Carolyn Hartley is an accomplished author and publisher and her new book is riveting! This special episode is a one-on-one with her to discuss the new work and the state of the industry.
Complete show notes and links to Carolyn's books here.
You’ve met Carolyn Hartley before, she’s one of our Patrons and the owner of J. Merrill Press in Chapin, South Carolina. The vision for J. Merrill Press has always been to publish stories of courageous women and never is this more true than in Adele’s duet.
The first book, Redemption: One Woman’s Dream to Overcome Oppression, Find Family, Love, and Forgivenessintroduced us to Adele. Born into wealth before her father died, Adele and her mother found very different circumstances with her stepfather. Spun away from family into a life of poverty, strife and violence, Adele nonetheless retains the memory of a happier destiny. When she sets off in search of her place in the world, she finds more than she asked for. Themes of courage, family, determination, and resilience dominate Redemption and our connection to Adele is deep and wide.
It’s no surprise, then, that Carolyn picked up Adele’s story on the day of her grandmother’s funeral in Reconciliation: Atone the Devil in Buried Sunshine. No longer the timid, naïve girl of Redemption, Adele (though only 19) has inherited the family’s struggling coal mining business and her grandmother’s role as matriarch. Doing what’s best for her sisters and the town that depends upon their family, Adele navigates distrust, betrayal, and even her half-crazed step father’s relentless attempts at revenge. Reconciliation is a satisfying next installment in a saga that has so much to offer.