Caryl McAdoo: Passion, You Gotta Have It!

Everyone's Story gives a big welcome to author Caryl McAdoo. This is Caryl's first appearance on this blog and I'm excited she's here and hope you are too. Actually, Caryl's the one who is super enthusiastic… about everything she ventures into, whether it's writing, her favorite color green, and May! Please settle back and read Caryl's excerpt of her newest release, one you can take a chance on winning as a BookGiveaway. I hope Caryl's energy spreads and you will be inspired to leave a comment since both Caryl and I look foreword to hearing from you.

**Caryl lives in Texas, and although she has escaped harm from this past week's storm, Praise God, please consider offering a prayer for those impacted in Texas and Oklahoma… thanks.

BookGiveaway:

Caryl is offering 1 copy of her newest release SINS OF THE MOTHERS, Book Four of Caryl's Texas Romances series, to 1 randomly chosen commenter. The winner will be announced here on Friday, June 5th between 5-6 PM EST. To be entered in the Giveaway, please leave your contact information within your comment.



Excerpt from SINS OF THE MOTHERS: 

SINS OF THE MOTHERS by Caryl McAdoo

With everyone on the porch for the clan’s sendoff, Mary Rachel decided for sure and for certain and could wait no longer. She took a deep breath and hugged his neck. “Daddy, I’m sorry. I really am, but I can’t go. No, I mean I’m not going. I can’t leave. I won’t.”

He leaned back and stared at her for too long a minute, his face suddenly stone cold. “What did you just say?”

She grimaced; steam rose to her cheeks. He softened just like he always had when her mother turned on him. Saying it aloud made it all the more real, strengthened her resolve. “I cannot be gone for seven months. I thought for a while maybe I could, but I can’t, Daddy.”

Her new mother stepped close. “But Mary Rachel, why? It’s the trip of a lifetime. I promise you’ll adore Europe.”

“It’s just Mary now, please. No Rachel. That’s what Caleb calls me.”

His voice lowered to almost a whisper, he slipped some of the steel back on. “So. This is about that boy.”

“He’s a man, Daddy, and you know it. We love each other.”

“If he loves you, baby, then he’ll wait. It’s only seven months. He should be thrilled you have this opportunity to travel Europe.”

“Well, I’ve made my decision, and I’m not going.”

“We’ve booked your passage.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner, but I knew you wouldn’t be happy about my decision.” She looked off at the tree line, hating the disappointment in his eyes. But that was a coward’s way, so she faced him again. “Like I said, I thought I could. Anyway, let Bonnie take my place.”

From somewhere, her youngest sister burst into the middle. “Can I, Daddy? Please take me! I’ll be good. Mama, tell him how good I’ll be.” She turned those doe eyes on him. “Pleeeease.”

* * * * *

Six miles, north by northwest as the turkey vultures soar from Clarksville, Texas, the very reason Mary stayed home, rode his best mule as he skidded the black walnut saw log back to his cabin. Caleb looked behind. “Slow, girl, almost there.” 

He nudged the animal a bit further, the timber only feet from his makeshift hoist. Two more steps, then he eased Harley Sue to a stop. He hopped down then rubbed the old girl’s near ear. “You sure are a good mule.”

The distant rattle of trace chains turned him east, for a minute he stared, then she waved. “Well, look here what the cat drug in.”

He unhooked the skid and led Harley Sue to the barn’s corral; got back before Lanelle had the brake set on her wagon. “She go?”

“Nope.”

He nodded. “You sure? Saw it with your own eyes?”

“Yep, he took the three younger girls, but not the princess.” She stood and threw him a smirk. “Help me down.”

“Sure.” He stepped toward her with his arms held out, she fell into them. He caught her then twirled her around as she wrapped hers around his neck. He set her feet to the ground then stepped back a bit. Business first. “Anyone see you turn on my road?”

“No, but what difference would it make? I’m only bringing supplies for my kin.”

“True, you get it all?”

“A pound of salt pork, two ounces of salt, and a pound of coffee, but you best get yourself to town. Old man Hobbs wants a word with you. Wasn’t too happy when I told him to put it on your bill ‘stead of Pappy’s.”

Caleb nodded toward his wagon. “I should have this lumber loaded by Saturday. I’ll see to him on my way to Jefferson.”

She shrugged then turned and moseyed toward the cabin. “That last batch any better?”

Heading the opposite direction to the well, he soon went to cranking; retrieved the jug, pulled the cork, and sipped a taste. When he didn’t follow, she looked around then trotted to him grinning. He extended his home brew. “You tell me.”

Always a sight to behold, she accepted the jug without an ounce of pretension. Licked her lips then took a short pull and wiped her mouth. “Boogers, Caleb.” She grinned then got herself a real drink. “Woo! I’d say that may be the best you’ve cooked yet.”

He took the jug back and sipped a few gulps more. Burned good all the way down. Replacing the cork, he nodded toward the cabin. “You got time?”

Passion! By Caryl McAdoo

It’s May! It’s May, the lovely month of May! That’s about as far as this Christian author can go singing that old Camelot song. J But I do love the month of May. Back in 1950, at the St. Mary’s Hospital in Long Beach, California, I was born on the third day of May. So as I grew enough to become aware, the fifth month in the year became my favorite one.

Do you have favorites? I have favorite everythings! In VOW UNBROKEN, my first historical Christian Texas Romance, the heroine, Susannah Baylor is very passionate—about most everything, and that’s one of the reasons my hero Patrick Henry Buckmeyer loves her so much, even though she often takes her passion to the extremes and not always in a good way.

My poor husband Ron of almost forty-eight years and poor Henry, but they both desire to share their lives with a passionate woman. J Passion is a noun, an emotion described in dictionaries as strong and barely controllable, powerful and compelling. It’s used more specifically in relation to being amorous and also to describe the sufferings of Christ in His last days on earth as a man.

The Urban Dictionary says: ‘Passion is when you put more energy into something than is required to do it. It is more than just enthusiasm or excitement, passion is ambition that is materialized into action to put as much heart, mind, body, and soul into something as is possible.’ So I don’t believe it’s a bad thing.

Acts 14:15 speaks of it: ‘We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God…’ And in the fifth chapter of James, seventeenth verse, ‘Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.’ Woo Hoo! Being passionate can be great. God can use my passions for His Kingdom!

I am passionate about bringing God glory! I have adopted a mantra for my writing: Praying my story gives God glory! And that’s the fourth sentence I’ve ended with an exclamation point. Tee hee hee My passion is showing. In my novels, I don’t, but in my life, exclamations come so naturally! I think that has to do with my passion.

So, one of my favorite things is the color GREEN, for as long as I can remember, emerald is the birthstone of May and my younger eyes were bright green. I have green rings, clothes, car, purses, sunglasses, towels, dishes, walls, furniture, sheets, roofs…need I go on? This has served me well, when I go out, strangers think I am so ‘together’ and if I should leave anything somewhere – like my brush at a baby shower, the hostess called and said, “I’m sure this is yours, Caryl. It’s green.”—I get my stuff back. And yet another benefit is that I get occasional little gifts when people I know are out and see something green J and they think of me.

I also have a favorite food in TACOS! Think about it, with a dollop of sour cream, they encompass all the basic food groups—and with a wallop when sprinkled with jalapenos. Praise and worship is my favorite music. Sweet tea is my favorite drink. Chocolate is my favorite flavor of anything!

My afore mentioned mantra and passion for God leads me walk in His Holiness and to be bold in telling others about the Truths His Holy Spirit has revealed to me. It causes some to think I’m being judgmental. I unintentionally hurt some people because of my passion and they don’t like being around me because of it. In my passion I am compassionate, and it hurts me to know I’ve hurt someone, but my passion will not allow compromise. Truth is Truth and right is right, and two wrongs never make a right!

So what are YOU passionate about?

Caryl's Ah-hahs To Tweet:

#ChristianFiction author @CarylMcAdoo shares true writing passion on Everyone’s Story (Tweet This)

#BookGiveaway of @CarylMcAdoo’s newest release of SINS OF THE MOTHERS (Tweet This) 

@CarylMcAdoo: should passion allow compromise in your writing? (Tweet This)

Author's Bio:

Christian, hybrid (Simon and Schuster; Indie) author Caryl McAdoo is currently writing three series, all from a perspective of faith: her historical Texas Romances; the contemporary Red River Romances; and The Generations, her Biblical fiction. The novelist loves singing new songs the Lord gives her, and she paints. In 2008, she and her high school sweetheart-husband Ron moved from the DFW area—home for fifty-five years—to the woods of Red River County. Caryl counts four children and fifteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings believing all good things come from God. Praying each story gives God glory, she hopes it will also minister His love, mercy, and grace to its readers. Caryl and Ron live in Clarksville, the county seat, in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State.

Places to connect with Caryl:

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