Carolyn In the News
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Prince Albert author up for writing award
Theresa Seraphim
Published on May 28, 2008
A Prince Albert author is up for an honour.
Carolyn Carleton was recently selected as finalist in the Canadian Christian Writing Awards, in the young adult category, for her book What Makes You Unique?, Discover the Truth or Believe the Lie, published last July by Milestones International Publishers.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for June 11 in Mississauga, Ontario. Carleton - who is up against one other author - will also be autographing books on June 4 at the Cuelenaere Library at 7 p.m. and will be a guest on 100 Huntley Street on July 8.
Carleton, a member of the Alliance Church, said the book contains "everything I wish I'd known as a teen girl. Basically, I studied Scripture and I wrote around that."
The book tackles topics of concern to current teens, and each chapter ends with some questions for reflection, which can be used by individuals or for group study.
"I didn't want a book that people just read," said Carleton.
The book's genesis came about during the five years she ran a girls' conference.
"The girls were asking really deep questions," said Carleton, adding that put the lie to the stereotype of teens not knowing anything or not being mature enough to wrestle with life's questions.
However, when she researched the answers, she discovered that idea was still prevalent.
"Everything I found for teen girls was fluffy … They wanted something a little deeper. Teens are at a place where they want to know."
Carleton said after the book was written over an eight-year period, some publishers wouldn't touch it because "I don't want to hide things from people."
When a publisher did accept it, she ended up writing day and night for two weeks to get the book ready for a writers' expo.
During that time, said Carleton, friends helped by acts like bringing meals over.
"It was a community effort to make sure my book got published," she said, adding it has been read and absorbed by both Christians and non-Christians, said Carleton.
Since she is also asked to speak, especially at schools, Carleton has also started a not-for-profit organization for that purpose, called Unlimited Potential International. She writes seminars for students from Grade 6 to 12.
Carleton said whether or not it wins, What Makes You Unique? was meant to be.
Published on May 28, 2008
A Prince Albert author is up for an honour.
Carolyn Carleton was recently selected as finalist in the Canadian Christian Writing Awards, in the young adult category, for her book What Makes You Unique?, Discover the Truth or Believe the Lie, published last July by Milestones International Publishers.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for June 11 in Mississauga, Ontario. Carleton - who is up against one other author - will also be autographing books on June 4 at the Cuelenaere Library at 7 p.m. and will be a guest on 100 Huntley Street on July 8.
Carleton, a member of the Alliance Church, said the book contains "everything I wish I'd known as a teen girl. Basically, I studied Scripture and I wrote around that."
The book tackles topics of concern to current teens, and each chapter ends with some questions for reflection, which can be used by individuals or for group study.
"I didn't want a book that people just read," said Carleton.
The book's genesis came about during the five years she ran a girls' conference.
"The girls were asking really deep questions," said Carleton, adding that put the lie to the stereotype of teens not knowing anything or not being mature enough to wrestle with life's questions.
However, when she researched the answers, she discovered that idea was still prevalent.
"Everything I found for teen girls was fluffy … They wanted something a little deeper. Teens are at a place where they want to know."
Carleton said after the book was written over an eight-year period, some publishers wouldn't touch it because "I don't want to hide things from people."
When a publisher did accept it, she ended up writing day and night for two weeks to get the book ready for a writers' expo.
During that time, said Carleton, friends helped by acts like bringing meals over.
"It was a community effort to make sure my book got published," she said, adding it has been read and absorbed by both Christians and non-Christians, said Carleton.
Since she is also asked to speak, especially at schools, Carleton has also started a not-for-profit organization for that purpose, called Unlimited Potential International. She writes seminars for students from Grade 6 to 12.
Carleton said whether or not it wins, What Makes You Unique? was meant to be.
Author gets personal
Book by Waterford Native Designed To Guide Teenage Girls
Ashley House, SIMCOE REFORMER
Friday, July 4, 2008 1:08:09 EDT PM
A local author has garnered national recognition for turning her difficult teenage years into a learning experience for other young girls.
CJ Carleton, a Waterford native, has won the Canadian Christian Writing award for her new book, What Makes You Unique? Discover the Truth or Believe the Lie.
She'll be signing copies of her book at the Gospel Lighthouse this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
"The book teaches girls how to make better choices," she said. "It's really what I wish someone would have told me when I was growing up."
She describes the book as honest and raw, containing many of her own personal experiences.
"I had some serious self-esteem issues," she said. "And I still have to work through those. I was bawling while I wrote some chapters."
Using Christ as a guiding theme throughout her book, Carleton shows girls how to find themselves.
"It's good to improve yourself and to keep growing," she said. "I don't want the girls to be the same person at the end of the book as they were at the beginning."
She thinks teenage girls today have it more difficult than when she was growing up.
"The styles and images they get bombarded with -- it's hard to see what the right choices are," she said. "The book teaches self-esteem and where and how they fit in. I want to teach them how to decipher what is being said to you and if someone's making a fuss over you, what is their relationship to you. Should you care?"
After high school, Carleton went to Sheridan College to study advertising and marketing. There, she was scouted for a modelling agency in Toronto and went to work on her portfolio.
Though she enjoyed walking the runway and making money, she didn't find it fulfilling. She moved into a small basement apartment and did some serious soul searching.
"I remembered going to camp and that being the most enjoyable time of my childhood," she said. "I felt like the person I wanted to be at camp."
She went back to camp to work and that is where she found Christ again. "There is just something about knowing there's more to life than just me," she said.
From camp, she joined Campus Crusade for Christ, which is a group that speaks to high schools across Canada. There she met her husband Dustin, who was a pastor. They now live in Saskatchewan with their two young daughters.
"As a pastor's wife, people were always asking me to speak to groups," Carleton said. "It's encouraging to know that I can help others by sharing my experiences of growing up."
She's the founder of Beautifully Created Girls Conference, has developed her own self-development course for girls and is working on two other books.
Carleton speaks on a variety of topics from self-esteem and making positive choices to sex, dating and purity.
Ashley House, SIMCOE REFORMER
Friday, July 4, 2008 1:08:09 EDT PM
A local author has garnered national recognition for turning her difficult teenage years into a learning experience for other young girls.
CJ Carleton, a Waterford native, has won the Canadian Christian Writing award for her new book, What Makes You Unique? Discover the Truth or Believe the Lie.
She'll be signing copies of her book at the Gospel Lighthouse this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
"The book teaches girls how to make better choices," she said. "It's really what I wish someone would have told me when I was growing up."
She describes the book as honest and raw, containing many of her own personal experiences.
"I had some serious self-esteem issues," she said. "And I still have to work through those. I was bawling while I wrote some chapters."
Using Christ as a guiding theme throughout her book, Carleton shows girls how to find themselves.
"It's good to improve yourself and to keep growing," she said. "I don't want the girls to be the same person at the end of the book as they were at the beginning."
She thinks teenage girls today have it more difficult than when she was growing up.
"The styles and images they get bombarded with -- it's hard to see what the right choices are," she said. "The book teaches self-esteem and where and how they fit in. I want to teach them how to decipher what is being said to you and if someone's making a fuss over you, what is their relationship to you. Should you care?"
After high school, Carleton went to Sheridan College to study advertising and marketing. There, she was scouted for a modelling agency in Toronto and went to work on her portfolio.
Though she enjoyed walking the runway and making money, she didn't find it fulfilling. She moved into a small basement apartment and did some serious soul searching.
"I remembered going to camp and that being the most enjoyable time of my childhood," she said. "I felt like the person I wanted to be at camp."
She went back to camp to work and that is where she found Christ again. "There is just something about knowing there's more to life than just me," she said.
From camp, she joined Campus Crusade for Christ, which is a group that speaks to high schools across Canada. There she met her husband Dustin, who was a pastor. They now live in Saskatchewan with their two young daughters.
"As a pastor's wife, people were always asking me to speak to groups," Carleton said. "It's encouraging to know that I can help others by sharing my experiences of growing up."
She's the founder of Beautifully Created Girls Conference, has developed her own self-development course for girls and is working on two other books.
Carleton speaks on a variety of topics from self-esteem and making positive choices to sex, dating and purity.
