Author Interview with Crystal Caudill

Welcome!

Introducing Crystal Caudill!

Bio: Crystal Caudill is the author of “dangerously good historical romance,” with her work garnering awards from Romance Writers of America and ACFW. She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver, and when she isn’t writing, Caudill can be found playing board games with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading other great books at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio. Find out more at CrystalCaudill.com.

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Caudill/e/B099XB2MMK

Newsletter Sign-Up: https://bitly.com/CaudillNews 

Interview with Crystal

I’m excited to have you here on my blog, Crystal. I’ve been looking forward to introducing readers to you and your debut novel, Counterfeit Love. Welcome!

Because you are a debut author, tell us something about yourself that will help the readers get to know you better.

I’m very type A when it comes to the business side writing, however everything else, I can be a total goofball. Also, there are lots of murder jokes in our house. I have entire bookshelves devoted to crime, poisons, criminal investigations, historical crimes, and a search history that probably has me on more than one watch list.

LOL! Do you ever wonder if your bookshelves make guests nervous? I’m sure all those books come in handy for someone writing in this genre. What book or books are you reading right now? Any books on your bedside table?

Only one book stays on my bedside table, a writing craft book. That is because I can only read non-fiction books in very small chunks at a time. Right now it is Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot: How to Write Gripping Stories that Keep Readers on the Edge of Their Seats. However, if you include whatever e-book or audiobook is on my phone, I currently have The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox as an audio, and To Stand in the Breach by Danielle Grandinetti as the e-book, and in my purse is Beyond These War Torn Lands by Cynthia Roemer. I generally do one at a time, but life has been crazy and I’m in the process of trying to finish all of these.

Wow! I can only read one book at a time! How do you keep them all straight? And I’m so glad to see you’re reading a craft book. Continuing to grow in your craft is important for writers. Now, have you always wanted to be a writer?

A writer, yes. A published author, no. I’ve always written to process my life and what’s going on, and it wasn’t something I envisioned putting out into the published world . . . until God told me to do otherwise. It was a fight, but He won. Like always. And if you’re wondering why I wouldn’t want to be published, it’s because a piece of me makes its way into every story, and I didn’t want to feel naked before the world. It’s a good thing God clothes me in His righteousness, because y’all would be getting a real ugly eyeful otherwise.

I think that is one of the hardest aspects of writing that many people don’t realize–how vulnerable it can make you feel–putting yourself out there and opening yourself up for judgement. What has been your favorite part of the publishing journey?

The friends. I prayed for fifteen years for God to bring me Christian friends that I could grow close enough to call sisters. Over the course of this journey, God has done just that. I am blessed to be able to call authors Angela Carlisle, Liz Bradford, Lucette Nel, and Voni Harris my sisters. Even if I never published a book, this journey would have been worth it just to have them as my friends.

That is wonderful the way God gives us the desires of our hearts. I hope I can call you my friend, too.. These authors have influenced you in a spiritual and emotional way, are there authors or their books that have had an influence on your writing?

Janette Oke’s When Calls the Heart is what turned me onto writing Christian Fiction. That series was one that really changed my heart in a lot of ways and put me on the Christian Fiction path I’m walking today. Style wise, Joanna Davidson Politano and Michelle Griep are two of my favorite authors for their depth, spiritual threads, mysterious plots, and amazing writing voices. I want to be them when I grow up. 😉

I have enjoyed Joanna Davidson Politano’s and Michelle Griep’s books as well! What were the key challenges you faced when writing your debut novel?

I wrote this story over the course of one of the worst periods of my life, a time when God was stripping me of everything so that all I could to was turn to Him and completely rely on Him for every single breath in my day. During this story, I lost my grandmother to a drawn out battle with cancer, dementia, and Parkinson’s Disease. My mother spent a year and a half on the other side of the country trying to care for her mother, while I was stuck in Kentucky facing my own family battles. Just after my grandmother died and while my mother spent another six months on the other side of the country dealing with the aftermath, my mother-in-love went through hip replacement that had life-altering and life-threatening complications that lasted ten months. I was so stretched thin mentally, physically, and spiritually, this book really developed out of all that. Which sort of leads into your next question . . .

And that question is, what is the key theme and/or message in the book?

Throughout writing this book, God asked me, will you trust Me, love Me, and lean into Me, even if? Even if the worst happens? Even if I take everything from you? Even if your world never goes back to the way it was? These were key questions that Theresa struggled with throughout the story. It’s a message that I hope every reader walks away with. You CAN trust God and know He is with you, even if.

Wow! What a powerful message! I can’t wait to read this book! I love books with deeper spiritual threads! So, for anyone else who is interested in reading Counterfeit Love, can you tell us where can readers find out more about you and your books?

The absolute BEST way to keep up to date with me and my books is to sign up for my newsletter. I only send them out once a month, label each section so you can skim to what you want to know, and my newsletter subscribers get access to my free short story, Banking on Love. It’s great for reading while standing in long lines . . . especially the DMV. Otherwise, my website always has my books listed on my Books tab, or you can follow my Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, and Facebook profiles.

One last question before you go. Readers love sneak peeks, so any current or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

Counterfeit Love is book 1 in the Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age series. Book two, Counterfeit Hope, is currently in the editing process, and book three, Counterfeit Faith, is almost ready to be turned in to my editors. I hope you’ll check out the series and will fall in love with Secret Service Operatives Broderick Cosgrove, Andrew Darlington, and Josiah Isaacs like I have. All three books will be released between now and 2023, God willing.

Excellent! Thank you so much for joining us today, and prayers for your book release tomorrow!

About The Book

Title: Counterfeit Love

Series: Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age

Author: Crystal Caudill

Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense

Publication date: March 15th 2022

Back Cover Blurb:

Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves–or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he’s been sent to track down?

After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name–and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors’ threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn’t all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home–and the truth.

After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career–but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.

They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there’s no question they’re both still keeping secrets–and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.

Combining rich history, danger, suspense, and romance, Crystal Caudill’s debut novel launches this new historical series with a bang. Fans of Elizabeth Camden, Michelle Griep, and Joanna Davidson Politano will be thrilled to find another author to follow!

Purchase Link:

Giveaways

FREE FOR EVERYONE: Anyone who wants to can download a copy of my short story, Banking on Love, by signing up to join my newsletter at https://BookHip.com/RGLTQF.  I send out monthly newsletters that you can always unsubscribe to, but this group is the first people to know of publishing details like cover reveals, sales, newsletter subscriber only opportunities.

BOOK LAUNCH GIVEAWAY: This giveaway is going on across multiple sites.

THREE WINNERS

Grand Prize – Counterfeit Love Book Box – a signed print copy of Counterfeit Love and an “Always Booked” tote full with surprises related to the story to be opened when as they read and reach matching post it notes.

Runner Up – Winner’s choice of a signed print copy of Counterfeit Love or e-book, a pair of bookish socks, and a “I Love Big Books” bookmark

2nd Runner Up – Winner’s choice of a signed print copy of Counterfeit Love or e-book and a “Read More Books” zipper bag with paper bookmarks

Fine Print: Physical prizes only available to those living in the contiguous United States who are legally eligible to win. Non-contiguous U.S. and  International winners will get an unsigned copy of the book through Book Depository if available and the author will mail a signed book plate and bookmark.

Drawing runs from 12:01 a.m. March 13th to 11:59 p.m. (EST) March 31tst. The winner will be randomly picked via Rafflecopter on April 1st.

The winner will be emailed during the first week of April 1st and will have 7 days to respond before a new winner is drawn. Please add crystalcaudillwrites@gmail.com to your contacts list to ensure you receive your email.

Rafflecopter Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/884ac8a131/?

4 thoughts on “Author Interview with Crystal Caudill”

  1. Lori Smanski says:
    Reply
    Lori Smanski's avatar

    Good morning. Welcome today. Congrats on your book. This is so exciting. When Calls the Heart was a series I read years ago. And I kept the books. I have re-read them many times. Lots of lessons I gleaned at different times of my life. When it came to tv, my husband and iI watched the first the first movie. I mentioned that I had the series in books. He got all excited and wanted to read the books before watching the tv series. LOL this is a man who only reads non fiction and technology books.
    Prayers for your books to reach many readers. I have signed up and look forward to your books. Thank you and keep following Gods path. Cant loose

    Liked by 1 person

    • Crystal Caudill says:
      Reply
      Crystal Caudill's avatar

      Thank you so much for the encouragement and support. I certainly appreciate the prayers. When Calls the Heart series has definitely touched many hearts. How amazing that your husband wanted to read them before watching the series. I watched a couple of seasons, but it’s hard for me to have time for TV. I generally am lucky to watch more than two seasons of anything, usually, it’s only a few episodes.

      Like

    • Crystal Caudill says:
      Reply
      Crystal Caudill's avatar

      Thank you so much for the encouragement and support. I certainly appreciate the prayers. When Calls the Heart series has definitely touched many hearts. How amazing that your husband wanted to read them before watching the series. I watched a couple of seasons, but it’s hard for me to have time for TV. I generally am lucky to watch more than two seasons of anything, usually, it’s only a few episodes.

      Liked by 1 person

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