I began writing fiction in high school, when I presented an assignment to my creative writing teacher. She was convinced that my tale about my grandmother giving me a brooch and telling me her sad love story was true. There was no brooch, no story and no grandmother! Then life happened when I was planning other things, as someone said, and I majored in social work and sociology, got married and had a baby. I dropped out of a graduate program in social work, had two more children, a divorce and re-marriage. My work life spanned non-profits, foundations, corporations, small businesses and part-time college teaching. While working and suffering through law school, I went on a holiday to Scotland in 1974 and found myself walking up a spiral staircase in a stone fortress built by my ancestors.
Carol Spearman
About Carol
I entered a small room off the stairs and felt nauseated and hot. I had to leave immediately to keep from fainting and climbed to the top and out into the open air. When I started down the spiral stairs and returned to the room, I became ill again and had to leave. The search for what happened in that room led me to return to writing. I finished my training in law, but found I didn’t want to prosecute the poor or defend the rich. I went to work for a corporation, and had very little time for research, but I spent much of my free time and holidays exploring what I had experienced in Scotland. I started to write a journal and returned to Scotland many times, haunted by the possibility of ghostly energy, a past life experience or memories trapped in my DNA.
I had completed the first draft of my story, but was unhappy with it, and contemplated burning the hand-written manuscript. Deciding to meditate on that decision first, I was surprised to hear a dramatic twelfth century scene clearly in my mind, and I quickly wrote it down. Although the final book is quite different from the original story, that scene later became the prologue to the novel. In 1987, I moved to England to work at a small issue-based charity and had more opportunity for research and writing. I did what was recommended, I left my first draft behind and went on to another idea I had for a novel. Originally called I.O.W.A. (standing for the international organization for a while America), I wrote a romantic thriller which now seems to be coming true. After reading about the dangers of brain washing technology and the inability to prevent it, Firewall of the Mind was born. Eventually, I had more experiences in Scotland which helped me to frame a new approach to my personal story. Pieces went together to create a story of unresolved grief, and a woman's search for why her mother disappeared on the coast of Scotland six years earlier and A Half Forgotten Dream was published. In the nineties, our charity became a part of a larger international effort to end child prostitution in Asia (E.C.P.A.T.) I became a co-director for a new non-profit in the UK, supported by the large British development agencies, to assist the Asian countries deeply affected by trafficking of children. Two years later, this project ended when we were asked to investigate my co-director. His response resulted in my failure to get my work visa renewed. I was the only one who could testify against him and I had to return to the US. Although I was asked to run the American effort, I couldn't afford to live in New York City on the minimal salary. The experience of this effort was devastating and the only action left for me was to write a novel, inspired by the events that occurred, and The Lie Beyond was published. I was learning more about the corporate food system during these years and the damage done to our children from the types of foods they are eating. I felt compelled to write a book for parents and others who want to have a healthier diet for their families, and Our Synthetic Kids was published. I also wrote a screenplay and a script for communities about a book club group who get involved in the issue of genetic modification of food called Angels of Deception. Continuing research on my family's connection in Scotland led to writing a historical novel called Gospatric – The Forgotten Earl. I recently signed a publishing contract for the book and it is in the production process, which could take almost a year. It brings back some of the characters from A Half Forgotten Dream twenty five years later. I have many more ideas for books, including a sequel for Gospatric. Read more about why I wrote each book on their individual pages and watch for future blogs on topics related to my writing. Enjoy and send me reviews. C.A. Spearman
Books
FIREWALL OF THE MIND
Beth MacDonald’s teaching position and love affair with a childhood sweetheart are abruptly interrupted when she flees a murder scene, knowing she is the next victim of unknown pursuers. Beth tries to escape from an invisible group that believes she holds information which can expose their intention to use technology to promote their agenda. The mind has no firewall against the kind of sophisticated experiments they are testing, but who are ‘they’ and what does Beth know that makes her so dangerous to their interests? If you liked the Pelican Brief and have been waiting for another fast moving thriller, you must read Firewall of the Mind. This romantic thriller will take you on a travel adventure, following Beth as she finds love and unexpected spiritual strength in her fight for survival. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:!2
Today as our country appears to be moving backwards, away from personal and civil rights and towards a white nationalistic agenda, my novel is proving to be true. It is a fear that writers sometimes experience - if I write a story will it actually happen? I think I saw the signs of this phenomena a long time ago, as there was a political shift in voting. Middle class voters were being convinced that it was the poor on welfare and immigrants who were causing their issues of jobs, health care and crime. I saw a growth in Christian churches who were against science, human rights and the climate crisis. Then while exploring the possibility of mind control I came upon a government document about acoustic programing. The main character doesn't really know what she knows that is dangerous or who is trying to find her, but she does know she is in trouble. I thought about what I would do in her circumstances and how I might escape from the US without a passport and very little cash. I hope you enjoy. Some readers said it scared them, because it could be true!
THE LIE BEYOND
The Lie Beyond is a romantic thriller inspired by a true story. Meg Wells, a travel agency executive from New York City, is deeply affected by an event she witnesses in Bangkok. Returning from her holiday, she decides to respond to her feelings about the event and take action. With this decision, her whole life changes. She no longer knows who to trust, including her co-workers and her fiancee, Tony. The book is dedicated to one of the leaders who tried to create awareness of the relationship between tourism and sexual exploitation of children in the 90’s, creating an organization that is still operating across the world. This novel will help you understand why trafficking of children is growing across the globe and why it is so difficult to stop. Written first as a screenplay, the author will have you imaging the journey of the heroine from riding an elephant through the jungle to taking on the powerful forces blocking her efforts. As one of the author’s fans said about her first novel, Firewall of the Mind, this book will keep you up late because you can’t put it down!
I wrote this story as a screenplay and it won me a place in a week-long screen-writing workshop in California. One of only 25 participants, I had extensive time in a small group with a mentor. My mentor gave me great advice by asking a question about my character -- might my successful travel executive have a ticking biological clock? It made sense to me and I made it a part of the plot, broadening my story beyond my own experience. I immediately did some serious rewriting, but the last day of our workshop was very negative, after a very exciting week. A speaker talked to us about the reality of the film business. If very lucky, we might get a dollar for an option to use our script and wait for eighteen months, while they decided whether the project was viable. I left the screenplay sit for a while, then finished it and entered it into another contest. Discouraged, I decided to write the story as a novel and publish it myself. I could see the scenes in Thailand, the meetings with characters I knew. I could describe riding an elephant and staying in a longhouse in the hills and embellish the adventure with my imagination. I could remember my own fear from a strange phone call and my growing awareness of danger from within the organization. I wrote this book because I felt I had some answers, but I was helpless to do anything about the continuing exploitation of children. My job in the UK was over. I was unemployed. I knew about the extensive issues involved in tourism, but no one wanted to know. I had to rebuild my life and start over. I gradually did this, but I also watched the trafficking of women and children spread across the world. It is an issue that is still deeply painful. If you are interested in more details, after reading the novel, please contact me. You can also look up the organization ECPAT to see what they are attempting to do at the present time. There are several groups trying to help the victims, but many are beyond healing. We need to prosecute the abusers, the organizers and those who are protecting them.
A HALF FORGOTTEN DREAM
Sarah awakes in a hot summer night from a disturbing dream, heavy with the burden of twins due in a few weeks. By morning, a call from Scotland creates its own nightmare, followed by a difficult delivery that nearly results in death. Six years later Sarah searches for the answers to the questions she had when tragedy struck, leaving her alone when she was giving birth and depressed and angry for the following years. She discovers much more than she wants to know about her mother’s disappearance and even more about herself. Sarah’s life is changed forever by her trip to Scotland, in search of the truth.
The Old Keep at Dundas
This photo of the ancient Keep (fortress) at Dundas is where my story was born. In those days the Keep was crumbling. The great hall had collapsed from above and the outer wall was green with vegetation, eating away at the stone. Now, you can look at Dundas Castle on a website. Dundas is a wedding center, carefully renovated, and the old Keep is the site of the ceremonies. I have always wanted to rent the property for a dinner party in the Stag Room of the old Keep. I will have to make a lot of money on my books to ever contemplate this. You can help by buying the book above. I also hoped that A Half Forgotten Dream would become a movie, filmed on the site and on the eastern coast of Scotland at St.Abbs. It is the prequel to my historical novel now in production, so read it now to get acquainted with the characters who return in The Forgotten Earl.
ONE TAP TOO MANY
Do you often wonder if game technology is negatively affecting the young people using it? When a school shooting on the Mille Lacs Reservation in central Minnesota occurs, Luke who was in the classroom when the attack occurred, questions whether his classmates are being influenced by a game some of the students received. His mother Melanie helps him with his research until she is distracted by a handsome stranger who is pushing his way into her life. Luke is determined to find out who this stranger is and why he is interested in his mom. His mom feels that Luke is just jealous because the two of them have been alone since Luke’s father was killed in Iraq when he was a little boy. As Melanie and Luke look for evidence of the connection between the game and the shooting, both independently and together, their lives are threatened by forces beyond their control.
Authors – Carol Spearman and grandson Jake Olson
I began this story during a three-day novel writing contest over a Labor Day holiday. The goal was to write as many words as possible for a novel you had not started. You could have some notes and an outline, but nothing actually written. I had an idea about a woman writer whose research for her book raises red flags in Washington D.C. She stumbles on a technology which is actually being used by a political group to cause unrest, fear and chaos. I wrote about 20.000 words in three days and still slept, ate and saw some friends. At the end of the time, my fingers were so stiff I could hardly move them. I submitted the draft, but didn't win the prize. A few years later I learned that my fifteen year old grandson wanted to write fiction, when I gave him a young reader's thriller as a birthday present. After talking with him about the plot, I handed him a red pen and part of the manuscript to read, edit and discuss. I asked him to broaden the scope of the story by including a teenage son and a single mom, whose native American husband had been killed in Iraq. The Mille Lacs Reservation in Central Minnesota provided the setting for a shooting at the school where the mother was a teacher and the son a student. He did a great job of editing and had a lot of ideas. We played off of each other and worked apart at times and then together, when possible. I self-published the book on Amazon Kindle and then went on to publish a paperback edition, so he could actually see his work in print. We did a small book signing launch where he was able to voice his concerns about young people using the internet in negative ways that was affecting their behavior. There is one event in the book that actually happened to me and supported the plot of the novel. Can you guess what it is?
OUR SYNTHETIC KIDS
Are you wondering if your lifestyle choices are affecting the health of your family? Do you know the dangers in the processed food you are consuming? Do you wish it wasn’t so difficult to plan healthy meals for your family? Would you like your family to be more supportive about changing bad eating habits? Do you need more information about better food choices and ways to make shopping for food and cooking easy? If you have any of those questions or just want to know more about why the title of this book is – OUR SYNTHETIC KIDS, then order it now. You will learn the pitfalls of all the major food groups and ways to find better choices. People and groups that are trying to help you will be introduced to you, as well as some forces working to stop you from changing to a healthier lifestyle. Ideas for involving your family in the process, meal planning and recipe suggestions for easy meal preparation are all a part of this enjoyable and informative book.
Our Synthetic Kids focuses on the food system and out health. It informs your choices about food products and suggests ways to make choosing food and preparing it a lot easier for a family. The extra benefit of choosing healthier food for yourself and your family is that it will also benefit the planet. Right now, our food system is responsible for about one third of the climate crisis and the choices you can make about food every day can make a difference. Read the blog on Food and the Climate Crisis to learn more about the subject and resources for further information.