Last weekend a close friend of mine, Carla Luna, died unexpectedly.
Carla was an inspiration to me as an indie author. She tried for years to be traditionally published before taking her career into her own hands. She had a story to tell, drawn from her own past as an archeology student. When her agent couldn’t sell it, Carla decided to put out the book herself. She made her own way and has an amazing legacy of books to show for it.
Her books are witty, steamy, and heartwarming, and each one includes something that Carla loved deeply. If you like rom-coms, you should check her out (Carla Luna Books) The quality of her stories is on par with anything you’d find from a traditional publishing house. Carla’s books are a written record of her love and warmth. I’m comforted she’ll live on through them.
The loss of Carla is difficult to grasp. I only knew her over the last five years. We originally met during the pandemic in a Facebook Group for Indie Authors. We were both just starting our self-publishing journey, although she’d been writing for much longer than me. Carla openly shared all the lessons she’d learned and was always willing to lend a helping hand. She was one of the first people to read and review Keeping Christmas.
In 2022, not long after publishing my first book, my life was uprooted when I moved from Florida to Illinois. When I arrived, I learned that another friend of mine, Liz Lincoln, had known Carla for years. Liz invited me to join her, Carla, and several other friends at a writer’s retreat in southern Wisconsin. Suddenly Carla wasn’t just a Facebook friend. I knew her in real life.
I was thrilled to meet her in person and spend a weekend working on our next projects. Every woman at that retreat brought something special, and Carla’s gift was her positivity and supportive nature. She made sure we all had a chance to share what we were working on and to solicit advice from each other. Over the next few years, I attended several retreats with that group, and Carla was always there to share her love and encouragement.
Between retreats, we continued to support each other through our text chains and at local events. I watched my friend grow in her career. I beta read her books, and she did the same for me when I finished the first draft of The Gentleman & The Witch. Without even realizing it, Carla became one of my best friends. I was excited when I had the chance to see her outside of the retreats. We lived just far enough apart that we didn’t go to each other’s houses, but I looked forward to when we did connect.
Last Saturday, I spent the day with her at a conference. We shared a table at the book signing. It was my first time attending a signing as an author, and I was so happy to have her support. She seemed to be in good health, if a little tired since we’d woken up early to attend the 8:00AM panels at the conference. When we parted ways, we were heading to our hotel rooms to drop off our things before meeting for dinner. That was the last time I saw her.
Now she’s gone and I’m processing what my life will look like without her in it. I wish we’d had more time together, but I am so thankful for the time we did have. One of the last things Carla did for me was talk with me during the book signing. I’d been having a tough time with my depression, and Carla encouraged me to not be afraid to reach out to our larger friend group. She really was one of the most kind and genuine people I’ve ever met.
If I can leave you with anything at the end of the post, it would be to tell you to cherish your friendships. Don’t forget to tell people you love them. Don’t be afraid to be open. Don’t let others dictate the legacy you will leave.
Carla’s legacy lives on through her family and her books, and I hope a little also through me and the other ladies of the Live, Love, Lake retreat. We love you, Carla. Thank you for everything.
Author Brandy Shaw 