I write fiction because it reflects life.

Jesus told parables. He knew that fictional stories can sneak up on the hearers (or readers) and touch their emotions. Two thousand years later, His fictional stories (especially the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, and the Sower and the Seed) continue to impact lives. They are recognized by people throughout society, even if they are not followers of Christ.

The Bible has other examples of how stories changed people and lives:

• The prophet Nathan told David a fictional story that made David realize the sins he had committed in his relationship with Bathsheba.
• Joseph’s brothers made up a story about what happened to him after they sold him into slavery in Egypt. Although they lied and meant evil for him, God used Joseph many years later to save his family.

When readers or listeners relate to the characters in a fictional story, they care about what happens to those characters. The lessons the characters learn through experience can touch the hearts of readers and help them to learn the same lessons. The significance of the story moves from the heart to the head, and fiction becomes Truth in the heart and mind of the reader. I’ve seen it in my own reading experience, and I pray that my books will be compelling stories that reveal Truth in that way.

That’s why I write fiction.

I’ve been telling stories almost since I could talk. When I was about eight, I wrote a play and convinced all the kids in my neighborhood to perform in it. Since then, I’ve written for newspapers, magazines, business, government, and most recently for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, where I’ve worked for fourteen years.

I started writing fiction in 2005 when God gave me the idea for a contemporary novel based on the story of Esther. After working on that book for several years, despite being a finalist in several fiction contests, I finally set it aside to work on a historical novel. But when Write Integrity Press announced the Books of Hope Contest in 2012, I pulled it out again, applied what I had been learning as I studied the craft, and submitted it. For Such a Moment won the Books of Hope Contest and was published in June 2013 as my debut novel. It’s the first in the Mended Vessels Series of contemporary stories based on Biblical women.

I’ve lived in Kansas, Kentucky, Connecticut, Minnesota, and South Carolina. My husband of 41 years and I have two wonderful children, and they and their precious spouses have given us 3 delightful grandsons and one granddaughter. In addition to writing fiction, I enjoy vacationing with the whole family and creating a story/picture book about the trip for our grandsons.

Oh, and I love hats.