How does one celebrate earning money from writing their first YA novel? Giving things away!

Make sure to CLICK HERE to enter!

Here’s a closer look at what’s available for the 50 first people to sell me their soul register through that link:

Character card

This lovely sketch was commissioned by a young artist who I believe has immense talent prior to becoming a teen! This isn’t the final version, as some background will be added. So don’t be trying to pass this off as your own work!

Seed packet and origami bookmark

Marigold seed are inside this wee baby envelope. And I personally folded every.single.bookmark. Marigold seeds because one of the main character’s name is Marigold and the bookmark because origami plays into the plot.

Again…Wordpress fail and posting wonky colors…
(it’s the same color as the sticker in the pic above, I promise)

This is actually a double-sided bookmark provided by my publisher, WhiteSpark Publishing. I’ll be signing the bookmark, so if you need it made out to someone else besides you, email me at authorseclancy@gmail.com

I’m soooooo excited that you get to meet Tori, Corbin, Marigold, and MamaBear soon!

I am privileged to be part of a local Christian writers group that meets once a month. Sometimes we have presenters for topics. This past Monday, we had a writing exercise after discussing “Mission Statements.”

“Mission Statement” = fancy phrase for “this is me…right now.” Let me share mine with you:

  • I tell honest stories to make people think and give my readers something clean to read.
  • Don’t pigeon-hole me into a genre because I’ll make a new pen name.
  • I know my stories won’t be for everyone, but I will lean into my honest, sarcastic self and remember that Jesus wasn’t the most popular guy on his block either.

If I had written a Mission Statement when I started this journey, it would’ve looked something like this: I write biblical historical fiction filled with romance and adventure.

Right? Not me now. I’m happy to be releasing this one into the wilds in THREE MONTHS!!! (why this keeps posting with a neon background, I have no clue)

And it’s okay to evolve as a writer and person. I think it’s a GOOD thing. Shows that you’re willing to change for the better. Adapt. Not be boxed into an exact mold of someone else.

You ever scratched out a Mission Statement? Maybe you should.

In just over a month, my newest novella will be released into the wild!

Here’s the gist (or “back cover copy,” if you’re feeling high-and-mighty):

Everything changed for Mercy Benson after the argument with her husband. Leaving behind the taxi horns and clamor of New York, the young widow follows her mother-in-law to the sleepy mountain town of Fayette. Despite relatives taking her in, Mercy feels utterly out of place among the whispering pines and church-going folks.

When she takes a job at the local restaurant, Mercy finds a piece of home in the owner, Wyatt Peralta. But she can’t claim it—someone broken and tainted would never deserve such joy.

Ruth is a familiar story from the Bible. But lots of people miss her background:

  • She was poor. Women lived by the graces of husbands and family members. When all of the men in her husband’s family died, Ruth was left with nada.
  • Ruth left everything she’d ever known to follow her mother-in-law to become a foreigner in a strange land.
  • This new country had a different language and unique customs.
  • The only food Ruth and Naomi had was what Ruth gathered in the fields: the leftovers and castoffs. The desperation was real.

So, why’d I write about Ruth? I find her fascinating! Her mother-in-law is the only person she knows in this bizarre, new place. They are not only destitute but broken in spirit.

As I move toward the launch date for “Mercy,” expect some goodies! Followers on my Instagram page will have a chance for a giveaway starting on October 18th. Blog subscribers will be able to read a portion of the first chapter before anyone else, because I can do that!

Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest so that you can see my inspiration boards for my stories.