My Journey and How My Life Has Changed by Dora Hiers

Today I’m welcoming Dora Hiers on my blog. She has a fun story about her publishing journey and what happens when a romantic suspense writer goes out in public.

When our oldest son developed an extreme intolerance to school, my career screeched to a stop. I dropped out of the workforce to become a stay-at-home mom because my family needed me. But when my oldest graduated and my younger son didn’t want me hanging out at school with him anymore, I knew I needed something else to do.

My husband suggested that I should be a travel agent. We could travel around the globe for free or at a reduced cost.

Nah.

My heart said write.

Huh? That came out of nowhere. After spending more than ten years writing and editing audit reports, why would I want to write? And unlike most writers will tell you, I was not born with a pen in my hand.

But, ideas bounced around in my head, like angry ping-pong balls and wouldn’t leave me alone.

So I wrote. And chose to depend on the verse, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. (Prov 16:3)

That commitment paid off. In May 2011, White Rose Publishing published my first inspirational romance, Journey’s End. My second, Journey’s Edge, will be available soon.

Life has changed, especially lunch dates with my husband. He seems almost scared to meet
me for lunch.

The other day, I met him at Buffalo Wild Wings. He breezes in, slings the radio off his belt, does that one-handed flip with the thing, and leans down to plant a kiss on my cheek before sliding onto the opposite bench seat. “Hey.”

“Hi, honey.” I flash my best “happy to see you” smile.

“Ready to order?”

Well, I am, but he just sat down. Doesn’t he need a couple minutes to look over the menu? I shrug. “Sure.”

The waiter brings our drinks, takes our order, and leaves. I’m the type that usually orders the same thing. At
Buffalo Wild Wings, it’s usually the buffalito with a side of chips and salsa. The meal arrives, and I dig into my buffalito. I finish my meal, ready to talk.

“So, honey. I need your help. I need a way to crash a plane.”

His eyebrows practically arch off his head. His gaze darts around the room. He sees a couple local police
officers sitting a few tables away, nods, and smiles at them. He leans back and inhales, deep and shaky, lets it out slowly. Takes a long sip of water. “OK. Crashing a plane. Hmm.”

“Yeah. Or maybe a poison.” I let that swirl around in my head for about thirty seconds. “Yeah, poison might
actually work better. Just enough of a drug to make the pilot a little woozy, but not enough to kill him.”

My husband scrunches his face, does another quick glance around the dining room, and hunches his generous body lower in the bench. In the smallest voice he’s capable of (my husband only has one volume and that’s booming), he says, “Poison. OK. Give me this afternoon. I’ll make some phone calls and find you something to work with.”

A head from the booth behind my husband swivels in our direction and frowns. The man leans toward his lunch
partner and whispers, begins punching numbers into a cell phone.

My husband grabs the check, bolts to his feet, and holds out a hand. “You ready to go?”

“Sure, honey.” I smile, knowing he’s a busy guy and has a ton of work waiting for him at the office. “Thanks for
your help. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

He throws a desperate glance over his shoulder, waves at the police officers, and hustles me out the door.

I love my wonderful hunk of a husband. Did I mention he’s a fire chief? With the resources and connections he has at his fingertips, he’s a tremendous help in plotting books.

Do I have to tell you how much my life has changed since becoming a writer? Or his.

What an exciting journey!

meet Dora… 

After a successful auditing career, Dora left the corporate world to be a stay-at-home mom to her two sons. Eventually, needing something more to fill her days, she started writing Heart racing, God-gracing books. Dora
belongs to the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Carolina Christian Writers.

Dora and her husband make their home in North Carolina. When she’s not writing, Dora enjoys spending time with her family, kicking back in her recliner with a good book, teaching Sunday School, vacationing in the
mountains, cheering for the Panthers, and walking her dog.

Find out more about Dora and her books at www.dorahiers.com or www.dorahiers.blogspot.com.