The Christian Romance Podcast

Interview with Melody Carlson: Writing Personal Stories, Grief, and Difficult Themes


Listen Later

In this heartfelt episode of The Christian Romance Podcast, we sit down with bestselling author Melody Carlson to talk about her warm and hope-filled new novel, Welcome to the Honey B&B. Behind the charming small-town setting and sweet romance lies a deeply personal story—one inspired by Melody’s journey of caring for her husband through FTD dementia and eventually walking through the grief of his passing. With vulnerability and grace, Melody shares how her real-life sorrow poured into her fiction and how God’s presence carried her through. This conversation is a powerful reminder that even in our heaviest seasons, we can find rest in Him.

Listen to the episode here.

Meet Melody Carlson

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than 250 books selling over  7.5 million copies. She has written many bestselling Christmas novellas, young adult titles, and contemporary romances. She’s received the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award among many other accolades. Her novel All Summer Long has been made into a Hallmark movie, and the movie based on her novel The Happy Camper premiered on UPtv in 2023.  Melody writes real people with real struggles, always infused with hope, heart, and a thread of grace. Her books are known for being both entertaining and deeply relatable, striking that beautiful balance between fiction and faith.

Connect with Melody

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • More about Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD): Link

    If you or a loved one has FTD and you’d like more information about resources, a good starting point is The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD). Visit AFTD here

    Bible Verse for Encouragement

    “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
    Matthew 11:28 (NKJV)

    Melody’s New Book: Welcome to the Honey B&B

    Jewel McKerry’s last few years have been challenging, and she is ready for a change. She has decided to return to her small hometown in Oregon. Her plan is to help her mom, Honey, care for her dad, who has early onset dementia. But traveling this journey with her mom is easier said than done. Jewel’s beekeeping-obsessed father can be a humorous handful, and her own daughter is fighting the move.

    With household finances tight, Jewel proposes that they expand the family business beyond beekeeping and light farming and renovate the historic farmhouse to create a B&B. As the family bonds together in this shared venture, Jewel encounters new neighbors and a contractor, who used to be an old flame.

    Juggling home renovations, family dynamics, and potential romantic interests, Jewel soon learns that it takes a village to keep a man with dementia (and a goofy sense of humor) from unraveling everything. Can a handsome widower and his teenage daughter be the key to making all this work?

    Welcome to the Honey B&B is set to captivate readers with its blend of humor, romance, and poignant family moments, all while addressing the important topic of dementia care.

    Get your copy today!

    Amazon

    Baker Book House

    Get updates on our themed book giveaways

    Enter the most current book giveaway on ChristianRomancePodcast.com and sign up for our email list.

    Kelly’s Personal Update

    Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me during the Kickstarter! I’m so grateful for you!

    If you missed out on my debut novel Finding Forevermore on Kickstarter, no worries. You’ll have a chance to get the book at a later time once it officially launches across retailers like Amazon.

    I’ll share more updates by joining my free email list and you’ll get all kind of goodies! Visit my website here to sign up

    Follow me for updates

    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • TikTok
    • ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      The Christian Romance PodcastBy Kelly Jo Wilson

      • 5
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5

      5

      3 ratings


      More shows like The Christian Romance Podcast

      View all
      Novel Marketing by Thomas Umstattd Jr.

      Novel Marketing

      312 Listeners

      Self-Publishing with ALLi by Alliance of Independent Authors

      Self-Publishing with ALLi

      58 Listeners

      Christian Publishing Show by Thomas Umstattd Jr.

      Christian Publishing Show

      97 Listeners

      The Story Blender by The Story Blender

      The Story Blender

      29 Listeners

      The Rebel Author Podcast by The Rebel Author Podcast

      The Rebel Author Podcast

      76 Listeners

      Christian Historical Fiction Talk by Liz Tolsma

      Christian Historical Fiction Talk

      18 Listeners

      MadLit Musings with Jaime Jo Wright by Jaime Jo Wright

      MadLit Musings with Jaime Jo Wright

      6 Listeners

      Ink and Impact for Christian Writers - Write a book, self-publish, book marketing, author tips, book coach by Dalene Bickel

      Ink and Impact for Christian Writers - Write a book, self-publish, book marketing, author tips, book coach

      18 Listeners

      Writing Off Social: The Podcast | Build Your Platform and Grow Your Email List Without Social Media by Sandy Cooper

      Writing Off Social: The Podcast | Build Your Platform and Grow Your Email List Without Social Media

      71 Listeners

      Faith and Fables Podcast by Meagan Robertson

      Faith and Fables Podcast

      18 Listeners

      Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Podcast by Avid Readers of Christian Fiction

      Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Podcast

      1 Listeners