Do you believe in fate?

I sure do.

Let me tell you about two very important things in my life that just seem to perfectly planned to have happened as a fluke.

The first is one I talk about often—my love story with Mr. Storm. He’s definitely my soul mate, but he’s not my first husband. I never pictured myself as a divorcee, especially in my 20s. But some of us need a little more time to grow up and find ourselves. Try telling any young adult that they aren’t quite there yet!

I started dating my first husband at 19, we married when I was 23, and divorced at 27. I learned a lot from that time in my life, as painful as it was. Because as I continued to grow, mature, and find myself, my then husband’s love for me seemed to fade with each passing day. In what felt like the blink of an eye, we went from adoration to derision. Our marriage became a very uncomfortable place to be, full of cruel words and angry directives fired at me when I least expected them.

And all because I had found what I was meant to do in this world: write my books and start businesses to help other writers live their dreams, too.

I was so angry at how things turned out. What was love? Surely, it was a made-up Hollywood phenomena since my own romance had crashed and burned so brutally.

But then on the heels of that dark time, I met a man—a writer like me—who had just moved to my state all the way from Alaska. He left everything behind to pursue his dreams of being an author. I’d left so much behind because achieving my dreams meant I’d lost the love of a man who had vowed to love me until death do us part.

I definitely wasn’t going to go to that place again.

And yes, Mr. Storm worked his way right into my heart. First as an online acquaintance, then a friend, and at last a husband. We met in early August, realized the love brewing between us in September, and eloped on December 1 of that same year.

Five years later, we are living our dreams together along with our gorgeous daughter who is the realization of the greatest dream of all.

The thing is, if he hadn’t been brave enough to leave his life and decide to move thousands of miles away on a whim, and if I hadn’t taken that incredibly scary leap to leave my marriage and then to let love in again, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

There are so many other little pieces about our story that prove God had His eyes on us—far too many to enumerate here, which is why one day I plan to write our full love story in a pair of novels, The Legend of My Love and My Love Will Find You.

Until then, I continue to weave pieces of our story into each and every book I write. Love changed everything for me, and finding it at last is what encouraged me to write in the Romance genre. Because how could I not believe in love when I live it every day? How could I not want to share that joy with others? To offer hope and proof that—yes—it’s out there?

So that’s my first big tale of destiny. The other is one I haven’t told anyone until now, but I’d like to tell you.

Growing up, I always felt like an outsider. Maybe because I preferred books and animals to people, which made me different and awkward in school. Maybe because I didn’t really know my bio dad and was only a “half” among my siblings. It could have been so many things.

But that uncomfortable, uncertain feeling followed me my whole life. It became even more apparent in college, when I changed my major not just once, but eleven times!

Feeling lost and confused, I prayed to God. What should I do my life? What am I here for?

And, reader, I heard His voice so clear in that moment along with a flash of flame before my eyes that only lasted a second but sure got my attention.

“Write.”

There was no arguing with that directive. I’d always loved books—reading them, attempting and failing to write my own. But now God had told me clearer than I’d ever understood anything in my life until then, that I was meant to live this crazy, impossible dream.

Like I said, there was no arguing with that.

So instead, silly young me, I ignored it.

I chose a major, graduated with highest honors, went straight through graduate school on a special research fellowship, accepted a good job when I was done.

I would proudly tell anyone who would listen, “Yes, I wanted to be a writer, but I’m far too pragmatic for that. I need a job that will pay the bills, thank you very much.”

Less than a year after that crazy rush, God reminded me of what I was supposed to do with my life. A newspaper in the area reached out to me online because of my participation in a book club and asked if I’d consider writing reviews and covering local events for them.

The dream was still alive in my heart, even if I had silenced it in my mind, so I eagerly agreed. Less than a month after that, they promoted me to lead Books Contributor and gave me a weekly column—and money!

It wasn’t much, but I was officially being paid for a talent I had undervalued my whole life. This was the confidence boost I needed to start my first novel.

And, honestly, it felt like coming home.

It only took me three months to write that first book, which is now, after much revision, published as A Colorful Life.

Now that I’d managed the impossible—writing an entire book—I was hooked. I also discovered a talent for online marketing and started my first business to help other authors find their readers.

It took off like a shot, enabling me to quit the day job very early in my author career. I’ve been living this life for over eight years now, and I wouldn’t change a day of it.

That’s the thing about fulfilling your destiny…

Even when it’s hard, it’s still meant to be.

I am so grateful for my dual acts of fate—and faith from a God who believed in me even when I forgot how much I believed in Him.

Praise be!