Thank you for your interest in I DEAL IN HOPE. While I write a variety of styles and genres, my bottom line is hope.
May you find your hope in Jesus Christ.
May what I write, help you "see" Him as the answer.
CRS
An Interview About Carolyn
Agent Tamela Murray interviewed Gloria Geiselman about knowing Carolyn.
My name is Gloria Geiselman and I am currently the administrative
secretary for UNMC College of Nursing at the Kearney, Nebraska division. I am a mother of three grown children, a wife who
admires and loves her husband of 33 years, and a doting grandmother. My roles over the years have included office manager,
day-care provider, women's ministry leader, and the best roles, wife and mother.
Tell us how you met.: I met Carolyn when I was a new freshman
student at our local college. The first Sunday, this lonely freshman walked to a local church. Afterward I was invited by
Pat, a young woman, to her birthday party. Though Carolyn attended a different church, she'd also been invited. Her friends
dropped her off after church at Pat's house. We hit it off immediately. We enjoyed our conversations from the start and once
I found out her apartment was with in walking distance from my dorm, the friendship grew.
Are you surprised Carolyn is a writer? Why or why not?:
From the start of our friendship I was fascinated by her desire, skill, and passion for writing. Literature and English were
my favorite subjects along with being on my school debate team. So I think Carolyn and I naturally saw in each other a kindred
spirit in seeing our world expressed in the written and oral forms. Since an early age Carolyn saw she had a gift for expressing
herself in writing and that God could use this talent no matter her physical challenges. I believe she was created with this
gift so it is no surprise to me her talents as a writer have blossomed through the years.
Share a funny story with us.: We've been friends now for over
30 years and I suppose I could pick a number of stories. But in truth it is more the every day life experiences that stand
out in my mind that we have shared together. The way we can follow each other's patterns and jump in mid-sentence to know
what we are talking about while our dear husbands remain confused as to where the conversation went.
The laughter we've shared over some of the crazy situations she has been
in due to her physical capabilities affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis as a child. Maybe that doesn't sound very kind, but we
have been able to laugh together at least in retrospect. For example: her taking 3 (Carolyn's recall is 5, but who's counting)
stop lights to cross an intersection while we flagged cars to not run over her; or some of the crazy struggles a bathroom
has given that is not designed well for a handicap person; and her creativity in using a squirt gun on her then young toddler
to stop his antics.
Now speaking of our children I could tell more stories that relate to
being a young mom. I never will forget the time we discovered our at-the-time 3 year olds (my daughter, her son) in the nursery
room sprinkling baby powder all over. They, my baby son in the crib, and the room were totally covered in white powder. Now
only good friends could laugh together at this right?
What is your favorite book written by Carolyn and why?: Really
all of the books she has written I feel are done well. I have three favorite ones. BLACK HAWK FEATHER was my favorite fiction
maybe due to the time period of the story and of course the characters. They seemed like real people not just fictional characters
whose life was all put in order in the last few pages. HELP I'M A NEW MOTHER is a great resource book Carolyn put together
from many Christian women and I love the variety but helpful encouragement it gives.
Her historical docu-book A TALE OF THE OREGON TRAIL of a young girl traveling
on a wagon train is the kind of read that an 80 year old to a 7 year old would enjoy as they learn about the struggles of
being a pioneer.
Carolyn has the capability of writing things for a wide range of interests.
***
Note: Gloria's daughter Jessica illustrated Carolyn's picture book I'LL FLY AWAY LITTLLE BLUE CAR (An Eppie
finalist) and her son Justin illustrated A TALE OF THE OREGON TRAIL, a book developed with and for museums and gift shops.
Background
Mother's Day 08 Flowers from daughter Cassie
I am a wife,
proud mother of two, and grandmother three wonderful grandchildren.
Though my writing career is important, it is not more
important than my family. I love spending time with my daughter or my son & daughter-in-law. Especially I love spoiling
my grandchildren.
My published books include over two- dozen books. I have
also contributed to several non-fiction books.
My children's
picture book was an EPPIE Finalist in 2006. Nice surprise!
My novel
SECOND CHANCE FOR CHARITY garnered best Inspirational Romance in the Treble Heart Book awards of 2003 , while KATALINA
placed 2nd in the Mystery/suspense catagory.
My novel
THUNDERING HEART won the Treble Heart Book award for best Inspirational Romance of 2002, while TO KEEP FAITH came in second
in the Inspirational Historical category.
Two of my Heartsong Presents books—BLACK HAWK’S FEATHER & IN LIZZY’S IMAGE--
made the Top Ten Reader's list for the years in which they were released. IN LIZZY’S IMAGE was also a Holt Medallion
finalist. My mystery-romance KATALINA (as an E-book) made the Top Ten reviewer's list for 2000 from http://www.myshelf.com.
A writer
with a degree in journalism from UNK, I have sold many types of material from articles to short stories to a variety of newspapers
and magazines. The Kearney Hub, the regional paper, carries my regular issues column. I have written PR for the Great Platte
River Road Archway Monument. (http://www.archway.org)
As a book reviewer, I wrote and edited a monthly review
newsletter for The Solid Rock, the largest Christian bookstore in out state NE. This resulted in the creation of the book
review web site AUTHOR’S CHOICE BOOK REVIEWS.
I am a past president of the local public library "Friends of the Library" organization and was director of the FOL
Writer’s conference for three years (with such authors as Deb Raney and Robin Lee Hatcher).
As a member of ACRW (American Christian Romance Writers--now American Christian Fiction Writers), I was on the committee
for the first ACRW conference October 2002. I am also the founder of Central Nebraska Fellowship of Christian Writers, Artists,
& Musicians and listed with Christian Women’s Speaker Directory (http://www.womenspeakers.net/).
From 2000-2001, I directed the
KEFC Women’s Retreat (brought in Linda Shepherd & Kathy C. Miller). I also present workshops at writers’ conferences,
speak to different groups on a variety of topics, and guest lectured at UNK for several years.
***
THE PERSONAL SIDE
I contracted Juvenile. Rheumatoid Arthritis. when I was 13.
Within a year
I was confined to a wheelchair. Over the years I was subjected to a multitude of treatments, many painful. There were times
I wanted to give up. But I didn't. In time I was prayed for and something special happened.
The pain, the great pain
I suffered continually, disappeared. But, I was still disabled. Still confined to a wheelchair I did not have strength
to wheel myself. However, in that moment I began to fight my way back.
I attended college in a wheelchair long
before accessibility was considered a right. I graduated Who's Who in journalism from the University of Nebraska at Kearney
(UNK).
From college I went into surgery to replace my knees joints and to straighten my legs. It took another year
before I could walk without full length leg braces and crutches.
During that year my husband and I fell in love and
a little over a year after my surgery I walked down the aisle as a bride.
With my multiple disabilities, being wife
and mother is sometimes difficult, but always I have known God is with me through the hard times as well as the good times...like
the births of our three grandkids.
At home I continued to write and over the years had a measure of success. My published
credits include several hundred plays, poems, meditations, crafts, games, stories and feature articles...and over a dozen published
novels.
Along the way I could have given up, given in to despair and at times--for short times I did, for my medical
problems continue. (I haven't had something major happen in almost two years!!)
Since those first surgeries,
I have had a second set of knee joints plus one, three hip replacements, ankle surgery, surgery for a broken femur as well
as other surgeries--everything from my two c-sections to two biopsies. (We won't talk about the broken leg, two broken arms,
concussions...etc, from falling.)
My point of cataloguing my past is for one reason only. To let you know that no matter
what you go through, don't give up on life, on the future or on your dreams.
Most of all, know that God loves you and He cares.
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR
CAROLYN R. SCHEIDIES
Q: When did you start Writing?
A. I was always writing.
Even before I could read, I tried to make letters. Before I entered school, I kept bugging my dad to show me how to write
this word or that. I soon knew all the three letter words that rhymed with cat and would make endless lists of rhymes. I loved
the sound and rhythm of words.
Q: When did you begin writing
stories?
A. In third grade several
of us began a writing project. My story was titled THE THREE GOLDEN APPLES. I don’t recall much about the story, but
I fell in love with writing. From then on I began writing in earnest. I also began to entertain my younger brother with made
up stories.
Q: When did you decide to
become a writer?
A. Very early on. I loved
reading both fiction and non-fiction, loved the smell and feel of books. I probably always had a passion to write, but it
wasn’t until elementary school I realized I wanted this to be my life’s work.
Q: Why did you decide to
write fiction?
A. I always loved a good
story. Even now, I am in awe of the skill of some authors to draw in the reader, then again, I read other books and think,
“I can do better than that.” Quite frankly, once an idea starts spinning around in my mind, I feel compelled to
write down the story as it unfolded.
Q: What mentor’s have
you had?
A. When I was in high school,
my father took a church in Iowa. There was a published writer in the congregation who kindly took me under her wing. She taught
me how to format, edit my own writing, and market. It was through Margaret Freeman my first stories were accepted and published.
Best of all, I got PAID! And I hadn’t even graduated from high school.
Q: Who are your favorite
authors?
A. That’s tough. I’m
a very eclectic reader and like many different types of writing from classic to contemporary, from literary to romance. Some
of the authors I loved as a child were Walter Farley--the black stallion series (I loved anything having to do with horses.),
Aristotle, Victoria Holt, Phyllis Whitney and Mary Stewart all come to mind.
I kept adding “favorite” authors along the way. Now I devour Brandilyn Collins,
and Dee Henderson. I also likeFrancine Rivers, Robin Lee Hatcher, Tracie Peterson,
JoAnn Grote, Irene Brand,B.J. Hoff and too many others to count. I have books
I read over and over again, and would not give up.
Q: What is your favorite
book?
A. That one’s easy.
The Bible. It has more variety of writing, more practical living tips and has the best story of all...the story of a loving
God embracing his creation through the sacrifice of his son Jesus.
Q: How did you prepare for
a writing career?
A. By getting a comprehensive
degree in journalism. Writing for the media teaches you to work under deadline, to work within space limitations (most print
publishers have word length restrictions), and not to waste words. This is great preparation for any kind of writing from
picture books to novels. Basically, I learned to make every word count.
Q: Do you prefer writing
fiction or non-fiction?
A. I have no preference.
I write both. I love interviewing and writing about real people, because I believe everyone has a unique story to tell. I've
written both fiction and non-fiction for all ages,and have contributed to several
non-fiction books. While I write articles for a variety of publications, I also enjoy writing fiction. There’s nothing
quite like creating characters that take on a life of their own as they tell their story. And I like endings that end with
hope.
Q: I noticed you have physical
limitations, how has this influenced your writing?
A. Write what you know.
Many of my characters also suffer some physical problem with which they must deal.
As for me, I do tire easily and surgery sometimes short-circuits my writing schedule. I have
learned to schedule around my limitations. I also appreciate the time I do have, and use it to its fullest. I hate wasting
time. I have my PDA in which to jot ideas whenever they strike, whether that’s in a doctor’s office or the middle
of the night.
Q: How does your writing
affect your family?
A. My son is married and
has three children, and my daughter is a counselor. When our children were young, I wrote whenever I could, whenever
I had the energy, and whenever I was wide awake enough to concentrate...even for a few minutes.
Q: Where do you see your
writing going from here?
A. I write a regular column
for the Kearney Hub that I enjoy very much.
I have had over two
dozen books published and am working on several other projects.
I plan to continue writing
both fiction and non-fiction, romance, suspense, articles, childrens....wherever the ideas, and the Lord, lead.
