About the Book

Book: Charlotte McMaster and the Messenger Angel

Author: Terry Overton

Genre: Middle Grade Reader Fiction

Release date: November 26, 2024

Charlotte McMaster is in trouble. Some innocent memes shared to the whole school have resulted in community service at a rehabilitation center for the elderly. But her time with Mrs. Abigail Hooper will at least get her out of the tension at home, where her father stays out late working and her mother spends a lot of time worrying.

But when Mrs. Hooper invites Charlotte to spend time in her garden, she tells Charlotte about an angel that appeared to her when her husband died. Charlotte is drawn to the elderly woman and soon finds herself bringing her best friend, Ellie, on her visits as well. Seeking for answers about her adoption and her biological parents, Charlotte continues to be drawn to the garden to see if she can see the angel for herself.

Will Charlotte ever be able to find the answers she is searching for? Or will her search tear her family apart?

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I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are my own and not an endorsement of all author’s opinions.

Author Interview

●What was your process to align your book with your target audience? This. Book was written when my youngest granddaughter was in middle school. Hanging around her and her friends helped me to see the world of middle school through the eyes of a middle schooler.

●What was the most challenging part of writing your book? This book covers topics such as foster care, adoption, family arguments and irregular parenting. It is hard to write about these topics in a manner that conveys what is happening in the family without making it sound too raw or too rough. It was my desire to convey how difficult these situations can yet hopefully not to trigger any readers who face similar issues. For this reason, humor and sympathy were used in an effort to keep a light tone.

●What was the most enjoyable part of writing your book? I always love using cross-generational characters to tell the story and inform the reader about scripture. In this book, an elderly neighbor is the one strengthening the faith of the younger characters.

●How do you weave Biblical truths into your writing? By using plot, subtext, and dialogue, young readers can learn about Scripture and Christian values.

●Are any of your characters based off of yourself or those close to you? Not based upon those close to me but the topics of adoption and fostering were inspired by my daughter who has fostered eleven children and adopted one to be raised alongside her own children.

●Was your writing process spontaneous as it came to you or very planned and organized? Why? Always a pantser writing spontaneously.

●Do you have a favorite time of day you are most productive in your writing? These days anytime it is quiet in my house-usually from 3:30 AM until midmorning.

●Why did you pick this genre for your book? I have been focusing on middle-grade Christian fiction for a while. It's not just fun to write, but it's a genre that allows me to reach young middle grade readers through entertaining characters and exciting plots, which I find incredibly rewarding.

●How many books do you personally own? I have no idea! We are still unpacking boxes from a recent move and the entire upstairs has boxes of books wall-to-wall in one large room.

●What is your next big goal as an author? Right now I am mulling over a new series…more to come on that in the future. I'm excited to share more about this new series and I hope it will be something that my readers will enjoy.

About the Author

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology. Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean. She has two children, seven grandchildren, one great granddaughter. Her writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals. Her books have won Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her books examine real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels. She and her husband live in the southern tip of Texas where they enjoy semi-tropical weather and spending time with their friends and family.

More from Terry

My daughter is an amazing person. After having three children, she and her husband felt God calling them to do more for children without parents. They fostered eleven children. But one year, they were asked to foster a newborn infant whose mother was no longer able to care for any of her children due to drug addiction. It was not that the child was rejected by his mother but that she could not care for him. My daughter brought him home from the hospital at the age of three days while he was having withdrawal symptoms from meth. After a few months, they decided to adopt the child. The process took a while because, for a short time, the child was allowed to return to his birth mother. He now lives with my daughter’s family, and he is an absolute delight and a great addition to the household. Charlotte McMaster and The Messenger Angel is dedicated to my daughter. It is a middle-grade reader about a middle school girl who, while wrestling with the question of being adopted and being rejected by her birth mother, meets a fascinating elderly lady. The vision of an angel provides help and guidance as this young girl comes to realize her adoptive parents were selected for her by God. This story conveys themes of healing, hope, and spiritual discovery. Through the character of Charlotte McMaster, the novel explores how a young girl, navigating the challenges of family tension and personal identity, seeks guidance from earthly and Heavenly sources. The elderly Mrs. Abigail Hooper tells Charlotte about her own experience with an angel. This introduces Charlotte to the idea of divine presence, sparking her curiosity about her past and adoption.