Carrie is so.... Katie!

Readers and friends alike have asked me continuously for more information on my book characters. I've been asked all sorts of questions regarding how I created them, who I imagined them to look like, and how I decided upon their personalities. As promised, here is the rundown on the many charming and sometimes challenging characters in my novel, Finding Forever.

Carrie is so.... Katie!

Picturing my main character, Katie Kaufmann, was tough for me at first. But when I saw this adorable picture of Carrie Underwood I knew I had my girl! Katie quickly changed from a brunette to a blonde, and her original 5'7 frame was decidedly decreased a few inches.

I began to imagine her as a strikingly cute, petite woman that could capture a man's heart with one simple smile. But I didn't want Katie to just be a pretty face. I wanted her to be real; I wanted her to be relatable. Hopefully I achieved just that! Moreover, my biggest hope was for my audience to see a bit of themselves in Katie.

She isn't perfect, but she's a fighter. She isn't totally selfless, yet she's a giver.

Personally, I loved the raw emotion Katie made me feel as I authored her story. I appreciated her struggles with moving past heartache, her renewal of  faith, and her sincere, yet shaky, desire for purity. In many areas of her journey, her story was my story. And maybe her story is a bit of yours, as well. But one thing is for sure, like Katie I found my hope, my peace, and my fulfillment in the One who formed me in my mother's womb (Psalm 139). Only Jesus could fill the longings in my heart. Only He could free me from my messy mistakes and make me whole again.

If you can relate to Katie's story, I'd love to hear from you!
And please be sure to share what you learned on your way to finding your forever...