Featured Interview With Carol E. Anderson
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Detroit, Michigan in a working class family on a dead end street. Now I live in Ann Arbor on a gorgeous wooded lot with my spouse and our rambunctious rescue dog named Saxon. Before becoming a full-time writer I had my own consulting and life coaching business for thirty-five years.
My major passions in life are women’s empowerment, travel, and photography. I started a small nonprofit several years ago called Rebellious Dreamers, which provided small grants for women seeking to reclaim dreams they had deferred. A few of my favorite trips have been to Kenya, Vietnam, New Zeeland, and a philanthropic mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
My educational pursuits include a Masters in Organizational Development, a Doctorate in Spiritual Studies and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction.
I feel grateful for all the blessings I’ve received in my life and seek opportunities each day to pay it forward.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My real interest in reading began when I discovered the Nancy Drew books as a youngster. I had the entire set and would read them repeatedly. I loved her independence and intelligence as a young girl and she served as a role model for the adventurous person I hoped I’d grow up to be.
My own writing started when I was in high school when I began to record my experiences in journals with all of the drama that could be mustered by my tortured teenage self. It was a way to sort out what was happening in my life and to express the disappointment and hurt I didn’t want to share out loud with anyone.
The more complex life became, the more I used writing to address the big questions in life, such as, What is love? Is there a God? Where do we go when we die? I haven’t mastered answers to any of them yet but I find that writing makes me think more deeply about what is important.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love to read memoirs because they give me insight into the human struggles everyone deals with and generates greater compassion for myself and others. A few great ones I’ve read lately are:
Educated by Tara Westover, Hourglass by Dani Shapiro, I am I am I am: Seventeen Brushes With Death by Maggie O’Farrell.
I am inspired by writers who know how to craft a story that pulls me in, makes me think, and leaves me wanting more.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
The underlying theme of this book is: How do you live an authentic life while keeping a secret?
This is the story of coming to terms with being gay in the sixties while living in a fundamentalist household. It was a scary time as you could lose your work, your apartment, your family, or your job if anyone found out.
Yet, having a secret kept me from being real with everyone in my life. The big lesson for me was realizing the price I paid for hiding my love orientation. I was so focused on what the consequences would be for coming out, I never considered what I was losing by keeping my true nature hidden.
One of the greatest gifts of writing the book was taking the time to really look back at my life and see that in spite of all the times I tried to be someone else, I was able to summon the courage to stay true to myself and follow my heart.
This is a story that offers hope for anyone struggling with a secret that they don’t feel they can tell to anyone and it offers a compassionate view of what it’s like to live outside the norms of society and still hold on to yourself. It is a book for anyone who believes in the triumph of love over fear and in finding your fearless heart in a scary world.
Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles
Carol E. Anderson’s Website