My dog is 13. She’s old, but she acts like a puppy. The two of us have recently moved to the desert in Arizona to start over and you know, it’s not easy to start new things at an advanced age. It’s difficult. We lived in idyllic California weather, so not being able to walk during the day has been hard on both of us.

While I took a break from publishing as my kids launched into the world, the industry changed quite a bit and my genre, which really isn’t a known genre, evaporated. I write Chick Lit — dramady — comedic fiction that deals with deep issues. That’s not an easy sell for publishers so I am now learning the brave new world of Indie Publishing. I have to say the people in this industry are amazing and have been so helpful. But I’ve made a lot of mistakes — or as I like to say, created learning opportunities.

So far, I’ve been very pleased with the new life of two old girls, but I say this to encourage others out there. When God calls you out of the wilderness into the new unknown — and it happens during a pandemic — He is beside you and He will make a way. Even if you’re an old dog learning new tricks. I mean, I finished my book (my 41st!) and I learned to publish it myself and I feel good that this was the path God had for me, not to bend and turn myself into a pretzel and follow the market, but to follow His path for me. Which is different and strange. Just like me.