Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carol McKibben. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

​Hi Carol, thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

For Carol's answer to this and many more questions, go 
to: https://canvasrebel.com/meet-carol-mckibben/​

Hope you enjoy!
Best, Carol

Dogs have long been symbols of unconditional love since their co-evolution with humans. Their biological predispositions and the simple, reliable ways they show affection and loyalty mark them as exemplary examples. Unlike complex human relationships, a dog's devotion is uncomplicated and non-judgmental, which provides a deep sense of emotional security for their owners.

They evolved from pack to family. Descendants of wolves, dogs’ natural instinct formed strong pack bonds. Over centuries, humans have selectively bred these animals to reinforce the traits of loyalty and companionship. This led dogs to see their human family as their pack, seeking guidance, protection, and leadership from their owners.

Dogs offer uncomplicated affection and companionship without the motives or baggage found in human relationships. Their devotion is constant and dependable, and they don't hold grudges or judge their owners. This unwavering presence is a major source of comfort and emotional support.

One of the most endearing and consistent examples of a dog's love is its exuberant greeting. Whether you've been gone for five minutes or five hours, a dog's happy welcome—with a wagging tail, licking, and excited jumping—is a sincere and reliable show of affection.

Dogs' loyalty is often demonstrated through their desire to be near their owners, whether they are following them from room to room, leaning on them, or sleeping close by. This constant proximity creates a deep and secure sense of companionship.

​Dogs are highly attuned to human emotions and will often try to comfort their owners when they sense they are sad or upset. This empathy makes them incredibly therapeutic companions, capable of providing comfort during difficult times.

Why I Write Fiction from a Dog's Point of View about Unconditional Love
The first novel I wrote, Luke’s Tale, was written through the dog Luke’s point of view. It evolved because I have lived with and loved dogs all my life. Fortunately, I am lucky to have a husband and children who feel the same way. Throughout those years, I noticed all the traits in our pets that I mentioned above. So, I thought, Why can’t a dog’s unconditional love show humans how to give and receive that kind of devotion? Thus, Luke’s Tale was born. Here’s the blurb I wrote as the premise for the book:

​Luke, an intelligent, 89-pound yellow Labrador retriever, has an odd ability to understand human conversations and actions. When his owner’s girlfriend, Sara Colson, discovers she has breast cancer Luke is the sole secret keeper of her disease.

Not knowing if she’ll survive, Sara leaves her boyfriend, Ashlundt Jaynes, to shield him from the pain. Luke, knowing how to give unconditional love, is the catalyst to bringing the two lovers back together and helps them stay together while Sara and Ashlundt overcome a series of life-changing events. 

At the heart of Luke’s Tale is the story of two lovers and their struggle with unforeseen disillusionment to build a lasting relationship ─ and the loving, furry creature who is devoted to them beyond all reason.

Does a dog telling a story and having an uncanny ability to understand humans make my readers suspend disbelief?

You bet it does. But, as Jenny Lehman said in her review, “This story taught me so much more than 15+ years of therapy did about how to love. Unconditional love is something we often hear preached but not demonstrated.

These daily demonstrations between the characters are the most primal example of unconditional love imaginable. Wishing this to the bucket list of everyone I know.”

After writing a lot of vampire novels told through the eyes of wolves and dogs (yes, about unconditional love), I wrote two more somewhat paranormal stories with the same intent: The Reincarnation of Charlie as Penn Scripter and Caddy’s Tale.

Again, all the dogs I’ve had inspired me.

We had a real Luke who was my model for Luke’s Tale. We had a Charlie, the model for The Reincarnation of Charlie, and my niece’s family had a Caddy, the inspiration for Caddy’s Tale. Are you seeing a pattern here?

Charlie took a bit of a different twist. Here’s the premise:

What if, after death, we were somehow allowed to take care of those we leave behind? Charlie Wolf looked forward to a long life.

But what he wanted was not in the cards. Charlie had it all. A loving wife, a booming business, and a horse ranch that made them both happy. Then he was gone.

Soon after his death, Charlie's spirit discovers his wife, Remi, could not recover from losing her soul mate. Remi lost interest in life and even her will to compete in horse shows. The loss of her husband sent Remi into a downward spiral of hopelessness. 

Charlie knew that the one thing he had to finish was making sure that his wife Remi could go on.

This is their story and how the universe allowed Charlie to end it.

Paranormal? Yes. But this is what Michael P. Meyer said in his review of it:

“The author captures the true definition of unconditional love. After reading this book, I realize we often think we are loving unconditionally yet we place conditions. Charlie is able to work through this fine line of conditional and unconditional love to save his wife. A story of hope and love told by Charlie....you will have to read to understand Charlie's journey from earth, to afterlife, and back to earth. This book is a fast read....I do warn that you will want to set aside a block of time to read because once you start reading you will not want to stop.”

And then, I was inspired by the true story of my niece Lee and her husband Mal. Caddy was their dog, and while I fictionalized their life… Caddy, Lee, and Mal in real life exemplified unconditional love. Here’s the premise:Lily Loggins falls in love when she pulls a drowning pit bull puppy out of the ocean. Who would have thought this one act would set Lily down a path she never expected.

Golfer Micah Moore has two goals – to win the PGA Grand Slam and marry Lily the girl of his dreams. When he sees the exhausted puppy in Lily's arms, he's certain he's added another love to his life. He didn't anticipate the important role the dog would play in his future.

In an ugly twist of fate, Lily and Micah's lives together are marred by tragedies until a life force beyond their understanding influences their destiny and leaves them forever altered.

The paranormal in this one sort of sneaks up on you… the story is fiction, of course, However, as Janet D. Dixon said in her review:

“What a beautiful story of unconditional love between humans and a dog with a beautiful soul. Even through its tragedies, Caddy knows exactly what her humans need from her even before they do. If you’ve ever had a special dog in your life, this book is for you!”

​So, if you love dogs and need a good roller coaster ride bouncing between laughter and tears, you might enjoy these treasures from my heart. I hope you will.

Unconditionally,
​Carol

July 31st marked the culmination of an incredible journey that my daughter, Stephanie, and I have taken together under our pen name of Penn Scripter. Creating Miles and Warren's story has been one of our most rewarding collaborations yet, and we can't wait for you to dive into their dark, passionate world.

The cover above captures their story!

Isn't it stunning? Those gothic red wings, the dark roses, the elegant typography - everything about this cover screams the dark paranormal romance we've crafted. It perfectly represents the world where monsters aren't always villains, and victims can hold the real power.

What Makes Blood Money Special?
This isn't your typical vampire romance. We've created something entirely new with our Dracules - demons that possess souls and integrate so completely with their hosts’ memories that they remember being human while battling their demonic nature.

Miles isn't just another blood doll. She's a survivor who's spent eight years searching for her missing mother, someone who discovers that her blood holds power she never imagined. When Dracules feed from her, they don't just take sustenance - they feel everything she experiences, creating a connection that flips the traditional power dynamic entirely.

Warren has spent 200,000 years seeking redemption, fighting hungers that could destroy everything he's worked to protect. When Miles crashes into his carefully controlled world, neither of them is prepared for the connection that sparks between them.

​Set in a world where college coffee shops hide vampire societies, where The Brightwood Estate exists as a living sanctuary between dimensions, and where blood carries more than just life - it carries essence, emotion, and the power to heal or destroy.

A Taste of Miles and Warren's World
​Here's a glimpse into their story:

My mother named me Chamomile, after the taste of my blood.

Even though she’d never tasted the red liquid running through my veins, they had. It was tradition for a creature like me to be named for how my blood bloomed over those monster’s tongues. That’s what I was told, anyway. It must be true since they called my mother Pepper. Pepper Eirian.

I lived in a little cage under a big house filled with screams. Until the day before my twelfth birthday, it was all I’d known.

“Miles, get up.” Mother shook me awake. She’d never called me Chamomile. Always Miles. I guessed because she didn’t like what my full name represented.

My eyes snapped open. “It’s not my day.”

Once a week, they would bite my arms, my neck, and my legs. Tomorrow was my day for the demons to feed. For them to drain the blood from my veins. For me to die of a thousand needles embedded in my flesh.

“Do you trust me?” Mother reached for me and pulled away the green army blanket serving as a comforter.

I nodded. “Yes.”

Her emancipated arms gathered me onto her chest, and I wrapped my spindly legs around her thin waist. The sheer, plain cream dress was my favorite because it had pockets. Pockets carried secrets. Secrets like candy, small toys, and even weapons like little knives.

Mother carried me past the door of my cage, and down the aisle of barred cells. Most the other rooms were empty. We passed by a moaning man, spread across his cot, recovering from the night before.

Fewer people than normal slept or recovered from the night before in their barred stalls. Even down in the cellar, I could hear the screeches over the music. The pleading and laughter. The smell. I didn’t want to find out where it came from.

My mother rushed through the hall and came to an abrupt halt. A door creaked, and Mother’s hands shook. I tried to look, but she pinned my chin to her shoulder so I couldn’t turn around.

“Eli…” she said. “Let me through.”

Eli Florentine. It took me long years of listening to snippets, but Eli was the head recruiter for regular blood slaves known as “drudges.” If one of the enclave members requested a certain blood type, Eli brought in the body. Not a dead one, but the person he brought might as well be. Even though I knew he was bad news, Eli was also the only one who hadn’t sunk his fangs into me.

Eli’s calm voice chilled the room. “Let me take her.”

“No!” Mother gripped me tighter and took a step back. She shuffled me to one arm, but I was too heavy for her to hold. I started sliding down her side.

Behind us, I saw a shadow, the outline of a man. I couldn’t make out much except blond hair, a shushing finger over his mouth, and blue eyes pleading for me to stay quiet.

“Momma—” I said.

“Liebling—” Eli began at the same time as he stretched a hand with clawlike nails toward me.

Soon as my feet hit the ground. Mother jerked her hand and pulled out a silver pen.

“Wait!” Eli threw up his hands, blocking his face. “Pepper! Don’t scare her!”

“How do you know what she’s feeling?” My mother bared her teeth. Her shaking hand holding mine tightened, promising she wouldn’t let me go. Her other hand aimed the pen level with his head.

“You’re spiraling.” He lowered his hands. “The others will know something’s wrong.” His eyes glittered. “I can take her and get her out safely.”

I held my mother’s waist and hid my face in her dress as I willed her to say no. I didn’t want to go with the demon.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Mother seethed. “How dare you touch my child!”

“Pepper, I wouldn’t—ahhh!” Eli threw up his hands as a beam of red light formed a dot over his fingers. Red light, thin as paper, split the darkness. Eli cursed and pushed his face to the wall, covering his left eye.

“Fine then, woman! I’ll do what I can.”

Mother ran with me in tow. We passed stairs, down the hallway. Down to a place I knew all too well.
They called it the medical bay. I called it hell. It held an empty counter, locked cabinets, and a table with straps to hold a “patient” down—for my safety, they said. I think they didn’t want me flailing and scratching their eyes out.

“Mama?”

She whipped us around a corner, knelt to my level, and put a finger to her mouth.

Wide-eyed I nodded.

A gust of wind passed by, and Pepper peeked around the corner. She led us through the dark hall into the one room I hated most of all. The flat metal table, now a bed of nails, stood in the middle of it. Using their sharp canines, demons had ripped into me here until I went unconscious. It was not my favorite room.

Before I could complain, Pepper pulled out folding stairs and set them under the slit of a window. She climbed the steps and pushed the glass pane. It opened, and she took a stuttering breath. “Thank all, he did it.”

An opening! We could escape!

She climbed down and knelt by my side. “Listen, Miles, you need to go now, okay?”

“But you’re coming too?” My hands cupped my mother’s face.

A great roar echoed off the walls, and thunder shook the house.

Mother wasted no time. She hauled me up the ladder and guided my head through the opening. The metal frame squeezed the sides of my face. It felt like getting a wind burn. My ears scraped against the window frame.

A door banged, and my mother’s hands were ripped away.

“Let her leave!” Mother cried.

I couldn’t turn to see even if I wanted to. My head remained pinned between the window frame. If they pulled me back, that might hurt. A lot.

I heard scuffling, and growls.

“Grab the child!” someone screeched. “The child!”

“No!” Eli roared. “It’s too dangerous for her to stay.”

With added effort, my head came free, but the rest of my body teetered inside. Someone shoved me through, the scraping of the window cutting into my chest, then my stomach, and finally my knees until I could claw the rest of the way through.

Long streaks of blood dripped from my head. My knees were scuffed, and the sharp metal in my shoulder ached where I’d squeezed through the window frame. The threadbare gown I wore, stained from grass and blood, felt paper thin against the cold autumn sky. Sunlight. A wash of white obliterated my sight.

“Momma…” I turned around and, in my illogical sense, made to pull my mom out of the hole that I had squeezed through. But I didn’t have time to hurt, to tend my wounds, or to help my mother.

“Miles, run!” Mother cried.

I’d never forget the terror in my mother’s eyes. Monsters swarmed, and as she reached for me, they engulfed her. Pepper was whisked away from sight and replaced by piercing blue eyes that scowled at me through the crack in the window.

“Do as she says, little morsel.” An old dagger and a brown paper bag were tossed my way.

​Fleeing wasn’t hard. Ashamed, I took the package and scrambled away without my mother. I did what she said and ran.
 
Our Collaboration Journey
Working with my daughter Stephanie on this story has been fun! Our Penn Scripter partnership allows us to blend our different perspectives and experiences, creating characters and worlds that feel authentic and emotionally resonant.  Stephanie’s research into trauma and healing combined with my insights into family dynamics and relationships gave Miles and Warren the psychological depth that makes their love story so compelling.
 
Available Now
Blood Money is available in both ebook and paperback formats wherever books are sold. Whether you're new to our Penn Scripter stories or you've been following our journey, we think you'll find something special in Miles and Warren's world.

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK1F1Z5X
Amazon International https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK1F1Z5X?tag=bk00010a-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true
All Other Retailers https://books2read.com/BloodMoney-PennScripter
 
This is just the beginning of their world. There are more stories to tell, more characters to meet, and more secrets to uncover in the shadows where Dracules and blood dolls navigate the thin line between survival and love.
​
Welcome to the world of Blood Money. Welcome to a place where monsters can be heroes, where victims hold the power, and where love might just be the most dangerous magic of all.

With love and a touch of darkness,
Carol and Stephanie McKibben
 

I couldn’t let May slip by without giving you a chance to capture and win a great “Critter” Giveaway. It’s for all animal lovers! Plus, gain access to free or discounted books!

​Just click https://AuthorsXP.com/giveaway and register to win a kindle reader, eBooks, or bonus Paperbacks!

I hope you take advantage of this fun giveaway! Only available from May 20-May 24, 2025. Register today at  https://authorsxp.com/giveawayauthorsxp.com/giveaway.

Unconditionally,
Carol

-By Zoey Boston/Zoeyboston.com

Life rarely moves in a straight line. It twists and turns, sometimes throwing us into the deep end without warning. Transitions—whether they come in the form of a career shift, the loss of a loved one, or even the joy and uncertainty of a new child—can feel overwhelming. But for those lucky enough to have a dog at their side, the journey becomes a little less daunting. Dogs, in their quiet, intuitive way, serve as emotional anchors, guiding us through life's turbulence with an unwavering presence. They don’t offer words of wisdom, but what they give us is often far more powerful: companionship, comfort, and a reason to keep moving forward.

A Steady Presence in Uncertain Times

When life feels like it’s unraveling, dogs offer something that humans sometimes struggle to provide—consistency. They don’t care if you’ve lost your job, moved across the country, or ended a long-term relationship. Their needs remain the same: morning walks, belly rubs, and dinner at six. In the midst of chaos, their predictability is a gift. It’s grounding. It reminds you that, no matter what, the world hasn’t completely lost its rhythm. And sometimes, that’s enough to help you take the next step.

Silent Listeners Who Hear Everything

There’s something cathartic about talking to a dog. No matter how many times you repeat the same worries aloud, they listen—ears perked, head tilted, as if they’re absorbing every word. Dogs won’t judge you for crying over the same thing again and again. They won’t offer unsolicited advice or try to fix what’s broken. Instead, they simply exist beside you, letting you unload your fears into the safety of their presence. That kind of non-verbal support is rare, even among humans.

Ease the Stress of New Beginnings
Big life changes—like starting a new job, moving to a new city, or even going back to school—come with their fair share of uncertainty. Whether you’re juggling a brand-new job or adjusting to the self-discipline of an online degree (you may like this), the pressure can feel overwhelming. But dogs have a way of keeping you grounded, offering a routine when everything else feels unpredictable. Their simple joy in the present moment reminds you to step away from the stress, take a deep breath, and find balance.

Encourage Movement, Even When You Don’t Want To

During difficult transitions, inertia can feel like the default setting. The weight of uncertainty or grief makes even the simplest tasks—getting out of bed, going outside—feel monumental. But a dog doesn’t understand your existential crisis. They just know it’s time for a walk. And so, you put on your shoes, clip the leash, and step out the door. One foot in front of the other, their tail wagging like a metronome, setting the pace. That daily movement, forced or not, has a way of shaking loose the heaviness inside you.

Offer Comfort Without Conditions

Dogs are masters of emotional alchemy, transforming anxiety into calm with nothing more than a nuzzle or a warm body curled against your side. Science backs this up—studies show that petting a dog lowers cortisol levels and increases oxytocin, the “bonding hormone.” But beyond the biology, there’s something profoundly healing about their unfiltered affection. They don’t require you to explain yourself. They don’t expect you to be “okay.” They just love you, exactly as you are, in whatever mess you’re currently navigating.

Bring New People Into Your Orbit

Loneliness has a way of creeping in during life’s transitions, especially when you’re in a new city or adjusting to a major loss. But dogs have an uncanny ability to break down barriers. A walk through the park with a friendly pup often leads to conversations that wouldn’t happen otherwise. Strangers become acquaintances, and sometimes, acquaintances turn into friends. Dogs are social bridges, effortlessly connecting you to a world beyond your own internal struggles.

​A Love That Endures, Even When Everything Else Changes

Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about dogs is that they don’t just walk with us through transitions—they stay. They don’t disappear when the storm passes or when you finally land on your feet again. They were there when you were at your lowest, and they’re still there when you rise. Their love is steady, unshaken by circumstance. And in a world where so much is temporary, that kind of constancy is rare.

Life’s biggest transitions can leave you feeling unmoored, drifting between what was and what comes next. But if you have a dog, you’re never truly lost. They remind you to keep moving, to find joy in the small moments, and to trust that, no matter how uncertain things may feel, you are never alone.

Discover the captivating worlds crafted by Carol McKibben, an accomplished author of both fiction and non-fiction. Explore her books and services today to bring your own stories to life or dive into

I am very excited to announce that Caddy’s Tale, A Story of Unconditional Love is now live in both Kindle and Paperback on:

Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLX2M75D and
most major distributors here: https://books2read.com/caddystale.

This is a deeply personal story for me because it is based loosely on some events that occurred in my own family. It’s highly fictionalized, of course, but it demonstrates the power of love in all forms. If we stop and think how one act can change any of our lives for the better, or how love can reach beyond death to guide us, you’ll understand the heart of this tale.

In case you missed it, here’s the book description:
Lily Loggins falls in love when she pulls a drowning pit bull puppy out of the ocean. Who would have thought this one act would set Lilly down a path she never expected.
Golfer Micah Moore has two goals – to win the PGA Grand Slam and marry Lily the girl of his dreams. When he sees the exhausted puppy in Lilly's arms, he's certain he's added another love to his life. He didn't anticipate the important role the dog would play in his future.
In an ugly twist of fate, Lily and Micah's lives together are marred by tragedies until a life force beyond their understanding influences their destiny and leaves them forever altered.

Here's what early readers are saying and giving Caddy’s Tale 5 Stars:

“A Beautiful novella centered on a wonderful, but far different dog from Carol McKibben’s normal stories. It draws you in from the moment Lily saves a drowning puppy, who claims the heart of her, Tom her Father, Micah a Pro Golfer and love interest, and even her estranged Mother, and becomes the glue that unites everyone's hearts in the end. It brings living souls and souls that have separated, into an eternal bond of love around the gift from one wonderous dog. It was a perfect work of hope, with a perfect ending.” –Rickey Morris

“A short, well-written story written in such a way that it draws you in.” –Jackie Tansey

“A tender story with a twist I didn’t see coming!” I love whatever Carol McKibben writes and how she incorporates unusual paranormal romance.” –D. A. McMillan
“A beautiful story of the power and strength of love and how it can bring about the most magnificent of miracles.” —Dina Bushrod

“I enjoyed this book! The storyline is well written, and I can't wait to read more from this author.” –Juanita E. Arp

"A heart-warming tale of love, life and what comes next, Carol McKibben's Caddy's Tale evolves around an eponymous dog who hides a special secret, that's gradually uncovered through the story of her two new owners and the joy, sadness, losses and other events they experience throughout their lives. Get Caddy's Tale today... it's a must for dog-lovers and those who triumph over tragedy to achieve their Happy Ever After!

So grab your copy today:
At Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLX2M75D
At Other Major Distributors: https://books2read.com/caddystale

Best, Carol

It’s finally here! So many of you voted on the three cover images for Caddy’s Tale, my latest novella, and the results are in!

It was so close, but Image #2 won! Then, I sent it to my designer who took the image, which wasn’t book quality, and turned that concept into the winning and final cover!
Ta Da!

Thank you so much for all of you who voted for the cover!

Finally, I am pleased to announce that Caddy’s Tale will be available on Amazon and all other major distributors on November 7th!

In case you have forgotten the story synopsis, have a look:

Lily Loggins falls in love when she pulls a drowning pit bull puppy out of the ocean. Who would have thought this one act would set Lily down a path she never expected.

Golfer Micah Moore has two goals – to win the PGA Grand Slam and marry Lily the girl of his dreams. When he sees the exhausted puppy in Lily's arms, he's certain he's added another love to his life. He didn't anticipate the important role the dog would play in his future.

In an ugly twist of fate, Lily and Micah's lives together are marred by tragedies until a life force beyond their understanding influences their destiny and leaves them forever altered.

Here’s what two of my early readers had to say about Caddy’s Tale:

“A tender story with a twist I didn’t see coming!” I love whatever Carol McKibben writes and how she incorporates unusual paranormal romance.” –D. A. McMillan

​“A beautiful story of the power and strength of love and how it can bring about the most magnificent of miracles.” —Dina Bushrod


Thanks again for your help and support!
Carol

Hi, All!

Thanks so much to those who participated in the image selection for the cover of Caddy’s Tale! It was very close, almost a tie between two of the images, but we do have a winner, and I will send out the cover reveal as soon as it is finished.

In the meantime, here is an image of the dog, Caddy, who was the inspiration for this story.

I thought you might like to read an excerpt of the story, which is really a family drama with a paranormal twist. You know me, I love the unexpected!

Here’s the excerpt from Caddy’s Tale:

The puppy fought the waves. Swell after swell pulled her under water. Drowning in the sea wasn’t in her plan. The dog paddled to the surface and blew water out of her tiny nose. She struggled, but the tide’s invisible hand was stronger. The undertow pulled her down. The quiet underwater muted her whimpers. Her tiny paws shifted sand but couldn’t get purchase. Lean muscle and skin were not enough to make her buoyant. The small puppy couldn’t fight the current, the waves tumbling over her, or hold her breath.

Hands grabbed her and lifted the sputtering pup, who coughed salt water from her lungs.

Lily Loggins wadded through the surging waves holding the black pit bull pup with a white blaze clutched to her chest. Pressing her close, Lily moved to the dry sand, sat, and cradled her rescue.

“What happened, girl?” She inspected the puppy and noticed it was female and beautifully marked.

Climbing closer, the puppy licked the girl’s face nonstop.

Lily giggled and rolled on the sand with the dog who started to bark and whine at the same time. Holding the puppy out at arm’s length, she asked her, “Where’s your owner? I haven’t ever noticed strays here.”

She looked along Crescent Beach, a private alcove she’d known since she had moved here with her father.

“I’d better find out if you are chipped and locate your people!”

Glancing once more at the empty Florida beach, she jumped up, removed the long-sleeved shirt tied around her waist, and wrapped up the pup in it. She trudged the mile up to the beach house nestled just behind the dunes where she had lived all through high school with her dad after her parents had divorced. The rustic home faced the ocean complete with a wrap-around porch and floor-to-ceiling windows. Lily loved the handcrafted feel of the raw natural materials from which the bright and airy house had been built with its weathered wood, timbered furniture, wide-plank floors, and natural stone.

Climbing the stairs up to the deck, she spotted her father. He turned to face her with a smoke pipe in one hand and a glass of Jack Daniels over ice in the other.

He smiled. “What have you got there, honey?” His thick Southern drawl made him appear slow in thought, when, in fact, he was highly intelligent, a C-level safety specialist and executive, who had spoken before Congress on issues facing the mining industry. Tom Loggins had worked around the country throughout his successful career. Lily adored him not for his professional accomplishments but for his unconditional love for her. His support for her had always been unwavering.

Lily admired his tall stature. He was a bear of a man with red-gold hair peppered with silver and the bluest of eyes. His smile always carried some secret that he kept to himself.

“Dad, I found this pup on the beach! She looked as if she was struggling to keep from drowning. I didn’t see anyone around, so thought we could take care of her until I can get her to the vet tomorrow to see if she has a chip.”

Tom smiled, churned his pipe to the other side of his mouth, and nodded his approval.

“Thanks, Dad! Love you.” As Lily scampered inside, she yelled over her shoulder, “Going to give this puppy a bath! Who knows where she might have come from. Can’t wait to tell Micah about her.”

Tom shook his head. “That hotshot isn’t right for you.”

“Dad, we talked about this,” Lily shouted.

“He’s twenty-nine and you’re eighteen.”

“So?”

Tom grumbled at the thought of Micah Moore.

Lily came down the stairs, phone in hand, and with the puppy hot on her heels. “Micah wants to speak with you.”

Tom set down his whiskey and settled his pipe in a cradle and took the phone. “Hello?”

Lily picked up the pit bull puppy and listened in on their conversation.

Micah spoke with soft determination. “Mr. Loggins, I’d like to speak with you in person. Will you meet me at the Marsh Creek Country Club?”

“The place where we met, huh?” Tom smiled and the gleam in his eye held knowing and mischief.

The Loggins family had first been introduced to Micah at the Marsh Creek Country Club, where Tom was a member.

“Yes. Is seven o’clock all right?”

Lily jumped up. “Yes! We’ll be there.”

“Seven o’clock is fine.”

Tom handed Lily’s phone back to her and took a sip of his whiskey. He had a few hours to savor his drink before meeting with Micah.

An hour later, Lily rushed down the stairs. “Dad, I just got off the phone with Micah.
We’re going to call the puppy Caddy. Get it? Caddy. Micah’s a golfer.” She winked at him.

Tom rolled his eyes and puffed on his pipe. “You’re getting ahead of yourself, aren’t you? We need to see if she belongs to anyone.”

“We will, but don’t you see? She was meant to come to us.”

*Well, that’s it.*

Hope it piqued your interest. In the meantime, if you want to read about my other paranormal books, go to https://www.carolmckibben.com/. I hope you’ll join me for some vampire mystery thrillers you’ll find there,. For something more like Caddy’s Tale, you might enjoy Luke’s Tale if you haven’t read it yet.

I also write under the pseudonym of Penn Scripter with my daughter, S.N. McKibben. You’ll find our books at https://www.pennscripter.com/books.html.

Til Next Time,
Carol

Hi!
I don’t know about you, but summer has hit Central Texas here with a vengeance. Scorching 100+ degrees and high humidity have made for challenging times outdoors. That challenge got me thinking about my earlier life and the issues I faced with an abusive, alcoholic first husband and two children to raise mostly alone. For a time, I was afraid to fight back, until one fateful, terrifying night brought me to my senses. When that happened, I chose to stop playing the victim and take control of my destiny.
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I wrote it all down in my memoir, Riding Through It.

If you’ve ever felt that your past controls your present and future for any reason, or if you just want to read a story about overcoming adversity, you might like to read it. I didn’t write it to sell books. I published it in hopes it might help others in similar or related situations.

It's raw and honest, and I made myself vulnerable to do it. However, it has already fulfilled my goal. When I set out to write it, I hoped it might help just one person. That’s already happened. If it aids others, that’s icing on the cake.

If this is not your cup of tea, but you know someone it might help, why not gift it to them, or at least pass this information on to them?

Want to learn more about it and read a few reviews?
​ Click here: https://www.carolmckibben.com/riding-through-it.htmlRiding Through It.

Want to find it on Amazon? Go to https://www.amazon.com/Riding-Through-Memoir-Carol-McKibben-ebook/dp/B00E2C0OR6.
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Whatever your past, I hope your present and future are the very best they can be.


Til Next Time,
Carol