Even in works of fiction, most writers reveal hidden parts of themselves and their lives within their creative output. Sometimes that means letting the pain live again.

Some folks have asked me why I don’t write an autobiography. The answer? There are things about my past I don’t want anyone to know.

Some folks have pointed out that I don’t need to include everything; I could pick and choose segments of my life. For example, childhood pets included snakes, monkeys, opossums, a skunk, a jaguarondi, a racoon, a fox—and an African lion which threw me to the ground and bit me on my stomach. There are interesting stories connected to all of the above. For example, my secret college crush who “rescued” me from the lion forever avoided me after that incident. And, the day after appearing on a TV program to explain how to tell a poisonous snake from a harmless one, I caught a snake at the pond in an attempt to identify it. The snake bit me. It was a water moccasin. I spent the rest of the day in the hospital.

But there are other incidents and events that I choose not to share.

I have now written 49 books, almost all of them Christian Cozy Mysteries. Animals grace the pages of most of them, and our grey fox Tandy inspired “Fox on the Roof Murder.” Several of our wild animal pets figured into “All the Colors of Murder.”

My newest book, however, “Hole to Hell Mystery,” opens up a part of my past that I usually keep locked away where it can’t hurt me; the extreme childhood sexual abuse I suffered from a person who should have protected me—my father. This includes the abortions he—with no medical training or expertise—performed on me to hide his crime, and my resulting close calls with bleeding to death. Sometimes, to write something meaningful, you must let the pain live again.

“Hole to Hell Mystery” is all mystery, all suspense.

From a fellow author’s review, “What resonates most is the way your portrayal of two estranged sisters is paired with a relentless, high-stakes mystery. From their fractured upbringing marked by abuse and abandonment to the dangers that confront them as they investigate their father’s murder, the work blends emotional depth with narrative tension, ensuring readers feel invested, unsettled, and deeply moved rather than merely entertained.”

From a publicist, “Two estranged sisters must confront their painful past while investigating their father’s murder only to discover that the truth may destroy them both.”

Good to get praise for the book after opening up the past to let the pain live again.

“All things work together for good to those who love the Lord.” Romans 8:28.

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