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Welcome to Weldon, Kentucky, where no one can keep a secret forever.

Imagine discovering a place where the locals treat you with warmth and welcome you like family. Carson Williams finds such a place when he visits his deceased mother’s hometown of Weldon. The atmosphere in the community creates a deep yearning in Carson, and he thinks Kentucky is the perfect place for a new beginning. Carson hopes the country life will lead to his emotional healing from PTSD.

While Carson is having lunch at the local diner with Sparky Compton, a young doctor who’s captured his heart, Virginia Willoughby collapses. Sparky springs into action, but Carson struggles to maintain control of his emotions. Mrs. Willoughby’s daughter, Emma Baker arrives, and the magnetic pull of Emma’s gaze confuses Carson. She reminds him of someone, but who? Later, Emma wonders why she can’t stop thinking about the mysterious stranger when her heart belongs to pastor Luke Davis.

But there are secrets in the small town—and they will impact both Carson and Emma.

What is something interesting readers would enjoy learning about you?

I live a very simple life in rural Kentucky as a librarian, however, it still surprises me that I’ve travelled to Niger Africa five times on short-term mission trips and to Kenya twice. I’m the worst missionary ever, but I know God sends me to the end of the earth change me. Every time I go, God removes a few more scales from my eyes.

What makes up your ideal reading environment?

The beach is my favorite place to read, but when I’m at home, I like to sit and read in an old plastic chair we leave on the bank of the creek across the road from my home.

What unique research was required to write this story?

I had to study a lot of medical information. Lucky for me, a long-time writer friend is also a doctor, and she read the book to make sure I got everything correct.

What is one bit of research you wish you could have included in the story?

This doesn’t have to do with research, but I wish I could have included Harley’s point of view in this story. My critique partner, very rightly, pointed out that it could be confusing to the reader to have too many POV’s. This story is told from the point of view of Carson, Emma, and Luke. Harley is the fourteen-year-old adopted daughter of Emma, one of the main characters.

What was the inspiration behind your story?

A friend submitted her DNA to Ancestry.com and received some surprising information.

What did you learn while writing this story?

The theme of this book is forgiveness, and I learned that I still have some work to do. And as the name of the book is Every Life Filled with Purpose, I spent time thinking about my purpose. Perhaps it’s time to retire, so I’ll have more time to write uplifting stories of hope. To me, writing is a ministry, but of course for the reader it’s all about the story. I want to take the reader on an emotional journey of healing where they laugh, cry, and think about the characters long after they close the book. I want the reader to fall in love with the citizens of Weldon, KY and I hope they yearn to visit time and again.

What encouragement do you hope readers will take away from your story?

I hope everyone realizes their true purpose and if there’s someone in the reader’s life they need to forgive, I hope they’ll give themselves and the offender the gift of forgiveness. We all hold the key to our future happiness and contentment if we can forgive those who have hurt us.