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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Carol K. Carr Guest Post plus Giveaway

Last month I had the opportunity to read Carol K. Carr's wonderful book, India Black.  Today I am thrilled to have her here with us.  She is an author we truly need to watch and I am so happy to get to know more about her as I know she is destined to bring us many more stories we can "escape" into and love.  
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Thank you, Lori, for inviting me to guest blog about my first novel, India Black. (And thank you for your very kind review in December – it made my day when I read it.)

 I waited until well into middle age to publish my first book. Well, not really. Who lives to be 104? Anyway, I’m a little older, I suppose, than the average first-time author, but I look at all those years spent working as a lawyer as a very valuable education in human nature. I’m from Missouri originally, but have lived large chunks of my life in Washington, D.C., Texas and California. I’ve settled back in the Ozarks now, with my husband and our two German Shepherds.

India is the young and beautiful madam of a brothel in Victorian London. When a government minister dies in her establishment and the portfolio of War Office documents he was carrying goes missing, India finds herself blackmailed into helping the British government recover the case from the Russian agents who have stolen it. She is joined in the pursuit by French, a handsome British agent, and an odiferous street urchin named Vincent. The chase leads from the Russian embassy to one of London’s grand hotels, and finally across the English Channel to France.

India popped into my head several years ago, but it took some time to get her out of there and put her story on paper. There was never any question that eventually I would tell India’s story – she’s a very persuasive woman, and won’t take no for an answer. The inspiration for her is a fictional character, Harry Flashman, in a series of books by George Macdonald Fraser. Harry is not your typical hero – he’s a drunken, carousing, womanizing coward, who just happens to get involved in critical moments in history, and somehow emerges smelling like a rose. After reading about Harry, I wanted to create a female character who was bold, adventurous, unconventional, and above all, amusing.

The Victorian era has always fascinated me because it’s very similar to our own. There was a strong religious element to Victorian society, and a great divide between the rich and poor. The British had the most powerful military in the world, as the U.S. does today. And many political, intellectual and religious leaders believed in the superiority of their views and felt an almost messianic urge to use them for the improvement of other nations, which did (and does) not always work out so well. I would not have enjoyed living in the Victorian period however – I have an obsession with personal cleanliness. Can you imagine riding the underground on a hot August afternoon in London? And then there’s that little issue of women’s rights.

India Black is the first in a planned series. The second India novel has been delivered to the publisher, and while no date has been set for its publication, I’d anticipate that it will see the light of day sometime in 2012. India, French and Vincent are tasked with protecting a Very Important Person at Balmoral Castle from assassination during the Christmas festivities.

Thanks for the opportunity to introduce myself and India to your readers, Lori. I hope they enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it.

You can visit me at my website for more information and updates: http://www.carolkcarr.com

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Thank you Carol so much for taking the time to be here today.  
My original review post can be found here.

Giveaway is open to U.S.  & Canada Residents 
You do not need to be a follower to enter but
I hope you find something here you like and become one.

Please leave a comment below for Carol and you will receive an additional entry to win this wonderful debut novel.

Just Fill Out The Form Below To Enter.
CONTEST WILL END ON JANUARY 25TH AT 11:59 P.M. CST

18 comments:

Beverly said...

Thanks for hosting the giveaway - the interview is great - nice to get to know more about the author! Happy Reading!

Bitsy Bling Books said...

I've been dying to read this book. It's high up on my TBR list. Understanding human nature is key to writing. Being a keen observer of behavior is so valuable when developing characters. I tend to watch people to get ideas for my own characters -- I'm sure a few have thought me a bit creepy, but their habits were just so interesting!

Charlie
bistyblingbooks (at) gmail (dot) com

debbie said...

I agree about the victorian era. I would have liked to have lived through it, except there were those two issues- woman's rights, and the lack of bathing.
I would love to read the book.

Julie P said...

The cover is beautiful and I am looking forward to reading your book.

Making a leap from career person to author was a brave thing to do! You should be proud of yourself....

PoCoKat said...

Great giveaway...this books sounds great...looking forward to reading it and the next book in the series.

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

Anonymous said...

I'm a sucker for mysteries set in the Victorian Age. Such lovely dark mysteries. That was an interesting time, so strait-laced on the outside and so much corruption underneath. Thanks for the giveaway!

misskallie2000 said...

I love stories set in the Victorian era. I love mystery, suspense and of course romance with HEA. I know my daughter and I will enjoy reading your book Carol. Thanks for stopping to share with us. I can't wait to read India's story.

misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

Carol M said...

I enjoyed the interview. Your book sounds really good! I love mysteries!

Maureen said...

I like the idea of a story set in the Victorian era and India sounds like a unique character.

Pam S (pams00) said...

This sounds like such a great book. I enjoy books in the Victorian area and look forward to this one. Congrats on already getting book two in the series off to the publisher :)!

Karen said...

Thanks for both the review and giveaway, I am a fan of books set in the Victorian Era, though I too have to admit I don't know if I could've survived living during that time!

Anonymous said...

Thank you Carol. Your book sounds very interesting and intelligent.
The title sound intriguing. I guess I am into i words today.
Best luck with this book and the next and all the ones after that.

katsrus said...

Love the book cover. This book sounds really good. Wonderful interview.
Sue B

Carol N Wong said...

I really enjoyed the interview and am very excited that this book is going to be a giveaway. I love read about different historical periods and places. I am very glad the this is a start of a series.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

~The Book Pixie said...

Better to start writing books a bit late in the game than never at all! Glad to hear India Black is going to be the first in a series. Thanks so much for the giveaway!

~Briana

Unknown said...

This sounds like a really good book. I love reading stories set in Victorian England. That cover is amazing!

Thanks,
Jules
onebookshy at yahoo dot com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

I love reading books set in Victorian or Tudor England. Added India Black to my wishlist when I read the first blurb on it. So glad to hear that it's to be a series.

(\___/)
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alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com

Jblanton said...

love the cover- sounds like a great book
ejxd95@gmail.com