Carmen Whitaker (far left seated) with her mother, Nettie Peters, standing behind her are with family, friends, and fans.
March 12, 2021 - A new book author from Shelby County gave an official introduction to her first publication at a book signing event hosted graciously by Chelle Mooney inside her shop Mooney's Emporium on February 27, 2021. With southern hospitality which included cookies and other refreshments, Carmen Whitaker visited with all who stopped by to purchase or just visit with her about her book 'A Living Hope.'
Whitaker agreed to an interview with Shelby County Today about her authorpreneurial journey.
"It is a contemporary Christian fiction book. It has heavy tones of Christianity in it." Whitaker advises it took her a little over a year to finish and publish the book. With the help of her mom, Annette, they did the editing themselves. "I tried using a professional editor and it felt yucky to me. I sent my writing off to them and they wanted to cut stuff out that I thought was important. I write the way I speak so there are some errors in there but they are on purpose."
"I think it is all a matter of context. If I were writing a paper for a college professor or for a newspaper publication but I'm writing a fictional story about people I want the reader to relate to as real."
When asked if COVID-19's quarantine prompted her book writing, Whitaker responded, "I had started it three or four months before quarantine really took over. But I have always loved to write and I've always dreamed of writing and getting a book published. I have countless first chapters written in my laptop, started many, many, many manuscripts and after a chapter or two, I just kind of lost interest and moved onto another.
"I home school my two youngest now and I'm pretty much home all the time and I just one day felt inspired and sat down and started writing. Really, I would say it was integrally God led because everything I have written came directly from Him."
Whitaker shared about her love of books and how past health issues which required brain surgeries affected her ability to enjoy books the same, "I've always loved books and I've always been a voracious reader and then all my brain surgeries and stuff, my neurological conditions have made it very difficult for me to read. I can't focus visually the way I used to. It's hard for me to really read, sit down and read a book. So, I do a lot of audio books and I am hoping that at some point I'm going to get 'A Living Hope' on audio for folks like me who have trouble with actual type print."
"Another reason why I say the book was really God led is because as much trouble as I have had just sitting down and reading, I also don't schedule my writing. If I feel led to write, I write."
Whitaker utilized Amazon to self-publish. Her decision to self-publish wasn't made litely. "I learned a lot about the publishing process through this. Modern technology has definitely changed the way publishing looks these days. Self-publishing does give you more freedom as a writer. I wasn't willing to compromise the message that I wanted it to give, it is a contemporary Christian fiction book. It has heavy tones of Christianity in it and I wasn't willing to compromise that for any editor or publisher. Which is good in some ways and bad in some ways. There are many people who do not do a lot of editing when they self-publish so it can give self-published books a bad name but if you are willing to put in the work, I think self-publishing is the way to go."
Whitaker expressed how much she has enjoyed the feedback she has received from her readers who are loving the characters, "The world is a scary place, so, if they can find some kind of comfort, joy, and hope in something I've written then that makes me really happy."
"People who didn't even really know me, they bought the book off of a recommendation from someone they knew and they loved it. They've given me great reviews and told their friends. I appreciate everybody, every single person who has ever even said the title. It really does just mean so much to me that people are enjoying it and helping me get the word out. It's a dream come true!"
The interview came to a conclusion with Whitaker saying, "Everyday I'm just endlessly thankful and blessed. I give the Lord all the glory!"
'A Living Hope' is available for purchase on Amazon here.
