It’s been a long time since I’ve published a “You Heard It Here First” blog post.
It’s been an even longer time since I first began writing Half-Truths.
My first blog was in 2007 when I wrote about attending a SCBWI-Carolinas conference and finding my character’s voice. Since then, I’ve written over 100 blog posts about this writing journey. The list includes the books I’ve read,
a few of the over 100 people I interviewed, the workshops I took, and some of my major revisions. I applied for several SCBWI WIP grants and queried agents and publishers. Although I never won a contest or received a bite (although a few rejections were encouraging and personal), my vision for my book became clearer.
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| One of my special interviewees, Price Davis. He is standing in front of his childhood home in Cherry, NC. |
Ask me how many drafts I’ve completed and I can’t answer. Officially, I have ten drafts in Word and fourteen in Scrivener. Each of these drafts was revised countless times.
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| One way of visualizing where scenes would go. |
Sixteen years is a long time to be working on one book, but as I soon realized after beginning this task, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. There were times that I took breaks and worked on other projects too. Each time I returned to the manuscript, I still loved the characters and the plot.
In the beginning, I had an idea about a white girl (Kate) who moved to the Myers Park neighborhood of Charlotte, NC from a farm in either South Carolina or North Carolina. She would feel like an outsider as she tried to figure out where she belonged in the world of 1950s debutantes. Soon after moving to her grandmother’s home, she would meet a Black girl, Lillian. They would have an off-and-on friendship but would eventually bond over finding a remedy for Kate’s goat’s ringworm. There would be betrayal, the uncovering of long-buried family secrets, and clandestine trips to a funeral home and a cemetery.
All that has stayed the same. But, so much has changed.
I wrestled with how to begin the story and rewrote the beginning at least 50 times. I put in the murder of Lillian’s brother and then took it out. I gave each girl a boyfriend and then, based on Rebecca Petruck‘s advice that I was getting too far away from my theme, I took them out. I spent two years writing it from both girls’ POVs and then abandoned that idea. I made up a fictional town named Crossroads, NC until my mentor, Joyce Hostetter, convinced me that there was real history in Tabor City, NC that I should use. I changed the names of characters, deleted scenes that I loved, battled confusion and discouragement, and tried to figure out if this was a middle-grade or young adult book.
Until I found Monarch Educational Services in July.
My Talking Story newsletter partner, Rebecca Wheeler, published her debut YA novel, WHISPERING THROUGH WATER with Monarch in January. She recommended querying the publisher, Jennifer Lowry. Despite being afraid of another rejection, within thirty minutes of sending my query, Jennifer responded that it was stellar. A few minutes later she asked for the full manuscript. That was beyond my craziest dream!
In September Jennifer provided detailed editorial input. One of her first reactions was that she saw Half-Truths as a young adult book and not as middle grade. Monarch is committed to clean reads and provides content ratings for all of their books. Since Half-Truths includes a reference to a sexual encounter between a slave owner and his slave, Jennifer felt strongly that it is a young adult novel. Since I’ve debated this issue so many times I’m happy to identify it as YA and for this conflict resolution! By the way, I’ve seen this book as upper middle-grade and expect that it will interest readers from 12 and up.
Finally, after years of writing, rewriting, planning, and proofreading, I’m thrilled to announce, that Half-Truths will be published in June 2025.
If you’re my Facebook friend, you may have wondered why the picture of Blue Willow china has been my profile picture for all these years. If you want to be one of the first to find out its role in Half-Truths, leave me a comment (including your email address if you think I might not have it) and I’ll send you a digital ARC (Advanced Reader’s Copy) about six months before the book releases. The only qualification is that you post a review on Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, or Independent Book Review. (Amazon won’t allow you to post a review until the book’s release.)
Thank you for joining me in this publication journey.
Thank you, Lynn. I'll add your name to my list of reviewers!
Wow. This is so exciting, Carol—congrats and blessings!!!
Thank you, Jarm!!
WOW! Your news is encouraging to us pre-published writers. You have many supporters because you are a giving writer. We are all in your corner at each step of your journey. Very interested in the Blue Willow story and in reading your debut!Beth
Thank you, Beth. Hang in there and keep working on your craft and your story! Don't give up! And if you want to be on my ARC reader's list, please email me your email address at cbaldwin6@me.com.
Totally fantastic news!!! Congratulations, Carol, thrilled to hear such wonderful news!!! I've really enjoyed reading the posts you've shared on Half-Truths, and so excited to hear it will soon be out in the world. And of course I'd love an eARC!! Please out me in the draw. Congratulations again! Hope you do (or have done!) something special to celebrate!
Thanks, Valinora. I'm delighted that you want to review Half-Truths, and yes I've been celebrating!!
Yay! After years of edits and manuscripts, the time has come! I would love to get an early release and review your book. One of the best feelings in the writing industry! Supporting and cheering you,Yours Truly,Brooke White
You will definitely get a eARC, Brooke. I look forward to reading your review!!
and now we know the rest of the story! Congratulations!
Thank you, Sue. I hope you'll read an eArc too!
You are a great example of never giving up. The story behind the story has me hooked. An eARC would be welcome, though with my reading/review schedule it may be another 16 years before I have time to dive into your story. Congratualations!
Thanks, Greg! E-arcs will be available in January 2025–maybe you can pencil me into your schedule. I'd LOVE to have you read and review it!! Carol
AHHHH! This is the best news ever! What a labor of love, and I am so thrilled to see it find a home at last. Just overjoyed! Congrats a million times over!!
Thank you Angela–your words mean A TON!!! And thanks for ONE STOP. My favorite writing tool.
Congratulations, Carol! This is fantastic news! Your perseverance has paid off. This is so well deserved. Celebrate!
Thank you, Cathy. I have been!!
Great news, Carol! Congratulations! All your hard work is paying off for you.
Carol, this is amazing and well deserved after all the work you put into it ! Congratulations !!!and… of course… since you finished this book I can‘t wait for the next very special one.xxx Lisa
Thanks, Lisa. I know! I have to get to work on the next one!
Oh, Carol, I've been so busy (singing, not writing) that I've missed out on a lot of writerly news. I came here after reading a comment on WU… HUGE Congratulations!!! Thank you for sharing your journey of perseverance. I'm so happy that a story of your heart has a home, that it will be a real book!!! And yeah, put me on your list of people to send an ARC to. It will be a pleasure. Yes, those upper MGs are hard to place. I'm revising my YA historical as a MG because it falls in that in-between spot. I still think it's more appropriate for YA but can't argue with the facts. Much good luck and success as you go forward. And remember to enjoy every minute!!! I'm so happy!!!
Thank you Vijaya. I've been meaning to let you know and so happy that you found your way to this blog post from WU! I'd love to have you as an ARC reader and will put your name in my list now! And yes…I'm having fun!!