In 2018, I began a story about a hometown football player and the valedictorian meeting up at their 15-year class reunion. Then I wrote a sequel to it. I went on to rewrite two contemporary novels from the past. In 2019 I signed a contract for my first holiday novella, then for the Reluctant Billionaire. In 2021 I signed a contract for the sequel holiday novella. I wrote another full-length contemporary that my editor rejected. I understood, it wasn’t ready for publication yet.
I didn’t write any fiction for a few years.
During that hiatus from fiction writing, I volunteered in children’s ministry at my local church. I created and wrote the curriculum we used for about 2 1/2 years. Then I couldn’t do it anymore. I lost my focus. I loved the children but I couldn’t keep up.
In 2024 I wrote my Thanksgiving novella and signed a contract for it. However, the publisher closed its doors before it could be published.
Last year, in 2025, I published that book, and no others. I had covers updated for the Courage series and the Billionaire story. I made a few sales, which equaled new readers. I had also taken a break from posting on my blog.
A few weeks ago I felt myself drifting into depression. Post holiday blues, cold weather, “stuck” at home. Then a couple of weeks ago I had spent two days with my sisters. We ate together, thrift shopped, laughed and I think there might have been a few tears. It was a welcome break in the middle of a hard month.
Last week I felt the weight of the month of February with all of its memorial dates: Pat’s birthday, Valentine’s Day, our anniversary all coming up in the first half of the month. So many memories of times spent together, the love we shared and the years after my loss.
So I made an appointment to see my counselor. I will go in this afternoon. I’ll talk to her about the hard days coming up, how I’ve been feeling the blues. She doesn’t tell me what to do, but she helps me see clearly so I know what I need to do to make things better.
Then on Sunday, maybe Saturday?
Inspiration hit.
First, I finished up the edits on that story about the quarterback and valedictorian. I hope to publish it this month and have printed copies available in March.
I hired a local editor to work on the second book about the quarterback’s brother.
I also hired the cover design for the second book.
I hope to have that book published and available in April.
I pulled up a book that I wrote years ago. At the time, we had received a used computer from a friend. I wrote 72 pages in three days. Then several years passed before I finished it.
Creative writing in the 21st century is very different from the 1900s. I’ve learned many things through the editing process with my previous publisher and editor. I am so thankful for those opportunities and what I’ve been able to put into practice.
I started editing the story, The Love We Knew, yesterday and woke up this morning excited to work on it again. It is on the schedule for publication in May.
I also dusted off the beach romance that was rejected to see if I could make it better.
I’m writing a sequel to the Lessons from Garage Sales book which will be called, Contentment at Home. Something I struggled with most of my married life and child-raising years.
Life has its twists and turns, its storms and quiet times, seasons of grief and mountaintops of joy. I am thankful that God has brought me through each moment. His grace has made living my life to the fullest possible.
I’m especially grateful that the inspiration to write has come to me again, even out of the gray and depressing month that I just passed through, and knowing the difficult days that lie ahead.
Here’s a look at the cover for the story about the high school reunion:
Over the weekend I attended a craft show that happened to be in the gym of my old elementary school. That school held some of the saddest memories of my life with very few good times. The above photo with me holding up the sign for our class photo was a special privilege that made me feel good about myself. But for most of my elementary school years I was sad.
It started in second grade, when we moved to a brand new house. The move meant I had to change schools. I was still in the same district, but I had to start second grade at a different elementary school.
That year my older sisters both were shuttled back to our previous elementary school for fourth and sixth grades. I was the new school by myself.
I don’t remember much about the first day until I was getting ready to go home. I couldn’t remember what bus to ride. I stood in the hallway, crying.
Somehow I got on the right bus that day, but I couldn’t adjust to my new school.
I struggled so much with crying and adjusting that I saw a school counselor. One day she told me to go home and write a story. We had a bunny rabbit that we were raising in the house, just a tiny thing. I wrote about the bunny.
My counselor liked my story. She had me read it to the kindergarten class.
An author was born. I was 7 years old.
Eventually, I adjusted to school. I was still sensitive, though. All anyone had to do was say curse words to me and I would cry.
In sixth grade, I spent time in the health room lying down.
But I also wrote stories about a squirrel and his woodland friends. They were plagiarized from a book I read but they were fun to write.
I had a church camp counselor who was good to me. She wrote to me, and I sent a copy of my story to her. She liked it and became my champion. She sent my story to a publisher.
The publisher sent back a nice reply. They said that I was talented but not what they were looking for. (I would hear that many more times in my life.)
I continued to write throughout middle and high school. Teachers and classmates read my stories and encouraged me to keep writing. When I went away to college, I set aside all of my stories, and a few years later I destroyed them (So glad now that I did.)
In 1994 I started writing again. (Eleven years after high school).
I had a new baby and a toddler. I would stay up late after they were in bed and write on my word processor. I would get up before they woke up and continue to write. I burned the candle at both ends.
I focused on making the novel a Christian romance. When the story was done, I sent a query letter to a publisher along with some sample chapters.
They asked to see the whole book. I sent it to them. They sent me a letter.
A rejection letter.
This editor made some personal comments in the letter. She told me the reasons why it was rejected and gave helpful feedback.
She also wrote: “Please be encouraged that I thought your manuscript had enough flair to at least recommend it to the review board. 80% don’t make it that far.”
Instead of getting discouraged, I wrote another story. This time a historical Christian novel.
I did the research. I used the same word processor. I wrote the first few chapters And mailed them to a publisher from the Writer’s Market book. They asked to see the whole story.
I typed up the rest. I burned up my word processor and had to borrow another one to finish it. I sent the book to the publisher.
It was rejected.
I set my writing aside.
Life got busy.
As the 1990’s turned into the early 2000’s, my children grew older and were active in school. I worked part time at different jobs. I was busy in the church. We changed churches a few times.
I had another baby.
In 2002, I started to write. And write. And write.
I researched everything I could get my hands on and wrote another historical novel.
I looked for a publisher for the new book. I sent it a few places. I even paid to have it on a website for publishers to look at. It was rejected every time. It went through so many rewrites that I don’t remember how the original started.
In 2007, my friend was going on a trip and she wanted something to read on the plane. She took my story with her. She loved it.
She wanted copies for family and friends.
I found a local printer who could make spiral bound copies. They looked all right. Nothing fancy.
My family and friends bought them.
The print was so small in the original that one friend had to wear two pair of reading glasses in order to read the words.
A cousin told me that she liked it so much, but she kept falling asleep while reading it because she was so tired. She would wake up and read a little more then fall asleep again.
I don’t how many times I heard people say:
“I couldn’t put it down.”
With so much encouragement, I continued writing in the series Books 2 and 3, then 4, then 5.
I continued to have them printed in spiral bound books and sold a few copies.
In 2010, tragedy struck My husband was electrocuted at work and was in a coma. When it became clear that he was not going to pull through, we knew it was time to let him go.
It was hard to go on without him. I clung to my kids and got up each morning for them. I spent a lot of money to mask the grief.
In 2011, almost a year after his death, I went to a friend’s cabin. (The friend who’d read my story and encouraged me to get it published.) It was like a mini retreat in the woods beside a creek.
I came home and wrote book 6.
Encouraged by family and friends I decided to self-publish the Courage series again, this time in a regular paperback book binding. I met with a designer and a printer. They produced a beautiful book that I could be proud of.
I continued to publish all 6 books in the Courage series.
Then I just stopped writing.
Those were the dry years. The lost years. Focusing on my kids. Helping them reach independence.
Struggling with depression and anxiety and lack of self worth.
God placed in my path a Christian counselor. Someone I could trust. I started to climb out of the miry pit of depression and work through the grief. Gradually the darkness turned into shadows.
In the spring of 2018, I read a book about joy by a woman who had overcome many obstacles. After reading her book It was like a dam burst inside of me.
I had joy again. It was like a butterfly that had come out of its cocoon into a place of beauty and light.
In October 2018, I went back to my friend’s cabin. It was a mini retreat for me. Mostly I stayed inside the cabin watching Nicholas Sparks’ movies and drinking coffee on the porch overlooking the river.
When I came home an idea came to my mind for a new contemporary series. I wrote the first story. Then I wrote a sequel to that story.
The creative streak continued as I updated another story. I sent it to a publisher but it was rejected. I kept at the writing process.
I started reading “Billionaire” romances on Kindle. It made me think of that first story that I had written in 1994. The main character in that story was very rich. I decided to rewrite the book and make him a billionaire.
I completed the rewrite.
Then I worked on a Christmas story that had been in the back of my mind for several years. As I was in the midst of writing it, I found a publisher who was looking for Christian Christmas novellas. If I sent it in, they would review it and give positive feedback.
I finished it, sent it in, and amazingly, I received a contract for publishing.
My Christmas novella was published in 2019.
I followed up that book with a sequel holiday novella. in 2021.
Then Anaiah Press published my Billionaire book. It was an answer to a lifelong dream.
When the publisher closed its doors, I was sad, for them and for myself. I decided to go back to self publishing. I had the Courage series updated with new covers, all six of them. As of this writing I have published 12 books.
All of my stories:
The ones that are finished,
The ones that are still in outline form,
The ones I have self-published in paperback and spiral bound,
The ones that have been rejected by authors and agents
But have become well-loved by readers:
My stories are my “Beauty from Ashes.”
Isaiah 61:3 reads:
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…”
From the time I was a little girl, sad and unable to adjust to school, to a grown woman who lost the love of her life in her mid-40’s and to the woman of 60 who stands with courage today in the face of many challenges, God’s love has never let me down. He has been faithful to bring about good in all things in my life.
My guest today is Rachelle Paige Campbell, author of Her One in a Million, a Christian romance. Rachelle, thank you for joining me today. Let’s start with you telling us a little bit about yourself.
I write contemporary romance novels filled with heart and hope. I believe love and laughter can change lives, and every story needs a happily ever after. I earned my masters’ degree in Fine and Decorative Arts from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London. I love to include Art History elements in my novels so I have an excuse to research. This book was a great opportunity for that!
What is Her One in a Million about?
While renovating a historic mansion, Samantha Holt discovers three hidden vases. If she sells the pottery with her family’s auction business, she can bring in a commission for her parents and help get funds for the mansion’s restoration. She calls an expert from Chicago, Zach Reynolds, for his opinion and is shocked that he wants to take the pieces back to the city. They both need the pottery for professional reasons, but the situation is complicated by their growing admiration and feelings for each other.
That’s a great story, Rachelle. Now for some questions about you:
Are you a night owl or morning person?
I am a morning person through and through! I love to get up and get going every day. My kids are early risers, too. This was an added complication for getting words in when they were little. Now that they are both in school, however, it’s perfect. After they are out the door, I can focus on my projects for a few hours and get a lot of dedicated time for writing in during the week.
Do you reward yourself when a book is finished? If so, what is your favorite treat?
I don’t always reward myself when a book is finished because sometimes I don’t have time or opportunity. But my favorite treat is a nice manicure. It’s lovely to get a hand massage and a new coat of nail polish after my fingers have been hard at work typing a story.
Were there any surprises that came up as you wrote your story?
I love historical romance and historical fiction. I have read a lot of both and really enjoy the genre. When I first started writing, I attempted a Regency era novel but the book fell flat. My writer voice is too modern. I had fun on this project creating a historical journal. I finally had a chance to incorporate a tribute to the genre but in a way that was genuine to the story. It was a wonderful surprise to me as I started crafting the novel.
Who was the first person you allowed to read your completed book?
The first people to read any of my completed books are my writing friends. Known as the Panera Supper Club, from the pre-Covid days when we would meet at Panera and write, I am blessed to be part of a very supportive group of incredibly talented, hard-working, and kind authors. We write different genres but are cheerleaders for each other’s work.
What book or author has inspired you the most?
I loved the Anne of Green Gables books so much as a kid. I continue to be inspired by Anne. I think I’ve been trying to be Anne Shirley my entire life. What I’ve always loved most is that she makes mistakes, takes responsibility, and learns from the experience.
What’s next for you as an author?
The fourth book in the Home to Harmony series is coming! I’m not sure when, yet, but it’s a Christmas book and ties the series together in an unexpected way. I’m really excited to share it with readers. I have loved writing these books and am so appreciative of the positive response.
Thank you for being my guest today, Rachelle. Before we go, where can readers find out more about you and your books?
Recently I published an updated version of my full-length Christian romance, Substitute Family. This was previously published under the title, No Longer a Substitute. If you read the first version, you will find this one almost completely different. The characters and story line are the same, but it has been revised and updated throughout the whole book, with a surprise ending.
Even if you haven’t read the previous version, I think you will enjoy this one. Substitute Family is a story about adorable twin toddlers and their widowed father, and the nanny who steps into their lives and falls for all of them.
About the book:
Kindergarten teacher Emily Riley volunteers to babysit her late cousin’s twin toddlers for the summer. She doesn’t count on falling in love with their daddy, Garret.
When Garret transfers across country for a three-month trial period to set up a new office, he decides to leave the twins behind until he gets settled. Emily takes a leave of absence from her teaching job to become the 24/7 nanny while he is gone.
Garret decides not to tell his new employees that he is a widowed father of two. At first he calls home every week, but then a month goes by without a phone call, and he won’t return Emily’s messages.
She worries that Garret might like his freedom so much that he will decide to leave the twins, and Emily, behind permanently.
This book is available for purchase on Amazon as a Kindle book or in paperback.
Today author Colleen Hall is here to talk about her new release, Warrior’s Heart, a historical Christian romance. Colleen, let’s start by telling us a little bit about yourself.
I grew up in New England, so I really consider myself a New Englander even though after I married my Southern husband, I’ve lived in the South. Besides my husband and family, I love writing, horseback riding and giving my horse hugs, and my three very spoiled cats. I enjoy browsing through antique stores for that special item to take home.
What is your book about?
Warrior’s Heart is Wild Wind’s story. Readers met Wild Wind, Shane Hunter’s half-Cheyenne brother, in Wounded Heart.
Warrior’s Heart takes place six years after Wounded Heart closes. Most of the Plains tribes have been subdued and are living on reservations, although there is still much lingering fear and animosity toward the Indians among the settlers.
When a coalition of tribes escapes from their reservations and clash with George Custer’s 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, fear boils over into anger toward all Indians.
So what is Wild Wind, a former Dog Soldier whose name strikes terror in the hearts of the settlers, to do when he leaves the reservation and tries to build a new life on the Slash L?
How does he cope with the distrust that he faces among the cowboys and townspeople?
And how does he navigate two different cultures when the woman he loves is a white woman?
What is the inspiration behind your story?
Even though I’ve never lived in the West, I was fascinated by the West when I was growing up, so it seemed natural to me to set my stories in the West. Western history in particular interested me. I was able to finally visit Colorado twice to do research for my Frontier Hearts Saga books, and I fell in love with the West. I hope that love comes through in my stories.
What was the catalyst for your interest in writing?
I think my love for writing grew out of a love for reading. As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved to read. My mother tells me that I wrote my first story during the third grade. And it helps that I have a very vivid imagination!
Are you a night owl or morning person?
Definitely a night owl, but with working and writing, I’ve learned to combine both.
Do you reward yourself when a book is finished?
If so, what is your favorite treat? Yes, I reward myself when I finish a book. My husband and I celebrate with a nice dinner out, then I watch one of my favorite movies. And chocolate—I definitely indulge in chocolate, and I don’t feel guilty!
Were there any surprises that came up as you wrote your story?
Wild Wind’s whole story came as a surprise. I’d originally intended for the third book in my series to feature another character, but as readers may have noticed in Wounded Heart, Wild Wind is a very strong person. I tried to lay the groundwork for my third book using my original idea, but Wild Wind wouldn’t let me alone. He was always there in my head, demanding that I write his story.
My third book just wouldn’t take off, so I abandoned my story premise and gave in to Wild Wind. Once I gave in to him, I tried to lay out a story line and a love interest for him. That’s when I got my second surprise. Wild Wind absolutely refused to love the woman I’d created for him, and she wouldn’t come to life no matter how hard I tried. Wild Wind insisted that he already loved another woman, and he refused to love anyone else.
My plot had hit a roadblock. So for the second time I scrapped my story premise and gave in to Wild Wind. I allowed him a future with the woman he already loved. This made it necessary for me to completely change the plot, but once I made the changes to accommodate him, the story took off and practically flew off the page. I guess I could say that Wild Wind wrote Warrior’s Heart, not me.
Who was your favorite character to create?
My favorite character in Warrior’s Heart is definitely Wild Wind. He’s such a complicated character, and the challenges he faces require much strength of character and flexibility to overcome. I must say that my other favorite character is his love interest, and developing the tension between the two of them was so much fun.
Who was the first person you allowed to read your completed book?
I have a church friend whose feedback is invaluable to me. I always shoot her my rough drafts after I finish.
What’s next for you as an author?
The fourth book in my Frontier Hearts Saga, Wild Heart, takes the next generation of the Slash L ranching family into the Colorado uranium mines during the Titanic era. I just completed the fifth and final book in the series, Valiant Heart, which is set just after World War I.
Inspirational Author 