding potter and photographer. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and growing farm. Inspired by Meredith Jaynes, she owns two goats. One will kid soon.
You can connect with her at carolmcclain.com.
On goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14030286.Carol_McClain
On BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/carol-mcclain
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.Carol.McClain
More from Carol
Have you ever thought you’ve seen yourself in a novel?
If you know an author, you probably have.
For years I worked with recovering addicts and those helping them in organizations like Celebrate Recovery, a Christian-styled support group like AA. If I read the events of these people’s lives in a novel, I would say, “Too fake to believe.”
Their lives are tragic, funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming.
Many of their stories made it into my latest novel Prodigal Lives (modified, disguised, and novelized).
I not only incorporate others into my work, but I live through my characters’ lives (Please don’t suggest a sky diving protagonist).
In Prodigal Lives one of my main characters owns goats. For years, I begged my husband too let me have a goat or two. He promised. Then, he wimped out, so I created Meredith Jaynes a successful artisan specializing in goat soap and raising Nubians.
Prodigal Lives is a sequel but can stand alone (reading both books amplifies your enjoyment, of course). This book follows the loss Pearl and Meredith feel as Pearl is adopted by her grandfather. Pearl becomes jealous of her sisters who stay with Mama Meredith, and they lose touch. Although they hear nothing from each other, neither is forgotten.
I believe in redemption. All my work illustrates that no matter how far you fall, a loving Father is going to make a way to redeem you. He’s done it for me, and I was an impossibly problematic child of the King.
I hope you enjoy Prodigal Lives. Sign up for my newsletter and blog and never miss a new release, my Biblical thoughts or an appearance I’m making. Believe me, I wouldn’t live, my blog and newsletter are fascinating.
Author Interview with Carol
1) What role does God play in your writing career?
Daily, I breathe. I don’t think about it, breathing happens. That’s pretty much illustrates the role God plays in my writing. As a Christian, Christ’s principles have integrated into my philosophy. My philosophy morphs into my plots. If one theme is prevalent, it’s redemption.
None of us have fallen so far that God can’t redeem us—and this is the major theme of Prodigal Lives.
Aside from influencing theme, I’ve seen God direct my steps. For example, in Yesterday’s Poison I wrote about a paramedic. I researched and talked to a few I knew (My interactions with them made me want to volunteer to be an EMT!) However, my interpretations of their work were inaccurate. It “just so happened” a fellow joined a critique group I participated in. He “just so happened” to be a paramedic. His help was invaluable.
When the book published, he disappeared from my life. I tried to keep in touch, but our paths dissolved. I’d love to hyper-spiritualize and say he was an angel … in reality, he was a gift from God for a season.
God works in every facet of my life, and it’s his will that I write.
2) What kind of fiction do you like writing the most? Why?
I like contemporary women’s fiction. I love reading this genre, and I write contemporary because I love it.
I do read all types of fiction and memoir except occult and porn. Seeing as I never figure out who the murderer was in mystery or how to catch the bad guy in suspense, and I slept through all my history classes because who cared about dates and facts, I don’t feel I could effectively write those genres.
I do know people. I taught for over thirty years, and I love humanity in all its messy flaws and glorious triumphs. I love portraying people in hard situations and seeing how God saves them.
3) What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
I’ll be unimaginative here and give you the cliché: It’s easier to say what I don’t like to do. (Housework, in case you’re wondering).
Primarily I love to work with glass. I’ve created stained glass for about eight years. Recently I bought a kiln and I’m self-teaching fusing. I’m a potter, too.
I love movement, so I garden and hike. I used to run and love the sport. However, age and abused joints forbid the activity, so I hike and play with flowers and veggies.
4) Do you ever get writer’s block? If yes, how do you overcome it?
When don’t I get writer’s block? Every story I write encounters this nemesis. When I finish one novel, I’m certain I’ll never write another. I have two sure-fire cures. First, I go for a walk (formerly, a run worked better). Walking awakens my creativity. I see things in my surroundings that inspire me, or my mind finally loosens up and I discover the next element of my story.
The only thing you can’t fix is the blank page. This well-worn aphorism been said in many ways. As I stare at the cursor on my computer winking at me, saying, “Ha, ha, you have nothing worthwhile to say,” I show the darned evil eye how wrong it is. Then I type. Anything. I write every silly notion in my addled brain. Sometimes inspiration happens and the results end up in the work. Other times, the delete button works. At any rate, the block melts, and the book gets written.
5) If you didn’t write, what would you do?
I’d dream. Since childhood—about a millennium ago, I’ve been a dreamer. As a child, I made up stories in my head until one day, fourth grade maybe, I decided to write my daydream. Being a woolgather isn’t much different from writing, though.
If I could no longer write, I’d work with glass. I have a studio with all sorts of glass and glass gadgets. I’d replace every window in my house with stained glass. I’d fabricate all my dishes, invent windchimes and garden décor. I’d participate in more craft shows. Maybe I’d even apprentice under Dale Chihuly. I did take three glass blowing lessons, so I’m sure this preeminent glass blower would take me on. (You have to check out his work. AMAZING).
Thank you for your time and allowing us to get to know you better!
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 6
Splashes of Joy, August 7 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 7
Texas Book-aholic, August 8
Inklings and notions, August 9
For Him and My Family, August 10
Artistic Nobody, August 11 (Author Interview)
deb’s Book Review, August 11
Locks, Hooks and Books, August 12
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 13
A Reader’s Brain, August 14
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 15
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 17
Spoken from the Heart, August 18
Pause for Tales, August 19
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Carol is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/20711/prodigal-lives-celebration-tour-giveaway