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Mr. Carol
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About the Author
Mr. Carol is my pen name. My real name is Carol Lewis Rickard. My parents each had a brother by the first name of Carroll. They wanted to honor those brothers but ...view moreAbout the Author
Mr. Carol is my pen name. My real name is Carol Lewis Rickard. My parents each had a brother by the first name of Carroll. They wanted to honor those brothers but didn't realize that the name, when given to a guy, generally has two r's and two l's. But in life, like in poker, you play the cards you're dealt, hence the pen name. (At least my middle name isn't Sue.)
I was born in Hanford, CA June 24, 1942. Dad was 19 and mom was 16 when they married on August 5th, 1941. When I was 3 years old, we moved to a rural area about 10 miles northeast of Salem, Oregon. I grew up there.
I graduated from high school in 1960 and that fall began attending Mt. Angel Catholic College near my home. I was studying journalism and planned to eventually write great novels like my heroes Hemingway and Steinbeck. I'd taken journalism in high school and the college course seemed to be a repeat of what I'd already learned. I was bored with my courses. Using my then 18 year old reasoning, I decided that I simply needed more life experience to be a great novelist. In 1960 the draft was scooping up young men for Vietnam and I had a low draft number. During the early 60's if you weren't in college, you'd find yourself in 'Nam carrying an M-16 rifle sloshing through rice paddies. I left college and joined the Navy.
In the Navy I discovered Electronics and had a great time serving on Submarines. I liked the Navy so much that I spent 7 years on active duty: 4 years serving at sea on both old WWII submarines and finally on a Fast Attack Nuclear submarine. The last 3 years I was on shore duty teaching electronic equipment repair and maintenance. During the last two years of shore duty, I was lucky enough to marry my lovely wife Jean Marie. We were married in 1965 and have two sons and now four grand children. Yes, we are still happily married!
After the Navy, I got a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and went to work. Work, work, work, etc. is what I did until in June of 2006 when I was laid off from Maxtor (they made disk drives). I retired and began writing. Actually during my work years I wrote the Young Man's Adventure Series Books you see advertised on this website. However, after retiring, I attended a one-day seminar on writing. The lady told us that 85% of the people that buy books are women and that they want relationships and adventure. I thought, Yeah, I can do that. And that is when the idea for 'Torn,' blossomed.
The Young Man's Adventure is mostly intended to appeal to guys. And it was done as a hobby. However, after retirement I decided I want to be a published author so I changed my focus. I considered what subject might provide fodder for a fiction novel that can combine fast moving action/adventure seasoned with a tantalizing romantic encounter. I decided my protagonist should be a young priest.
Parish priests are hardworking, dedicated men who spend their days saying Mass, presiding at baptisms, funerals, weddings, counseling parishioners, and many times work seven day a week. But before the fledgling, newly ordained, Father Stan, assumes the rigorous schedule of a parish priest, he spends an adventurous summer in the holy land where he is present for an archeological find dating from the first century that threatens some of the long standing dogma of the Catholic Church. He finds himself involved in a harrowing adventure fraught with danger, and a relationship with a beautiful woman that challenges his vow of celibacy.
Please go to my website: www.mrcarol.net
If you go to the Reader's Comments section of 'Torn' you'll find that people like the novel. Some think it's as good as 'The DaVinci Code.' And, by the way, my books appeal to both women and men.
With 'Torn' finished I moved on to 'Resolution.' Pull up the back cover of 'Resolution' and it will give you a synopsis of the book.
I am currently self-published. However, I'm attempting to get a Literary Agent to sponsor my book to major publishers. Major publishers only deal with Literary Agents. I have begun sending copies of my books to Literary Agents. I ask them to review the Reader's Comments section on this website so they can learn that people like my writing. An interesting comment came from my biking buddy, Ali. After reading 'Torn,' he said, "I was surprised that an Engineer could write so well!" But enough babbling; I'm embarrassed to talk so much about myself, but, after all, this little piece is called, "About the Author."
Thank you for taking the time to consider reading one of my novels. I truly hope it entertains you and, for a few delicious moments, sweeps you into the world of fiction where fantasy dances cheek to cheek with fact.
Best regards,
Mr. Carol
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