My Dream Unveiled: Introducing…Empty Arms

If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you know that I’ve been working on my novel for a LOOONG time (nearly three years!). What’s taken me so long? Well, for starters, I’ve been writing this book in hour increments – two hours before work, an hour over lunch, an hour and a half before dinner. I’d bring my laptop with me on car trips and business trips so I could sneak in an hour or two here and there. And I sacrificed many weekends and holidays with my wonderfully supportive husband to work on the book.

Then, when the first draft was complete, I hired an amazing editor to give me developmental feedback on the story and my characters. The result wasn’t pretty. She pointed out some major flaws and issues that, after a lot of agonizing and soul-searching, led to me re-writing about 85% of the book.

Along the way, I’ve shared my struggles and frustrations with you; I commiserated and bared my soul for all to see. But the one thing I haven’t done is talk about the book itself. Until now.

Several drafts and two more rounds of professional editing later, and I’m finally ready to tell you about the novel that has dominated my mind and heart for the past three years. Friends, I’d like to introduce Empty Arms…

A mother never forgets her child. Catharine White never did.

Empty Arms is the story of a woman who secretly birthed a daughter out of wedlock in 1973, when she was just sixteen and pre-marital sex was the ultimate sin. Like millions of other unwed pregnant girls of the day, Catharine was sent to live at a maternity home and was forced to surrender her baby for adoption. Everyone told her she’d move on with her life and have more children. They promised she’d forget. But they were wrong. Catharine never forgot Emily. And when she learns that she can’t have any more children, she risks her job, her marriage, and her family’s reputation in a desperate attempt to find the daughter she never wanted to give away and reclaim her only chance to be a mother.

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I’m excited to announce that Empty Arms will be making its big debut this fall (the launch is tentatively set for early November!). Stay tuned because I will be sharing the book cover, excerpts, and other launch details as they become available.

In the meantime, you can become a fan of Empty Arms on Facebook, where I’ll be giving away free copies and inviting readers to share how adoption has touched their lives!