Friday, January 26, 2024

Author Interview: No Matter What by Jennifer Carr



About the Book


Book: No Matter What

Author: Jennifer Carr

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release Date: October 14, 2022

Jess Hayley, with her exceptional skill of deciphering people’s thoughts and emotions through body language and microexpressions, encounters Bryan Carsen, a member of the U.S. Army Cyber Force, setting her on an unforeseen path that challenges her beliefs and abilities.

As Bryan becomes embroiled in a covert investigation, Jess comes to grips with the consequences of his actions, which are further complicated by the arrival of a mysterious box of evidence that endangers everything she holds dear. Caught in a perilous web of intrigue, trust becomes elusive, and Jess must navigate a world turned upside down, even questioning the trustworthiness of those closest to her.

In the midst of turmoil, Jess confronts the unsettling possibility that someone she trusted deeply may have harbored long-hidden secrets. Despite enduring numerous challenges, she must summon the strength to open her heart and rediscover the capacity to trust.

Amidst the uncertainty and concealed truths, Jess’s journey unfolds, marked by twists and turns, self-discovery, resilience, and the intricate interplay between perception and reality, showcasing the deep impact of unexpected encounters and the courage needed to move forward in the face of pain.

Click here to get your copy!


About the Author


A wife, mom, author, marriage and family counselor, a former AP Psychology teacher, and a podcaster, Jennifer draws from her life experiences and imagination to connect with her readers and listeners through the written and spoken word.

Married to her childhood best friend and the mom of a creative daughter, Jennifer enjoys a quiet life on their farm in Alabama. When she’s not wearing one of her many hats, you’ll find her tucked away with a book and what’s likely her third coffee of the day.


More from Jennifer

I loved writing this book. There were days that words poured out of me as though a dam had broken. Other days I stared at the screen until my eyes felt crossed and only touched the keyboard to text my husband how absolutely uninspired I was.

The day before I clicked PUBLISH, I reread the entire book cover-to-cover, word-for word and just as I had the first time through, I smiled, I cried, my heart swelled, and it shattered into pieces. Then it was gently put back together as I was reminded of the hope that is always waiting for us, no matter what. 

One of my favorite quotes from the book:

“…if you will let God redeem your losses, you might find that he restores you, too…”


Author Interview with Jennifer


Q: What was the inspiration behind this novel?

Jennifer: No Matter What is the result of my waking from a dream one morning frustrated that I didn’t know how it ended! I literally sat down later that day and started writing what I could remember and embellishing here and there until out of nowhere I had what would be considered the first four chapters. I texted my husband and said, “I think I’m going to write a book. I’ve already written a lot of words.” He encouraged me to go for it and a year later I was publishing my first book.

What’s funny is how absolutely different the story in the book is from where it started just because of editing and developmental things. That being said, I am forever grateful that my curiosity took hold that day and that I followed through with it.


Q: What was the most surprising thing you discovered while researching and writing this novel?

Jennifer: What surprised me most about writing this novel is how therapeutic writing fiction can be. The funny thing is, I have been a marriage and family counselor and have always said that writing, journaling, putting thoughts on paper is beneficial for emotional and mental processing. But, it never crossed my mind that writing fictional characters dealing with real life problems could be just as cathartic.
 
The last two years have been amazing for my mental and emotional wellness and I attribute it to putting all kinds of thoughts, emotions, and feelings “on paper” and allowing myself to inspect and reflect on them.


Q: Do any of the novel’s characters hold a special place in your heart?

Jennifer: Obviously every character has a story and they each play their specific role for the book. But, I have to say that Mark Collins is my favorite of all the characters in the No Matter What series. He's got a lot of feelings and beliefs (or lack thereof) that he we see him wrestle with throughout his part of the story. I love where he lands and how he gets there. Also, who doesn’t love a hero who wins the heart of the brokenhearted widowed mother and her daughter?


Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this novel?

Jennifer: One of my favorite characters from No Matter What as well as its follow-up, The Lost & Found is Cal. He’s not front and center and you don’t really get to know him until closer to the end of No Matter What but he’s full of so much wisdom after a life of struggle and loss. At one point he’s offering Jess much needed encouragement and he tells her, “… if you will let God redeem your losses, you might find that he restores you, too.”

This message resonates with me so deeply because I have known loss and I have allowed loss to define me and control my thoughts and beliefs. It wasn’t until I handed those losses over to God that He took what I thought was devastating and turned them into hope. Through that process he gave back to me the light I had lost - redeemed and restored.


Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your novel?

Jennifer: I love connecting with readers. I have a small group on Facebook called Jennifer’s BookNerds Club.

My books (and bonus reading material) can all be found on my website, jcarrwrites.com, and also on Amazon/Kindle/Kindle Unlimited.


Blog Stops


Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 20

Texas Book-aholic, January 21

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, January 22 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 23

Artistic Nobody, January 24 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 25

Beauty in the Binding, January 26 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 27

Guild Master, January 28 (Author Interview)

Exploring the Written Word, January 28

Cover Lover Book Review, January 29

A Reader’s Brain, January 30 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 31

For Him and My Family, February 1

Through the Fire Blogs, February 2 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, February 2


Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a Six Month Subscription to Kindle Unlimited ($60 value) and a copy of No Matter What!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Link for giveaway: https://promosimple.com/ps/297d0/no-matter-what-celebration-tour-giveaway

3 comments:

  1. How long on average does it take you to write a book?

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks like a novel I will thoroughly enjoy. Thanks for hosting this giveaway.

    ReplyDelete