From Loss to Healing and everything in between = a new book!

Today is an important day for me…I’ve submitted another novel for publishing so that it will be available in paperback and as an eBook later this month.  I wasn’t honestly sure if I would be able to make good on my promise to myself to get this book completed and out by November, but I’m thrilled I’ll be able to make it happen.

This novel is technically a novelette and I had nicknamed it “1111” whenever I mentioned it here on my blog.  That title won’t make sense to anyone until they read it and it would be difficult to explain beforehand because the concept behind the idea might seem a little strange.  The complete title is now “11:11 Anna’s Awakening.” 

The protagonist is Anna and she, along with her husband, Keith, are both dealing with a terrible loss.  Believe it or not, I began writing down ideas for this story long before my Dad passed away and while I’ve dealt with grief in the past, it was never as strong an emotion as that after the loss of my Dad. 

So, what did this mean for the story behind Anna?  Quite a lot, actually.  Initially, I had other plans for Anna and Keith and I thought my intentions were good with regard to how their story would end.  But then, as I worked and re-worked the plot behind the relationship between Anna and her husband, and whether they’d individually and collectively be able to heal from their loss, something else came to light…how much people can change after a terrible loss. 

And not always for the better. 

The story took on a whole new direction and caused friction and challenges to the relationship between Anna and Keith in a way I hadn’t expected.  We all know everyone deals with grief in their own way but what has become more apparent to me is that death can either bring families closer together, or it can tear them apart.  Only time can heal the deepest wounds to build stronger bonds and while some relationships survive, sadly, others do not.  The story about Anna and Keith is the story of parents who suffer a great loss and attempt to build a new relationship with the memory of their loved one still between them.  But as they both work through their grief, their relationship is threatened by many things…fear, anger, selfishness, even greed.  And as husband and wife tend to their needs in order to survive the terrible, mind-numbing loss, one of them must become acutely aware of these threats in order to change their fate.          

In the end, the strength and character of both Anna and Keith are challenged, and also revealed, and in turn, the fate of both is much different than I had predicted.  It shouldn’t be surprising that my characters revealed to me what their true story should be.  Still, I am, again, pleasantly amazed by characters that steer me in a direction I hadn’t anticipated and who provide me with a story I can enjoy sharing with others.

I’ll post again once the book is actually live and available on-line…thanks for following!