SALT LAKE CITY, UT March 31, 2014
Carol Pratt Bradley is a historian and novelist whose Biblical account of young Daniel intrigued WiDo submissions editor Allie Maldonado.
“It’s fascinating how Carol has imagined the tale of the young nobleman Daniel before his famous encounter with the lions,” Maldonado says. “She skillfully weaves Biblical history, fiction and romance into her story.”
For author Carol Pratt Bradley, writing historical novels is everything she imagined. A bit of heaven. A lot of hard work. “If I want to lose track of where I am or how much time has passed, I only need to sit at the computer, close my eyes, and put myself into the past.”
She loves studying history, particularly strong women who influenced the era in which they lived. She refers to a Michael Crichton quote: If you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree. “If we can make sense of what has gone before,” Bradley states, “then we can better understand our present. Looking back enables us to put the pieces together.”
When Maldonado asked the author why she chose WiDo, her reply made the small press feel very good about their mission statement and publishing philosophy:
“As I browsed in the fiction section of a local bookstore, I picked up a book published by a company called WiDo. I remember admiring the beautiful cover. I searched WiDo’s website, and read editor Karen Jones Gowen’s article, ‘A New Renaissance in Literature.’
“Karen’s philosophy matches my own thoughts. She even mentioned William Tyndale, a hero of mine. ‘Writers must contribute to the literary culture,’ she writes, ‘not just churn out stuff as quick as we can. We must write stories that are true, with characters who are ‘real, ‘using language that transcends common everyday speech. Let’s write books that, using the very best of our skills, polished and practiced, will carry our readers to a greater plane of understanding as we enlighten and entertain.’ WiDo’s professionalism, dedication to quality editing and artistic covers to make a book its best, impressed me. I knew then that I wanted to approach them, sent a query, and am so happy I did! I am thrilled to be a part of the WiDo Publishing family.”
Allie Maldonado states, “It’s this kind of imaginative and well-researched writing which makes a submissions editor happy. And knowing how our work and our philosophy inspired a writer like Carol Pratt Bradley to sign with WiDo makes it all worthwhile.”
Carol Pratt Bradley is an historical novelist with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Her history interests currently include the Ancient Near Eastern world, Reformation England, and 17th century America. She wrote her thesis novel about a young martyr in 16th century England. Carol has been married to her wonderful husband Bryan for over three decades. Their three daughters and one son have grown and left their parents to survive on their own. They have a Yorkie named Ozzie, who sleeps beside Carol on the couch while she writes.