Since I was 8-years-old, I’ve loved to tell stories. (I also told a lot of lies when I was a kid. Wrong, yes. Creative lies, though, yes.) My dream has always been to see my name on the cover of a fiction book.

When I got a literary agent several years ago, I was implored to write non-fiction. I wasn’t thrilled about it, but I jumped at the offer because it meant that I would be writing something. After all, I’d been blogging for years and writing a non-fiction book couldn’t be much different, right?” (WRONG). While I am proud of my two works of non-fiction, Can’t Make This Stuff Up! and How May I Offend You Today?, I didn’t enjoy writing them the same way I enjoy writing fiction. At times, it was harder than I thought it would be.

But fiction.

I can sit on my couch with a cup of coffee, my writing playlist on Spotify and work for three hours without stopping once. Time flies when I’m telling a story. If you’re a writer, you get it. It is an incredible feeling to get “in the zone”.

A few months ago, I wrapped up my first work of fiction for Harper Collins. It will be released next year, and I had the most fun telling the story of Rae Sutton.

Years ago I was invited to a book club hosted by my great aunt to discuss one of my self-published fiction books, Ten Years Taken. (Shameless plug– you can find all of my self-published books on Amazon.) While sitting in my aunt’s friend’s home and listening to their rhetoric, their prayer requests, their friendly digs at one another, I told them, “This would make a great book.” And that’s where Rae Sutton was born.

Originally titled, The Third Thursday, it’s the story of 30-something Rae who is invited to her mother’s friend’s “ministry” held on the third Thursday of each month. She learns so much from those eccentric Southern ladies. They help her mourn losses and find joy. They point her to the Lord.

I can’t wait for you all to read about Rae, Ms. Fannie, Mrs. Dora and Aunt Maxine. I hope they’ll each leave a lasting impression on you.

They’ve left one on me.