Grandma C's BlogGMAS Blog

Available now!

Can Jane find the resilience needed to survive?

The idealized scenes in Norman Rockwell's illustrations seldom reflected the reality of American families, including Jane Bertram's. Her world consists of a mostly absent father and an angry mother who vents her frustration on her daughter.

Jane stubbornly refuses to become a victim, a stance that further infuriates her mother. Despite the overwhelming pain of knowing her mother hates her, Jane is determined to create a new life for herself.

Blackbird, a fictional autobiography, is the first book in a quartet that explores the taboo subject of mother-daughter abuse. The story spans a period in American history when women began to redefine their traditional roles.

Blackbird is available now. 
Leslie Kathleen HankinsProfessor and Chair, Department of English and Creative Writing, Cornell College
Read More
“Powerful. Compelling. Honest. Searing. I read Blackbird nonstop. I could not put the book down. In stark times, we need stories of earned triumph—and Carole Carson has delivered one. Blackbird is a must-read.”
Ayumi Moore AokiFounder and CEO, Women in Tech
Read More
“Blackbird is the story of a bright girl abused by a toxic mother, making a lie of the myth that all mothers are loving. Jane finds an escape through education on her journey to heal and break the cycle of violence. But her raw experiences along the way reveal the high price women pay for being held back. I look forward to Carole’s next book.”
Jan BorgmanFounder of Literary Miners Book Club
Read More
“Once I started reading, Blackbird was hard to put down—I was eager to find out what happened next to this gifted girl determined to escape the dysfunction of her family for a better life.”
G. RileyArtist
Read More
“Reading Blackbird was a wow experience. The abundance of descriptive yet succinct dialogue sometimes felt like a play, so I could pretend no one would have to endure such a negative upbringing. All the way to the end I worried Jane’s indomitable spirit might falter, yet somehow this young girl grew up not only gaining freedom of personal choice but evolving an ability to value living, love learning, respect decency, and objectively understand others.”
Debra WagnerRetired Director of Business Development, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital
Read More
“Blackbird grabs your attention in the first chapter. You eagerly read to see how Jane will survive her tragic childhood. Her story inspires others to never give up! An amazing accomplishment.”
Susan Bridgit CooperLife Coach
Read More
“In her new novel, Carole Carson tells a riveting tale of pain and transformation. Once I started reading it, I didn’t want to put it down. It is both heartbreaking and inspirational! I am already looking forward to reading the next book in the series.”
Kathy TrioloNevada County Camera Club
Read More
“Carole Carson has written a compelling story with a woman’s voice of endurance, survivorship, perseverance amidst overwhelming neglect, and raw emotional-tsunami events."
Rev. W. Thomas ClarkRetired United Methodist pastor
Read More
“A riveting novel that reveals the spirit of a human being who is able to overcome devastating traumatic experiences and find fulfillment in life. It reflects ultimate hope when one is able to grasp the possibilities life offers.”
JoelAnn FooteRetired manager, agriculture business
Read More
“This is a disturbing story, yet I could not put the book down. At first, the display of unjust brutality made it hard to read, but ultimately empathy and understanding set in. The story, laced with relationships, gives hope that despite grim circumstances, one can still realize success—and hopefully happiness.”
Rhonda Cundy
Rhonda CundyProfessional singer, stage director, and retired university professor
Read More
“Carole Carson’s writing is transformative art—a brave and well-crafted testament to artistic expression that both helps sustain health and surely heals!”
Helen HansenVice President, Hansen Bros. Enterprises
Read More
“Blackbird demonstrates that it doesn’t matter where you come from. Jane Bertram rises above her circumstances and makes her own path with hard work. And yes, even when she misses a few steps along the way, you are confident she will still achieve her dreams.”
Dr. Linda Pitcherformer Assistant Superintendent, Northville Public Schools
Read More
“I found reassurance and certainty in Blackbird—an unwavering conviction that our lives have meaning.”
Previous
Next