This was my first ever novel, one that I had waited almost 30 years to write. In my “About me” page, I mention how my mother required that we read 2 chapters of the Bible every day. It didn’t matter when during the day, just that we make time to read it.

In obediently doing my Bible reading as a youngster, I ran across the verses on which Temper the Wind is based. The first stirrings of an idea for a book perculated, but I wasn’t writing books then, only reading them.

Years passed, and the exact location of that verse was washed away by life. I didn’t remember the wording, just the concept. Since I continued with my daily Bible reading, I must have run across it several times throughout the years, but that germ of a story idea, too, was squelched by the demands of everyday life.

When my son was in school and I had some time to myself, the story couldn’t wait. Over all those years, Taleh and Javan had been gelling. When I started writing, I knew these characters better than any other book I’ve written.

That didn’t mean it was quick to write. After all, I’d never written an entire book before. It took four years to get it done, and then I sent it to an agency that used to be headquartered here in Minnesota. They told me to cut 40,000 words.

I didn’t know how to do that, and since I typed it out on a word processor, not a computer, my digital resources were minimal. So I spread the printed pages out on the floor and literally cut and taped it back together.

Only then did I go in and start deleting.

I subscribed to the now-defunct Romantic Times Magazine (which I miss a LOT), and found a new agent there. I stayed with her for about 15 years while she worked to find a publisher.

We now reach the early days of Amazon’s self-publishing experiment. I officially severed my contract with my agent, a frightening step, and took the plunge.

 A decision I have been grateful for ever since!

“Biblical fiction at its best!” – customer review

“A wonderful wholesome read!” – customer review

“Just wow…” – customer review

“This book had me from the first chapter. I laughed, cried, sad, happy, and felt like it was a fun read as well as deep into the soul kind of read.” – customer review