I hope you can tell from the look on my face that I am thrilled beyond words. Actually, not really beyond words because I’m typing this post to you. But I’m still in shock. I sold my WIP, my YA Christian mystery A Shadow on the Snow, to Mt. Zion Ridge Press. They published my two short stories, but this is my first book. I’m a novelist!

I got the news while we were taking a spring break vacation at Burr Oak State Park in Morgan County, Ohio. It’s fitting that I read the email there because southeastern Ohio is the setting for my mystery.

This has been a long time coming and yet I wouldn’t want it to have happened any sooner. I’ve been writing stories since I was seven. I’ve dreamed of publishing a novel since high school and began writing regularly when I was a freshman in college and was recovering from an appendectomy. I took time off when I had my kids. Not a conscious decision, but I didn’t have the time or brain power left after a day of wrangling preschoolers.

For the past six years, I buckled down to effort of getting published. I’ve also learned so much about writing, mostly gaining an understanding of the current interpretation of “show, don’t tell”. The effort forced me tackle things I’d never considered possible, like social media, which I’m still learning, and flying by myself.

I’m very grateful to Mt. Zion Ridge Press for giving me this opportunity. But mostly I’m grateful to God. A Shadow on the Snow is truly His story, and I am so happy that I could work on it with Him. As a Christian writer, I know God wants me to use these stories to touch and help people. But He also uses the writing process to help me get to know Him better. That’s what I love and find so exciting about writing for and with my Father. I’m always learning something new about Him!

I’ll have lots more about my novel this year. So happy I can share this with those of you who have been kind enough to follow me. Stay tuned!