Debut Author Interview: Carol Baldwin and Half-Truths Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! I’m excited to have debut author Carol Baldwin here to share about her YA Half-Truths. She’s also a blogger friend and part of the MMGM (Marvelous Middle Grade Monday) group, so it’s especially exciting to celebrate her upcoming book release. I enjoy historical fiction and am looking forward to reading her book.

Here’s a blurb of Half-Truths:

It is 1950, and 15-year-old Kate Dinsmore wants to become a journalist. But, her tobacco-farming father can’t afford to send her to college. She devises a plan to move from rural North Carolina to her wealthy grandparents’ home in Charlotte in hopes of gaining their financial support. Now she has a new set of problems. How can she please her society-conscious grandmother and conform to her new classmates’ lifestyles? 

She meets Lillian, her grandmother’s teenage maid, and despite their racial differences, they form a tentative friendship. While exploring her grandmother’s attic, Kate unearths a secret that rocks her world and Lillian’s too. The shocking discovery reveals half-truths that threaten the girls’ friendship. What will Kate do when she must choose between Lillian and her new society friends?

Through a mentorship with a newspaper editor, Kate realizes that journalism requires honesty. But, the risks of truth-telling make Kate question herself. If she reveals what she has learned, what price will she pay? 

Hi Carol! Thanks so much for joining us. 

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

Thanks for having me, Natalie. It’s an honor to be featured on your blog.

I’ve been writing ever since junior high. I had several pen pals and wrote angst-filled poetry that I tried to publish. I kept a journal for many years which helped me translate my thoughts and emotions into words. As a child, my mother told me I had a way with words. Her belief in me gave me confidence. One of these days I need to dig out some of my early “writings” that my mother saved! In high school, I worked on the school newspaper, and I published my first article in college.

2. Where did you get the idea for your story?

I moved to Charlotte from the Northeast almost 40 years ago and was curious about my new hometown and this part of the country. Over the years, I learned about the South and Charlotte. Unfortunately, many historical homes and places were not preserved in Charlotte. I started wondering what the history was “under my feet.” What had happened in areas that I walked or biked through that were now covered up by buildings or asphalt?

For a long time, I had wanted to write a book for teens, and as I became curious about what led to Blacks gaining civil rights, I began to think about a story that would incorporate this struggle. I imagined a young White girl who moved to the city of Charlotte from a farm and what her struggles would be to fit into her new world. Given the racial tensions of the time, I wanted her to meet a Black girl and form a friendship despite their differences and many conflicts. 

Your Writing Process

3. Your story is set in the 1950s in Charlotte. What research did you do about life in the 1950s in Charlotte to get these details right?

There were three main sources for my information:  books and articles I read, people I interviewed, and places I went to. First, I read about Charlotte, about the 1950s, about the conflict in Korea (at one point that was going to be a bigger part of the story); about fashion, people, and the news. You name it, I wanted to know my setting as well as possible. In the early stages, I read articles from The Charlotte Observer on microfilm. More recently, I’ve read stories archived online which is a lot easier! I also found information in other periodicals and on the internet.

Second, I interviewed close to 100 people who lived in Charlotte during the period or had heard stories from family members. Bits and pieces of their stories got woven into mine. Often it was hard to figure out what not to include!

Third, I visited places. In the End Notes of Half-Truths, I talk about visiting a former Rosenwald School in Charlotte. The personal stories of the two men I met and a picture on the school’s wall were pivotal in creating my plot. I visited the remains of an African American cemetery less than a half mile away from an upscale mall and restaurants. That cemetery was part of the inspiration for the cemetery scene in Half-Truths. I visited the Second Ward Alumni House and met alumni Vermelle Ely and Price Davis.  Over the course of many conversations, they showed me how important their Black high school was to the community and gave me a picture of what life was like for Black teenagers in the 50’s in Charlotte. 

4. Wow! You did a ton of research. Were you a plotter, panster, or a combination of both? How long did it take you to write and revise your manuscript before trying to get it published?

I am definitely a plotter. Since my previous experience was writing articles in magazines and newspapers

and two nonfiction books, I wasn’t comfortable plunging into fiction. I needed a road map. I created detailed outlines which often changed, but helped me visualize the plot, chapters, and scenes. 

It’s been 18 years from pre-writing to publishing Half-Truths. I had written nonfiction and knew I had decent writing skills, but I didn’t have the skills to write fiction. That’s an entirely different ballgame! The story grew, morphed, and solidified over those years, but the kernel of it stayed the same. And, in the process of drafting and revising I learned how to write a novel!

5. You are certainly dedicated to your story. How did your story become stronger through the editing process you went through with your publisher, Monarch Educational Services?

Jen Lowry, my publisher, loved the story but encouraged me to make my protagonist more likable and less selfish. Jen also helped me to dig deeper into my characters’ perspectives as I developed their thoughts, emotions, and motivations. She pointed out places where my protagonist wasn’t true to her character.

Your Road to Publication

6. Share about your road to publication. Did your job with Monarch help you get your publishing contract?

I queried many agents, approached a few publishers with whom I had personal contact, and submitted the manuscript to publishing houses who considered unagented authors. Although I received some interest, nothing panned out. A fellow author told me about Monarch and their emphasis on books that are clean reads. I sweated over my query, but Jen replied within hours that I should send her the full manuscript. I was ecstatic! I signed with her a few months later. Since Monarch is small, I kept asking Jen how I could help her with her work. She could tell I liked connecting with people, so she assigned me the job of being Monarch’s volunteer publicist. 

7. What a great road to publication story. You are not represented by an agent. Did that make negotiating your contract more challenging? What tips do you have for other authors signing publishing contracts without an agent?

Jen offered a very fair contract and I didn’t feel the need to negotiate it. Sorry, I don’t have any tips for authors!

Promoting Your Book

8. I know you’re organizing a blog tour in late March. How did you decide on which bloggers to ask to participate? What else are you planning?

I contacted kidlit bloggers who I have virtually met over the years, including my fellow MMGM bloggers. Since Half-Truths is coming out on April 2, National Reconciliation Day, I contacted The Levine Museum of the New South and suggested a panel discussion on reconciliation. The director was interested and I invited three local authors to join me for the event, “Reconciliation Through Story.”  I am also having a launch party at the local indie store on April 5 and (hopefully!) a virtual launch event on Instagram on April 3. I’m still working on that. 

9. You’re a publicist at Monarch Educational Services? How has your experience shaped your marketing plan for your book? Please share tips on how other authors should help promote their books.

That’s an excellent question! Marketing and promoting books are HUGE jobs. You can read my blog Nine Tips on How to Be Your Own Publicist for the answer. Now that I’m in the middle of promoting my book, I would add a tenth tip: Keep in mind that you can’t do everything. Pick and choose what works for your time, energy, and budget.

10. Your last tip is a really good one. Other authors I’ve interviewed say the same thing. What are you working on now?

Right now promoting Half-Truths is my priority. When the dust settles I want to get back to a prequel to Half-Truths. Out of the Flame is a middle-grade book about Half Truth’s protagonist’s grandfather. Here’s the pitch: At the turn of the 20th century, a young factory worker is surrounded by deafening noise, blisteringly hot glass, and mind-numbing exhaustion. There is no end in sight until he finds mysterious notes from a boy who lived this life 150 years earlier.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Carol. 

You can find Carol here. You can preorder Half-Truths through Barnes & Noble. 

Carol is hosting a separate preorder giveaway (separate from the Literary Rambles giveaway), U.S. addresses only. If you preorder the book and send Carol the receipt, she’ll send you swag!

Giveaway Details

Carol is generously offering a paperback of Half-Truths for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by March 29th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or follow Carol on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S. 

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Wednesday, March 19th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shari Maurer and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 26th I have an agent spotlight interview with Amy Thrall Flynn and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, March 28th I have an agent spotlight interview with Sally Kim and a query critique giveaway

Tuesday, April 1st I’m participating in the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, April 2nd I have an interview with debut author Lucia Damisa and a giveaway of her YA A Desert of Bleeding Sand and my IWSG post

Monday, April 7th I have an agent spotlight interview with Etsy Loveing-Downes and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 14th I have an interview with author Mia Araujo and a giveaway of her MG Afia In the Land of Wonders 

Wednesday, April 16th I’m participating in the Raindrop in Roses Giveaway Hop

Monday, April 21st I have an agent spotlight interview with Carey Blankenship-Kramer and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, April 23rd I have an agent spotlight interview with Rebecca Eskildsen  and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 28th I have an interview with debut author Alby Williams and a giveaway of their MG Where There Be Monsters

I hope to see you on Wednesday!