Just so you know…

From the time I started writing the Emily O’Brien series, I struggled with the fact the books weren’t going to fit neatly into any category. The books have strong Christian elements, yes, but they weren’t necessarily written as Christian books. I tried writing the first book that way initially but it just didn’t fit well with the story or the characters. So I decided to write it the way that felt right to me. I guess that’s the reporter in me.
And when I made that choice, I found Emily’s voice and that propelled the story forward. At the time, that was OK since I was writing just for me. I never expected to let anyone else see them. But I had a persistent husband and I finally figured, why not?
I’ve heard the term “realistic Christian fiction.” I guess that might be the closest category I could find, but it wasn’t an option on Amazon or Smashwords. And I’m not sure it really covers it all anyway.
So in advance, I apologize to anyone I offend — either because you don’t like my views on faith or because you don’t like the book’s profanity or realism. I realize the books have the potential to alienate both ends of the spectrum but I had to write the books authentically.
I promise to keep the books between PG and PG-13 — no F-bombs or raunchy sex scenes or grisly, bloody details that make you quit eating your lunch. And as the series progresses, I hope readers see a change in Emily, that she becomes a better reflection of her faith. That was one of my goals when I began writing, to create a newbie Christian character that matures over time. She’s definitely a work in progress.