H. Schussman Interviews Nolan Carlson

Heidi:

Tell us something about your background and family and what led you to start writing?

Nolan: I started writing as a kid. I wrote mysteries, sports, and animal stories. I loved to write fiction and to retreat into a “world of my own”. I wrote three manuscripts while I was in the military service. When I got out of the service, I put my writing aside and went back to graduate school and helped raise our four kids with my wife, Lorena. I taught special education for fourteen years and owned a restaurant at the same time. All of our four kids finally became college graduates. When I was close to my 40^th birthday, I decided to take up writing once again while I taught and ran my restaurant. I sent excerpts of my writing to several New York literary agents and one day I got a telegram (you can tell that that was a few years back) from the Glenn Cowley agency. He liked my writing and agreed to represent me. I went on to sell five titles to Berkeley Publishing of New York and E.P. Dutton. My agent told me that a new publishing house from Melbourne, Florida was looking for quality books for middle school boys. He asked me if I had any interest, so I wrote a book called “Summer & Shiner”.

It was about my boyhood growing up in a small rural community in the Flint Hills of Kansas. We grew up much like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. It was wonderful. He sent the manuscript to the new publishing house and it was chosen to be their lead hardback book. They received over 300 entries throughout the nation so I felt very fortunate. Seventy-five percent of the book was fact and twenty-five percent was fiction. Shiner was our pet raccoon that we released from a trap. The book was held by Disney Studios for six months as a movie option. From that point it won first prize in a state-wide competition and was awarded a plaque at an author’s banquet. It also won favorable reviews in Booklist in Chicago. The initial book became the first in a series of six: Summer & Shiner, Shiner’s Return, Shiner & King, Shiner & Baseball, Shiner & Hobo Joe, and Super-Kid vs. Super Bully. I’ve written many other books over the years including: The Wizard of Halloween, Balbena’s Grave, The Lopsided Angel, Vagabond Jack (wolf-dog), Lewis & Clark & Davey Hutchins, and many more. My books have been sold through the Troll Book Club as well as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The minister of education from the Soviet Union was presented my series of books when he visited the U.S. a few years ago. “Broken Vows”, my latest book from Vinspire is a departure from my previous genres. It seemed to fit better in Vinspire’s list of genres.

Heidi:

Could you tell us a little bit about your family?

Nolan:

My wife and I have been married for 44 years. She is a former nun. She is a wonderful, hardworking, very intelligent, and a very creative person. She is a retired algebra teacher and for the past 15 years has been the full-time director and volunteer at Community Health Ministry in our town helping people in two counties. I obtained a Ph.D. some years back and teach two college classes, counsel people, go to schools presenting programs on reading and writing, and of course, always have a book-in-the-making. We have four grown children and six grandchildren. Currently, one of our daughters is courageously fighting 3^rd stage brain cancer. She has received love and support from so many as well as the wonder authors and staff at Vinspire Publishing. The CEO of Vinspire is always helpful, creative and supportive. And the authors are great people always supporting and cheering one another on. I feel proud to be one among these very talented and creative people.

Heidi:

What genre do you write?

Nolan:

I write mostly YA books for middle school boys but also have a book out called “Beguiled” from Vinspire Publishing that is a Teen Paranormal. And just recently my book “Broken Vows” was released from Vinspire and it’s a romance/suspense. It is about a young, dedicated priest who falls in love with a young war widow. The setting is small town American in the late 1940’s.

Heidi:

What are you working on now?

Nolan:

I just finished an adult suspense novel titled: “The Sinister Minister”. It is gritty and reveals what some people will do at the expense of others to gain fame and fortune.

Heidi:

Who is your favorite character in your stories?

Nolan:

Carley Bimberg in the Shiner series because he “is” me those many years ago.

Heidi:

Where do you write?

Nolan:

I used to be very disciplined and wrote at least two hours daily in my den. I burned our six electric typewriter back then. I now have five manuscripts backlogged, so I write just when the inspiration hits me or a germ of a new idea takes over.

Heidi:

Who are your all time favorite authors?

Nolan:

I actually have several. But, I’ll name just three: Mark Twain, Truman Capote, and Normal Mailer. I am an avid reader and recently read 14 novels in one month.

Heidi:

Final Question: Could you tell us a little about your latest book “Broken Vows”?

Nolan:

Heidi, here is the blurb on the back cover: One man’s promise to God becomes his torment. When Fr. Dan, a charismatic young priest, starts his first assignment at St. Francis, he helps transform a tired, complacent parish into one of renewed faith and hope. He’s loved by the parishioners and knows he is following the right path. Still, there is something missing in his life. Something he can’t place until a beautiful war widow arrives from Alabama. Lucy captivates him and steals his heart. Though there’s been a hint from the Vatican for decades that someday priests will be allowed to marry, Fr. Dan doesn’t believe it will happen in his lifetime. So he’s left with a painful choice. Does he choose to love Lucy from afar or walk away from his commitment to God and the Catholic Church?

Thank you, Heidi, so much for including me as a guest author on your blog.

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