The Seafarer’s Secret
by Carol Ann Collins
I am delighted to welcome Carol Ann Collins
to Escape With Dollycas today!
Hi Carol Ann,
Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m very introverted as well as being socially awkward, but I enjoy traveling and I adore meeting readers. I can talk your ears off about books of all kinds. Your books. My books. What you’re reading. Used books. Rare books. New books. And I love hanging out with my husband and our two adult children (fortunately, they share the book bug with me).
What is the first book you remember reading?
What are you reading now?
Recently, I’ve rediscovered historical romance, which I read a ton of years ago, and I’ve just finished a novel by Abby Jimenez, who’s a new favorite. Also, John Gilstrap typically has a book come out in the summer, so I’ll be picking up his latest whenever that comes out.
What books have most inspired you?
I’d have to say probably the historical romances I read when I was younger. SLIGHTLY DANGEROUS by Mary Balogh contains one of my favorite heroes of all time. I was fortunate enough to meet Mary Balogh once and had the opportunity to chat with her. She is incredibly nice and down to earth. I mentioned how much I loved the hero in DANGEROUS and his unlikely heroine. She said when she sat down to write them, she imagined the last person anyone would expect him to fall for and that’s the woman she wrote as his match. I always try to keep that in the back of my mind when I’m writing – do the unexpected!
What made you decide you wanted to write mysteries?
I always wanted to be an author. However, a good number of years ago I realized that while I was doing what I wanted, I wasn’t writing what I wanted. I asked myself what I’d write if I could write anything, and I honestly didn’t know. Readers (myself included) tend to pigeonhole authors, and I think as authors we find it easy to do the same thing to ourselves. The trouble is when we pigeonhole our craft, we create limits. We unknowingly limit what we think we can do.
THE SEAFARER’S SECRET is what happened when I stepped out of the pigeonhole and gave myself the freedom to write anything.
Do you have a special place where you like to write?
I typically write at our dining room table. The room has a lot of windows, so there’s plenty of light. It’s location is perfect because it’s at the front of the house, allowing me to see if anyone pulls into the driveway, and it’s centrally located, so I can see what’s going on inside as well.
Where do the ideas for your books come from?
Everywhere! I’ve had ideas driving down the road and seeing a billboard, walking while on vacation, and brainstorming in a swimming pool with my husband. Sometimes, the littlest, most unassuming thing can spark your imagination.
Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?
Being an author is like the world’s craziest roller coaster mixed with the wildest marathon imaginable. There will be exhilarating highs and devastating lows, and sometimes you’ll just be spinning around in a circle. There will always be people in front of you, but there will be some behind you as well. If you do happen to make it to the front, eventually someone will pass you. On the other hand, if you find yourself in last place, rest assured you won’t be there forever.
Realizing, accepting, and becoming content with those facts is the most challenging thing about being an author.
What do you think makes a good story?
A good story makes you feel and stays in your mind long after you’ve read the last page. And though I know some people disagree, I have to have a happy ending.
Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?
I think all of my characters have a piece of me in them. But in this book, I relate most to William because we both internalize a lot and overthink things.
What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?
The historical piece, definitely, and how it ties into the present day. In one of my early drafts, I alternated between past and present. When I decided to make it only the present day, I took the unused historical parts and made them into the unknown woman’s journal.
What’s next on the horizon for you?
Professionally, I’m not sure. I have a few ways I could go. Personally, my husband will be retiring in a few years and our youngest will soon be starting graduate school. I also want to learn how to use a sewing machine!
Thank you Carol Ann for visiting today!
Keep reading for more details about Carol Ann and her new book!
About The Seafarer’s Secret
The Seafarer’s Secret
Cozy Mystery
Setting – North Carolina
Publisher : Beaufort Books (March 26, 2024)
Paperback : 310 pages
ISBN-10 : 0825310288
ISBN-13 : 978-0825310287
Digital ASIN : B0BZBCSG86
Secrets are revealed. Lies are exposed. And in order to have a future, William and Eva will have to delve into the past.
William Templeton, widower and police chief of Eden, North Carolina is working the scene of a local woman’s drowning when the body is found with an old gold coin in her pocket – identical to a coin that was discovered on Catherine’s body, his estranged wife, over a year ago. Catherine’s case, originally deemed a tragic accident, has been reopened, forcing William to step down as police chief.
Historian and Blackbeard expert, Eva Knightly, is brought into the investigation to help identify the coins and can’t understand why her good friend Catherine never mentioned anything about it. When more coins surface at a local church, Eva and William know it’s more than mere coincidence. With the entire town whispering about Blackbeard, cursed coins, and lost treasure, it becomes hard to separate what is true and what is a myth.
The Seafarer’s Secret is a thrilling cinematic mystery featuring the exigent slow-burning romance between William and Eva as they work together to reveal the secrets and lies of Eden, North Carolina. Though, in order to have a future, they’ll have to look deep into the past to keep from being a modern-day killer’s next victim.
Great Escapes Praise for The Seafarer’s Secret
by Carol Ann Collins5 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Seafarer’s Secret combines history, murder, mystery, and friendship with a bit of a cozy vibe. A wonderful story that I recommend to those who enjoy mystery, a great setting, some history, and a little bit of romance.
~Carla Loves To ReadIf you like Noelle A Granger and Rebecca Douglass’s mysteries, you’ll enjoy The Seafarer’s Secret‘s. This elegant cosy mystery follows the patterns and rules I have learned to expect. So… I thoroughly enjoyed it.
~Jemima Pett, Author*****5 stars
I enjoyed the story and the conclusion of the mystery. If you like books about hidden treasure and pirates, you’ll enjoy this one.
~Ruff Drafts Debbie De Louise, Author
About Carol Ann Collins
Writing allows Carol Ann Collins to combine two of her favorite things, history and romance. Her work is a combination of historical fact, pure fiction, and a vivid imagination. Though she is an introvert who had no problem staying inside during quarantine, she enjoys traveling with her husband and two adult children. In her spare time, she is an avid book collector and bargain shopper who loves to combine the two. To date, her favorite find is an 1869 edition of Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain purchased for $10.
Author Links
Website Instagram GoodReads
Purchase Links
Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org – Kobo
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
May 15 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 15 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST
May 16 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – REVIEW
May 17 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 17 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 18 – Jemima Pett, Author – REVIEW
May 18 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
May 20 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
May 21 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT-No Post Yet
May 21 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 22 – Ruff Drafts – REVIEW
May 22 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read! – AUTHOR GUEST POST
May 23 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
May 24 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
May 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
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What an intriguing book! Great cover too.
Thank you so much for hosting today and for all the work you did setting everything up! I