Carol Van Den Hende, Author of Goodbye, Orchid -

Carol Van Den Hende writes women’s fiction. She is also a well-known speaker and blogger on marketing your writing. Today she is going to share about her inspirations, her new novel, and and her favorite blog.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hello Zara, thanks for welcoming me to your blog!

To introduce myself, I’m the author of award-winning Goodbye, Orchid, a public speaker, MBA, and full-time strategist. I also volunteer on the Board for a special needs school and have trained as a Climate Reality Leader. I’m fortunate to live with a wonderful hubby who makes me laugh, twin teenagers, and our Siberian rescue cat.

What interesting jobs have you had? How have those jobs affected your writing?

Growing up, my favorite job was working in an Italian bakery, so my family wasn’t surprised when I accepted a “sweet” job offer from Mars, Incorporated. During my time at Mars, I’ve had the good fortune to lead many iconic brands, such as M&M’S^®, TWIX^® and DOVE^®Chocolate.

These experiences informed my characters’ work lives. Phoenix Walker is a young entrepreneur who’s founded a New York ad agency. Orchid Paige works as a brand marketer in the beauty industry.

In Goodbye, Orchid, she accepts the opportunity of a lifetime, to travel to Beijing for a temporary assignment. This draws upon my own experience, when I lead Mars chocolate gifting business in China.

How much research do you do for each book you write?

Goodbye, Orchid is inspired by combat-wounded veterans. In the story, Phoenix suffers a traumatic accident which makes him question his relationship with the woman he loves.

I wanted to pay homage to these real-life experiences by writing with authenticity, so I took the research seriously. I read books, blogs and online sources, and also interviewed medical professionals and people who’ve survived traumatic injuries.

I can’t thank my sensitivity readers enough. Like Purple Heart-decorated Sgt Bryan Anderson who gave my writing high praise when he said “Carol gets my experience.” And Boston Marathon bombing survivor Heather Abbott, who raises money for people injured by trauma, and loves Goodbye, Orchid.

I’m touched by feedback from veterans, like these heroes:

“As a combat decorated and wounded veteran, I was truly captivated by Carol’s storytelling. Phoenix Walker captures the mindset, roller-coaster and daily heroics of my experience after being injured. All around excellence.”
—Doc Jacobs, Bronze Star with Valor and Purple Heart-decorated Navy Corpsman, CEO Doc Jacobs Foundation, author There and Back Again

“In this most worthy novel, the protagonists’ lives are shattered and they re-emerge champions, showing a true test of character. Phoenix is all of us, unconquerable until we’re conquered. A tale of sacrifice and rebirth; heroism is in the details.”
—SSGT Aaron Michael Grant, author of TAKING BAGHDAD: Victory in Iraq With the US Marines

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

It’s hard to pick one favorite chapter and readers have loved many different aspects of Goodbye, Orchid. I’ll mention one part, though, that takes part at Walter Reed Medical Center. I’ve never visited in person but researched the facility through secondary sources. So, it’s especially gratifying that military personnel find those scenes to capture the feel of the place and banter between soldiers.

How did you come up with the title?

As we neared publication, my publisher wanted to finalize the book’s title. I wrote a naming brief and brainstormed multiple options. Finally, during an inspired zoom call, my editor and I re-read the opening lines and were struck how they capture the central tension and themes in the story:

Phoenix never believed today was goodbye. Even though hellos come with goodbyes. Like black holes and Stephen Hawking. Like doughnuts and doughnut holes.

But today’s goodbye wasn’t the end of something.

I credit her in my acknowledgements and will never forget her glee as she shouted, “I’ve got it! Goodbye, Orchid!”

Do you have any websites, blogs, or books about writing that you would recommend?

I’ve held Do It Yourself MFA in high regard for years, ever since I met founder Gabriela Pereira at a Writers Digest Conference where we were both speaking. She and her team actively pursue their mission to help writers with both the craft and business side of publishing. So, I was thrilled to discuss Goodbye Orchid with Gabriela on the DIYMFA podcast:

Hot off the press news…

Starting in April, I’ll be penning a bi-monthly DIYMFA column. “The Author Marketing Toolkit” will be where writers can learn from 20+ years of time-tested marketing and insights expertise, translated for authors.

Goodbye, Orchid

by Carol Van Hende

What happens when an entrepreneur suffers an accident that changes him forever and he has to decide if to love his woman, he will need to leave her?

One July morning in Manhattan, handsome athlete and entrepreneur Phoenix Walker accompanies his love, half-Asian beauty Orchid Paige, to the airport. Neither believes today is goodbye.

But soon after Orchid leaves, disaster strikes.

Phoenix wakes in the hospital, broken, forever changed.

Now, he’s faced with the hardest decision of his life. Does he burden the woman whose traumatic childhood makes him feel protective of her? Or does true love mean having to say Goodbye, Orchid?

Rising from ashes is hard. Leaving the one you love is harder.

Available from-

AMAZON | B&N | BOOKSAMILLION | BOOKSHOP | TARGET | INDIEBOUND | PAGE158BOOKS

GOODBYE, ORCHID is one of the most anticipated 2020 fall reads: Buzzfeed l Parade l Travel+Leisure and featured in Glamour, Popsugar, Bookstr, Frolic, LA Times, Chicago Tribune and more.

“Page-turner” “Breath of awe” “Tugs on your soul”