I’m pleased to introduce you to Andrea Renee Cox. She and her mother have both written stories for the Novelists in November anthoogy, and she’s here with us today to tell us more about this project.
Does your faith meet your dreams?
Early in my life, I dreamed of being married and having kids. In my late teens and early twenties, I struggled with singleness and the frustration of never meeting the right guy. Yet when I set down those perfectly honorable goals at God’s feet, He showed me that He had even greater dreams in mind for me.
One of those dreams was tutoring middle schoolers. This one has turned out to be a great way to spend time with kids and helping them learn things that will assist them in school and in life. And they’ve taught me a lot, too. It’s been a beautiful journey.
Another dream God gave me was writing books. This one has been two decades in the making (hard to believe it’s been that long already!), and I’m now seeing the fruit of all the labor of learning how this writing gig works and practicing to improve my skills. A couple years ago, my first short story was published, and this year, my fourth story is coming out.
Putting my faith in God’s dreams for me was the best thing I could have done because His dreams are so much bigger and brighter than the ones I had planned for myself. Will I ever get married and have kids? That’s yet to be known and completely in God’s hands—right where those dreams belong.
The same could be said of my newest leading lady’s dreams. In my Novelists in November short story, Melting-Pot Thanksgiving, Sarah Jones struggles to convince her mother that she’s placed her dreams into the hands of God and experienced blessings as a result. It’s hard for her mother to see that Sarah’s life has gone differently than Mama planned for her, and that conflict is truly at the heart of the story. It was great fun exploring their relationship and the things they needed to learn about one another before their issues could be resolved.
Novelists in November also includes a story written by my mother, Faith D. Cox. I love that God has inspired us both (and my dad and sister) to have writing dreams. It’s fun that Mom and I have now been published together twice (our first collaboration is now out of print). Mom’s Novelists story features an Olympics-hopeful swimmer, which feels very timely with the Summer Olympics having taken place this past summer. If you’re missing the Olympics, you’ll definitely want to give my mom’s story a read!
About the Book
Novelists in November
a Wild Blue Wonder Press anthology
Novelists in November is a Christian short story collection featuring eleven emotional tales of authors finding their calling in Christ and pursuing hope, joy, and inspiration. This anthology
contains touching stories from contemporary and historical fiction authors with a mix of romance, women’s fiction, and mystery!
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About the Cox Ladies’ Stories
Melting-Pot Thanksgiving by Andrea Renee Cox
Can she create the Imperfect Perfect Thanksgiving?
Sarah Jones has many responsibilities on her plate, but Thanksgiving wasn’t supposed to be one of them. When asked to host the holiday, she can’t push aside the task, even if it means dealing with her mother’s interference. As Sarah juggles meal preparations, a tight writing deadline, and guiding her two foster children through difficult life events, she must also find the courage to buck high expectations and family traditions.
Will the trials of strained communication, disappointment, heartache, and altered plans strengthen Sarah’s God-given novelist dreams? Will this imperfect yet dutiful daughter find a way to craft the perfect Thanksgiving dinner?
My Heart Still Sings by Faith D. Cox
Seventeen-year-old Kaylee McKenzie has her heart set on winning a Summer Olympics gold medal—not creating a fake protagonist for a writing contest with a bunch of geeks. However, during an afternoon adventure, her lifelong swimming dream is ripped away. As she struggles with physical limitations and grief, will her friends remain by her side? Will she become a swimmer-turned-novelist or hide in her wheelchair as the world passes her by?
Preorder Goodies + Giveaway
Novelists in November comes out on November 19, 2024, so there’s still time to sneak in some preorders. Everyone who preorders a copy of the book (ebook or paperback) may claim digital preorder goodies PLUS an entry into an exclusive giveaway that is only for the folks who preorder the book.
More information and the form to fill out to claim preorder goodies and a giveaway entry may be found here: https://wildbluewonderpress.com/preorders/
Purchase here:
Amazon
Wild Blue Wonder Press Shop
What are some of your favorite November activities?
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Looks like a fun collection! Thanks for sharing a bit about your journey.
Thank you, D’Ann! It’s a pleasure to share my journey with you. I hope you’ll enjoy Novelists in November.
Oh gosh, does this sound like a neat book. I am my Church’s librarian and like unusual books.
Lorraine, thank you! It would be such an honor to have Novelists in November added to your church’s library. Hopefully lots of your fellow church members (and yourself, of course!) will find a story or two or three (or all of them) to enjoy!
I love that you and your mother are both pursuing your writing dreams and seeing your stories in print. Congratulations!!
Becky, thank you so much! The whole time Mom and I have been working on this collection, we’ve soaked in the specialness of being on this particular journey together. And soon, it will feel extra real because we’ll get to hold our book in our hands. I can hardly wait for that moment!
Karen, thanks a million for hosting me here on Inspired by Life and Fiction! It was such a joy writing this article especially with your readers in mind.
Glad to do it! 🙂
Aww… I knew my daughter, Andrea Renee Cox, had a guest spot on Karen Witemeyer’s blog, but I had no idea she was going to share about my story, too. It’s such a blessing to be published together. Thanks, Andrea and Karen! It was fun to be included!
So happy to surprise you, Mom! I can hardly wait until we hold our book in our hands in a few weeks.
This was so fun to read! Thank you for talking about our anthology, Karen and Andrea! <3 I've loved working with Andrea (and all the other authors!) on this project!
Thanks so much, Kellyn! I’m glad we’re getting published together again.