This week on Here’s What We Know, meet Carrie E. Pierce—an accomplished writer with over 20 years of experience, who started her creative career in the film industry, working behind the scenes with makeup and special effects. But her heart always belonged to storytelling, and today, she’s writing children’s books that tackle big emotions with grace, honesty, and a whole lot of Southern charm.
This episode is sponsored by:
In this Episode:
- Carrie’s journey from film sets to writing
- Why her children’s books tackle big emotions like grief and fear
- The hilarious pitfalls of Southern dialect + voice-to-text (spoiler: bald peanuts)
- A surprisingly thoughtful tangent about lizard people
- What it really takes to get through the hard parts of writing (and life)
- Pulling back the curtain on the darker corners of the entertainment industry, where exploitation often hides in plain sight
- Carrie shares the deeply personal inspiration behind her book Becoming Billy
- Reflections on societal issues—from high-profile scandals shaking up entire industries to the quest for authenticity
- And when it comes to protecting our kids? We get real about the moral responsibility we all share in pushing back against hypersexualization
Quotations:
“I knew I wanted to be a writer, so I would carry little books around with me that I couldn’t read, but I loved books.” ~ Carrie E. Pierce
“I dreamed of being a writer, and I knew it was a near impossible feat to pull off and that it took years and years of honing your craft and tons of misery, and it just seemed impossible, but I just knew that’s what I was supposed to do. Didn’t know the first thing about how to make it happen. And it was a process of just evolving through the course of my life.” ~ Carrie E. Pierce
“There are a lot of ways to still write a book that doesn’t have you sitting alone in your house giving birth to a veil of barbed wire.” ~ Carrie E. Pierce
“I use big words, and I don’t talk down to children because I want to trigger conversation between the child and the parent or the child and the grandparent, whoever is there helping them read the book on their own or reading it to them. I want the adult in the room to having to read my book as a bedtime story. I want them to look forward to it as well.” ~ Carrie E. Pierce
“My children’s books, especially, are kept wholesome and based on the importance of family and family values.” ~ Carrie E. Pierce
“When you have a good handle on language and when you are well-read,. And when you speak well, you don’t have to be pretentious in your vocabulary or any of those things. But when you speak well and when you respect words, it opens doors for you.” ~ Carrie E. Pierce
“I think people are turning away from their blue screens. I think they are turning back to the printed word. I talk to a lot of people, adults and young people, who are wanting books again. They are hungry for the actual book. And to me, that means there’s hope for us yet because a book is just magic. You can make it your own. You can write in it if you own it.” ~ Carrie E. Pierce
“God grows you in the process so that you can handle it and serve. So if things are happening overwhelmingly fast and all of that, in my way of thinking, I step back and I think, how much of this is Satan, how much of this is darkness, because am I really growing along to be able to handle this, or is this being used as a weapon to pull me off track? Is this being used as a hook to lure me away from the light and from true service? And God is generous and loving and wants us to prosper and be successful and serve others and have productive lives. He wants all that for us.” ~ Carrie E. Pierce
Bio:
Carrie E. Pierce has written professionally for more than 20 years, most of those spent writing acclaimed Health & Wellness articles and books for Midlife readers.
While catering to this mature audience, Carrie discovered there was a real need for quality children’s literature that could be enjoyed by parents and grandparents, too, as they read aloud to the youngsters in their lives.
Eager to fill this niche, she began crafting quality stories that contain important life lessons, written in a style that doesn’t talk ‘down’ to children but, instead, encourages them to learn new words and ask deep questions as they gain important tools for overcoming fear, pushing past loss and accepting themselves just as they are.
Carrie always speaks from experience, with an honest voice that holds nothing back. A red-headed, freckle-faced girl, born in New Orleans and raised in Texas, Carrie found herself looking over fences, gazing at horizons, and wondering what was to be had ‘over there.’ What adventures were there, just beyond her reach, to be discovered?
And she longed and wondered. And then, after much faith, overcoming and effort, she discovered.
And felt the urge to share, with young and old, alike.
During the course of her life, Carrie has known great highs – and very deep lows. She’s attained her dream of working in the Film and TV industry. She’s been published many times and has also co-hosted two acclaimed, internationally syndicated radio shows.
She’s seen dreams come true – and has also walked through very dark times of tragedy and heartbreak.
She walked with her dad as he bravely fought Lewy Body dementia – and lost. And just recently, her beloved Mom -and very best friend- succumbed to cancer, dying in Carrie’s arms.
Awful as these events were, they’ve provided Carrie with an even richer insight into the human heart and spirit, giving her wisdom and gentleness often lacking in today’s world. These qualities are found throughout her books and articles- and are also evident in personal interactions with her.
Carrie lives in Idaho, surrounded by good friends, gorgeous scenery, and amazing people. When not writing, she enjoys snowshoeing, gardening, good food and wine – and dancing. When writing, her trusty 20-year-old cat Bluey is almost always to be found snoring on a pillow next to Carrie’s desk.
Guest Contact Info:
Website: https://morganpiercemediapublishing.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarrieEPierce/
