Interview with Carrie Fancett Pagels & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordCarrie 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!

For more, visit http://carriefancettpagels.blogspot.com/

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Welcome to the blog, Carrie. I’m so happy to have you here today. Congratulations on your upcoming release, The Blue Ribbon Brides Collection. Such a pretty cover!

I love the title of your novella in this collection – Requilted with Love. Can you tell us how you came up with the idea for this story?

Interview with Carrie Fancett Pagels & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordMy mother was a quilter and made gorgeous quilts. I was engaged three times. It took the third time to find true love! I have a wedding ring quilt that my mother made for me for my first engagement! It is beautiful and after the engagement was broken, I asked if I could still have it. She asked me what color backing I’d like to have on it and I chose a light aqua green color, which I still like. When we were working on this collection, all nine of us, I asked for the quilting exhibition aspect of the fairs. I’ve been to MANY of these exhibits over the years in a number of states. I love looking at the beautiful quilts. But of course, I don’t think any of them are as pretty as the ones my mother made because she quilted them with love. So my heroine (whose two fiancés died, unlike mine!) decides to requilt the design because she doesn’t want it to remind her of the two lost loves. She’s a rather practical young lady!

Since the theme of Blue Ribbon Brides focuses on romances at old time state and county fairs, do you have a special memory from a fair you’d like to share with us?

One of my favorite memories is going to the Michigan state fair, in Lansing, which is where my story is set albeit in 1889. My older sister and brother were “allowed” to tote me around with them while our youngest sibling stayed with my parents. My older sister, Linda Joy, whom I dedicated my story to, took me around just as cheerfully as you please. My favorite memory was of her taking me to a place where they did spun paint art (this is something you could in later times buy as a kid’s toy but at that time it was done with a large motor powering the turning of the cardboard where the paint would land. When it was done I had my “masterpiece” and was thrilled!

Interview with Carrie Fancett Pagels & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordHow fun! I love going to state fairs. 🙂

What Scripture verse recently encouraged you?

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

This is special to me because my best friend sent me the 23rd Psalm with a devotion back in early September 2001 and I ended up writing up a presentation (preaching if you want to call it that) for the residents of a nearby nursing home where I volunteered. I felt compelled to speak about the 23rd Psalm. I told them their generation had gone through so much and that we needed to hang onto the scriptures so that when we go through the “big things” like this country had never yet experienced since World War II. A few days later, September 11th happened. I was pregnant and home alone when my husband called and told me to go to the television. I watched as it all happened live and I kept praying and especially that psalm. And others, in the air, also recalled the 23rd Psalm as they did their duty for each other and our country.

Such a good verse! Thank you for sharing.

If you were to give a tour of your home state of Virginia, what would be your first stop and why?

I grew up in Michigan so I don’t think of this as my home state. BUT, one place I’d take you on a tour would be at Shirley Plantation in Charles City. It has the most COMPLETE set of colonial era buildings in the country with the longest running family owned business in the United States. It is a gorgeous plantation and I have a book set there, Return to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War Romance – it was my debut novella!

Can you share a piece of writing advice that has made a difference in your career?

Interview with Carrie Fancett Pagels & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordThis project is a perfect example of don’t isolate yourself. Don’t hide in a cave. Get out there and interact with other authors and help each other out. I’ve met so many folks in the industry through blogging and engaging in activities that help others and their writing.

Thank you so much for joining us today, Carrie! Is there anything else you’d like to add? Any upcoming projects you can share with us?

Yes, I am delighted to be one of the authors in Barbour’s new collection of novels in the “My Heart Belongs in” destination series! Susan Page Davis, Erica Vetsch, Susie Dietze and myself were the first four authors selected and I know there will be more. My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island releases in July, 2017. I’m also part of a seven author collection in June, 2017 “Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Grooms” which is set in Kansas!

That sounds great! Congratulations, Carrie. Looking forward to reading more of your books soon. 😉

GIVEAWAY!!

Carrie has graciously offered to give away winner’s choice of an ebook or paperback of The Blue Ribbon Brides Collection to one lucky reader! Enter below and it could be YOU! ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering! Contest is open to US residents only and ends October 18, 2016.  The winner will be notified by email. Happy Reading, everybody!

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