The Widow’s Honeymoon, Suspense on the Rhine, was inspired by the Christmas Market river cruise my husband and I took in December 2023. This story started as a straight love store. Then my editor want, so I went back and added suspense for proposal to another publisher. The cues were already there!

Finishing a manuscript is a combination of emotions.

1. Relief – The sense that the story has found its way to its natural conclusion. The characters have grown, changed, and been affected by the tumble of events I’ve written for them.
2. Joy – Since I write Christian Romance, the closing scenes often involve a wedding or anticipation of a wedding. The characters have finally decided that they love one another, despite the hazards getting to that point. Hopefully the reader has fallen in love with the characters as well.
3. Trepidation – Now the editing and revision begins. Does it all hang together? Do my characters stay in character? Does the story have meaning beyond the words on the page? Will anyone read it, like it, review it, buy it?
4. Wonder – This gift of writing is amazing. The thought that I’ve finished Book #21 is hard to believe. Since elementary school, I’ve wanted to write books. Here I am in my fourth occupation! I went to college to be an accountant so I could write in the evenings – writing does not pay my bills. Then I was a stay at home mom for my two sons. Next I went back to college for a Masters in Teaching Language Arts and Middle School Teacher’s Certification. When we moved to Tullahoma, I began teaching middle school Language Arts. I’m doing what I wanted to do since childhood.
5. Anticipation – Could this book be my breakthrough book that draws reviews (both positive and negative) from people who buy my book? Will this book cause others to read my backlist?
6. Realization – My work isn’t over yet. While I edit while writing and my husband also edits my work, it really isn’t ready for publication. Review, rewrite, repeat until the characters seem real, the story takes a natural course, and the end is believable and satisfying.

What comes next? After the polishing work, there’s cover design, back blurbs, marketing and other procedures to get the finished copy to my publisher, Winged Publications.

Then? I have three additional books already started!