In 1993 I made my very first attempt at novel writing. It was a real challenge and I remember feeling like I was blindly feeling my way through each chapter. Even so, it was more fun than I had imagined.
The process was filled with wonderment. It was amazing to discover the story and become deeply acquainted with the characters . . . and to care about them. I'd never experienced anything like it. I laughed while I wrote. I found myself exhausted and out of breath when I finished some of the scenes. And I cried my way through others. It was the most surprising and amazing experience. Each day I could barely wait to get back to the story.
Ten months after beginning I had a completed manuscript. It felt like a miracle. But now the nerves set in. I'd promised myself I'd present it to an editor at the OCW Summer Conference that year. I barely dredged up the courage, but I did manage to share the story with two editors. A few months following that meeting the book sold to Thomas Nelson Publishing and I was astounded and thrilled when it made the CBA bestsellers list soon after being released.
Years later, with lots more writing experience under my belt, I reread the book. I still loved the story but the writing needed polishing and I could see gaps in the story where new scenes would be helpful. I longed to go back and rework it. But there never seemed to be time.
Years passed, twenty actually. Finally this year I had the opportunity to revise The Journey of Eleven Moons. I jumped in and went to work. It was more difficult than I had anticipated, but when I had the rewrite completed I thought I'd be heading out on my own to present the new and improved book. That's when my good friends and colleagues Sherrie Ashcraft and Christina Tarabochia casually mentioned that their publishing company, Ashberry Lane, might be interested in the book.
Soon we had a contract and a plan. I was ecstatic and so were they. Christina dove in and lent her expert editorial skills to the project, bringing even more life to the story. The next step - a search for the perfect cover. Christina had photographer Ashlee Murr and cover designer Nicole Miller set up . . . we just needed the right model.
I love it when God steps in and leads us down a path of His choosing. Christina and I both agreed to pray and see what God had to say to us about models. That's when Sherrie suggested a young woman she knew - Maria Aguillon. I looked at a few photos and thought she was perfect. Christina made the call and she said, "Yes." Whoo Hoo! Then seemingly out of the blue, Christina's daughter's face popped into her mind. Lili would make a perfect Iya.
The photo shoot was done (you can go to my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BonnieLeonAuthor to see photos). The cover was created while Christina and I worked hard on edits. The book is nearly ready and I'm over the moon at the results. I absolutely love the cover and the story shines. People are going to love it. Anyway I hope so. I do.
The book will be available in mid-November (that's only 3 weeks) at www.amazon.com and www.ashberrylane.com. I hope you'll give it a first or even second read. It's a fabulous story, even if I do say so myself. :-)
Grace and peace to you from God,
Bonnie
