Brandy Heineman
Why I Started Writing:
Since I can remember, I’ve attempted to make sense of my experiences and surroundings by writing them down. Some well-placed words of encouragement from my parents and teachers started me on my journey, but the persistent sense that my affinity for writing included certain responsibilities propelled me along.
For quite a few years, I didn’t prioritize fiction. After all, I had a career to build! However, in that gentle way of His, the Lord nudged me to get back to writing by nestling the parable of the talents into my heart. Was I burying mine in the ground? I thought so.
The time had come to begin traveling the road He set before me—unlearning bad habits, discovering how my calling fit into the spheres I inhabit, and cultivating faithfulness on a path with no guarantees. And so the journey continues! I’m grateful for those who come along on any leg of the trip.
Authors Who Have Influenced Me:
I can’t help reading with the hidden agenda to learn all I can from other authors, whether through inspiration, deft craft, or even the occasional negative example. Last year, I started a reading journal to capture these lessons and to allow myself space to ruminate on them. In particular, I always find so much to love in books by Lisa Wingate and Kristen Heitzmann.
Books I Have Written:
My first novel, Whispers in the Branches, finaled in the ACFW Genesis contest in 2014 before Elk Lake Publishing released it the following year. After a hard loss, skeptical Abby wants proof of things unseen. She follows a family legend into a so-called haunted house, unaware that she’s knocking on doors her Aunt Ruby closed for a good reason.
In 2016, I let loose a quirky e-Short called His Pepper Heart into the wild. This foodie fiction morsel serves up an unreliable narrator with an unsavory dilemma: she swiped Zachary’s journal, but can she steal his heart?
What I'm Working On Now:
My current work-in-progress is a dual-timeline romantic mystery. I also have a little surprise in the works for my newsletter subscribers!