I’m Writing a Novel

I’m writing a novel!

When I was a little girl in elementary school, I wrote a couple of novels. I remember them clearly. The one I wrote in 4th grade was about my barbies who were very real to me. Then in 6th grade, I wrote a long story about living under the sea. I started college as a journalist major. So I guess I’ve always wanted to write.

Scott always thought I should write a novel. I’ve read at least one novel per week since I was in middle school. He thinks since I read, I can write.

The idea for the novel started just before we went to Nashville. Chad had come up and we heard the new rendition of the song, “She’s on Her Own.” The Homestead girls came over for Cass’s graduation celebration. Scott had mentioned something about me writing a book about my experiences as the support group leader for Homestead. When I mentioned this to Sam, and the possibility of a novel based roughly on her life, she cried. She had always known that her story would go out into the world to help others, to raise awareness of sex trafficking. Sam cried as she heard the new version of “She’s on Her Own” which we dedicated to her as she spoke at our concert at the Wareham. And then she cried again as she listened to the new song, “That’s Why I Like the Rain.” I assumed she was thinking of her son whom she gave up for adoption, but she was thinking about Ashley, our common friend and survivor of trafficking who was murdered.

So the novel idea was born and grew. A novel about Samantha’s life in parallel with Ashley’s life.

I still hadn’t started the novel and wasn’t sure where or how to start.

Then we went to Nashville. There, ideas started getting tossed around and the idea of the novel was thrown in. The guys talked about a possible music video for “She’s On Her Own” and though the song isn’t specifically about trafficking, it is similar. When these ideas were mentioned to Brian, our publicist, his eyes lit up. He felt that attaching Midwest Meets Manhattan to a cause such as raising awareness and possibly even funds for sex trafficking survivors, could boost Midwest Meets Manhattan as well. Scott and I got excited.

When I got home, I wrote a forward, talked to Deb and talked to Samantha. We started the first of many interviews so far and many, many more to come. I wrote chapter one. Then we spent another afternoon together, she on the bed talking, crying, me on a chair nearby scribbling as fast as I could. Her life is a story all on its own and as she reflects, the novel is writing itself. Trafficked as a child and then again as a young adult, Sam’s life tells of the pain and inescapable circumstances of trafficking. It is filled with horror that will be so very hard for others to read about, but also of miracle after miracle. It is unbelievable. It is inspirational. The reader will be forever changed reading it. No one will walk away without needing to do something to get involved.

The direction of Midwest Meets Manhattan is unknown and we are in prayer about what is next. Whether or not a music video is made, whether or not the band attaches to the cause, whether or not She’s On Her Own gets promoted to raise awareness for trafficking, this novel will be written. And I hope get published. And change lives. If you know how to get a book published, please share! In the meantime, please pray for Sam, for me, and for Midwest Meets Manhattan.