Carol Gosa-Summerville - Writing About the Joys and Challenges of the Christian Walk

Posted on 21st of October, 2018 by Naomi Bolton

As a public school teacher for many years, Carol challenged her students to explore all genres of books and discover the power of the written word. As a retired teacher, she's living her dream of creating characters, locations and conflicts through her own writing. As our Author of they Day, Carol talks about God's Sacred Feast, the second novel in her series, "Chronicles of the Hamlet of Sipsey."

Please give us a short introduction to what God's Sacred Feast is about.

God’s Sacred Feast is an African-American novel set in the fictional town of Sipsey, Alabama, in the 1960s. It is the second novel in the series Chronicles of the Hamlet of Sipsey. Though the characters are Christians and faithful members of the church, their lives are flawed. A deacon is reprimanded for playing fast and loose with the women in town. A prophetess’s former pimp shows up asking for forgiveness. And a deacon’s son life is threatened after being stabbed by his treacherous wife. God’s Sacred Feast offers redemption for the soul and laughter for the spirit.

What inspired you to set your story in a 1960s Southern Town?

I was brought up in a small southern town in the 1960s. The characters in my books are based on people and incidents I knew as a child.

How much research did you have to do in order to make the history ring true?

As a retired schoolteacher, I’ve taught about the history of the era for many years. However, I’ve corroborated times and dates with reference books as well as magazine articles and trade books.

Can the books be read as standalones?

My books can be read as standalones. People who didn’t read the first novel read “God’s Sacred Feast” and love it. Sometimes people that read The Burden of Sweetberry say they have to refer back to it when reading God’s Sacred Feast.

How do your past experiences as a teacher influence your writing?

Teaching a core curriculum as an elementary and middle school teacher for so many years provided the opportunity to learn about so many things, people, and places. Whether science units, children’s literature, art, music, or civilizations of the world, every subject offered unique learning opportunities. I believe the more you know about the world, the more interesting you writing can be.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I love to cook, sing, explore the American south, and I’m a great people watcher.

Tell us more about Sugarfoot. What makes him such a likeable character?

Sugarfoot is handsome, single and in demand. He was raised in Sipsey. He left home at an early age and joined the army. There he excelled. But his desire was to come back to Sipsey and lift his family out of poverty. He also wants to lift his community to a higher standard of living. He won the respect of the community when he led them into a fight with the Ku Klux Klan in which they won. Because of his personality, courage and care for others, the deacons of the church have gone against their policy and made him a deacon. He has one flaw. He loves women and women love him.

Some readers say that your work reminds them of Zora Neale Hurston and Maya Angelou. Who are your favorite authors?

Maya Angelou is a favorite writer and so is Zora Neale Hurston. I also like James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Terry McMillan, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I also like authors of children’s books. In my private time, I read non-fiction books about American History and books of the African Diaspora.

Does the book contain a hidden message? What do you hope your readers will get from it?

I want readers to become familiar with the everyday African-American culture. I want them to see the role that faith plays in certain African-American community. I want them to see the faith, the friendship; the humor and the messiness often come before resolution.

What was your greatest challenge when writing this book?

My greatest challenge in writing this book was to find my way after writing my first book, one that I was very proud of.

Do you have any interesting writing habits, what's your average writing day like?

I write early in the morning and late at night.

When working on a new book, what’s the first thing you do?

When working on a new book, I start out trying to decide what I would like for my characters to experience. Early into the book, they take over and tell me what they’re actually experiencing.