Stillwater follows a Christian woman who goes on a journey of self-reflection and examines her religious beliefs as well as her past relationships. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

When I began the novel, I was at a crossroads of my own. I hadn’t worked full-time since I was laid off during the pandemic and really struggled to find my path. I had been doing a lot of praying about the next steps of my life and had heard a pastor say that the Lord wanted to renew dreams for His children that we had let die. I have always wanted to be a writer, but never pursued it. I got the idea for this book as I was leaving to go to the grocery store one day. In 15 minutes, I had the basic structure outlined and the rest is history.

Harriet struggles with her faith and her family’s past in this novel. Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?

There are little bits of me all over each character. Some parts are who I am and others who I want to be. But the character that is the most like me is Kendra, Harriet’s estranged Aunt. When I started writing her it felt natural to include all the pieces of my life that I love – horses, gardening, animals and the life of a farm. All the characters have pieces of me, my family and even my friends. It was fun to knit it all together and create a world out of imagination.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Never allowing our past actions, or the actions of others, define who we are. At the end of the day, we answer for ourselves and no one else. As a youth pastor, the question I often ask my students is who do you want to be? We can use trauma as a crutch, or we can use it as a diving board.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?

I am working on the second book in this series and my hope is to have it available by fall of 2024.

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