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

Charity, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My goal with every story is to help readers connect with their emotions and innate desire to belong while finding hope that they can find their own happily ever after.

I believe this all stems from all the years I spent as the “new girl.” Although my childhood was full of adventure, starting in the first grade, I moved from Kentucky to Alabama to Kentucky to Alabama to…. Well, you get the idea. Although the moving didn’t help my grasp of mathematics, it fostered a deep love of books since those were the friends I could always take with me when I moved. ​

This was back before the internet, and it wasn’t as easy to keep in touch with friends. Part of me must have worried that I would never really fit into a community. As the years passed, I internalized my own need to be a part of something that lasted more than a year. Those fears resurfaced when I started writing.

All of my stories are about people searching for where they belong as well as where they can make the most difference in their world. This is as true for my science fantasy novels as it is for my romance.

Charity, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My fifth-grade teacher introduced me to the world of reading with WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS, and I’ve never stopped devouring books since. As a reader, I dreamed of one day seeing my name on a book in the library. Unfortunately, I let the years go by without finishing any stories.

And then, when I was in my thirties, I almost died. Yeah, it sounds dramatic, but after two weeks in the hospital, I realized I’d put off my dreams for far too long. We are never guaranteed tomorrow. It took a lot of work and research to figure out where to start. Along the way, I met lots of writers on the same journey. Together we encouraged each other by sharing our fears and successes.

Perhaps, that was the first time I felt like I belonged to a community. It’s also why I love to talk to other writers about their stories and goals. If there is a chance I can help someone else reach for their dreams, I want to do that.

My first book was published in 2013 by WiDo Publishing. It was a mix of science fiction and fantasy, and the book that I worked on for ten years as a form of therapy after my near-death experience. I had no idea how the writing bug would consume me after that first book. There were plenty of ups and downs, and now I independently publish all my works.

One of the things I’m the proudest of is how hard I work to provide my reader with a good experience. My stories are about real people, living real lives, but they get a happy ending. We all need stories like that so we can hold onto the hope that we too can find joy and peace in this crazy, and often, negative world we live in.

My stories strive to be relevant, wholesome, and hopeful. They are a safe place to laugh and cry while the reader explores emotions that might be hard to embrace for themselves, even though they hover near the surface.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Many people, family included, often comment on how stressed I get about my writing. In their mind, they think the challenges are not worth the rewards of publishing books. They have even suggested that I give it up and do something else. What they don’t understand is that the need to create, to share the emotions swirling inside, to help readers connect to a character is something that can’t be explained. It’s like a compulsion at times, a passion that must be answered. Even if no one else ever reads it.

It’s not about making money. It’s about connecting through story, and that’s why I can’t walk away.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Consistency and excellence is the best way to build a great reputation and relationship with your market. My readers know that I will put my entire heart and soul in a story as well as put in the time to put out a quality product. Beyond that, they know that as a wholesome romance author, my stories won’t contain anything you’d be embarrassed for your 14-year-old or your grandma to read.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://charitybradford-riverford.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charitybradfordriverford/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charitybradfordriverford
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charity-bradford-49827527/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/solstice1974
• Other: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/charity.river Pinterest–https://www.pinterest.com/solstice1974/_saved/ Charity Bradford Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Charity-Bradford/e/B00FA3QRKO River Ford Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/River-Ford/e/B071NRRS1T

Image Credits
Images created on Bookbrush Author photo taken by Lorena Broeringmeyer Cover art by Kiah Bradford, Andrew Hess, Ria Fritz, RL Slather, Diane Costanza, FrinaArt, DesignzbyDanielle