Before she was a bestselling author, she was an interpreter at a living history museum. Before she was an interpreter, she was a reader. For this episode, we were thrilled to interview Kathleen Ernst, the author of the Caroline series and many more American Girl books. As a child, Ernst loved Little House On the Prairie, which led her to a career in public history. She even served as a consultant for American Girl before she had the opportunity to write mysteries for the brand. From that gig, Kathleen was offered the chance to create her own War of 1812 character. During this interview, we talk about Kathleen's writing process, the creation of specific characters in the Caroline books, and her experiences meeting American Girl fans. Tune in to find out how Inkpot and Garland came to be, and stay for Kathleen's fascinating and earnest life story. You can find episodes, resources, and a link to our merch store and patreon on our website: dollsofourlivespod.com Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/dollsofourlivespod We love to hear from you! Drop us a line dollsofourlivespod@gmail.com Follow us on social media: Instagram -@dollsofourlivespodcast Twitter - @dollslivespod Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DollsOfOurLivesPod/ Follow Allison on Twitter and Instagram @allisonhorrocks Follow Mary @mimimahoney (Instagram) or  @marymahoney123 (Twitter) Need a source of calm in your day? Listeners will get a free audiobook when you start a new monthly Libro.fm membership for $14.99 a month. You'll get two audiobooks for the price of one in your first month as a member. Valid in the US and Canada.Subscribe to Libro FM! Choose from over 150,000 audiobooks and even support your local bookstore with your purchases as a member.  To sign up, use code DOLLS or this link: https://tidd.ly/3EwqiF5