Seeing Your Book On the Shelf
Author and certified book coach Jen Braaksma’s latest book, Evangeline’s Heaven, is being published TODAY, so we sat down with her to hear about and celebrate her experience.
Which publishing route was taken for this project?
Hybrid publishing.
What are you most looking forward to in the publication process?
Seeing my book on the bookshelf of my favourite bookstore!
What are you most proud of in terms of this book’s journey?
That it’s the best story I can write.
Was there ever a moment of doubt about the book?
There are way, way too many moments of doubt! The darkest moment was half way through the first draft when I figured there was no way I could ever write this and everything up until that point had been a waste of time and money—including every dream of becoming a published writer I'd ever had. I felt my only choice was to throw away my passion. Thankfully, Jennie helped me get past those doubts.
What did you do to celebrate the publication of your book?
Celebration with family and friends!
What’s next for the book?
A book tour (virtual, with some in-person events).
What is your favorite passage from the book?
Evangeline hesitates a moment too long at seeing her one-time friend, the only friend she made at school, although she knew he was kind to her only because his father, Gabriel, had made him be. Michael thrusts his sword at her, cutting into her shoulder. She cries out at the pain, then bites her tongue. The wound burns hot; she feels blood seep onto her skin, but it’s not deep. With effort, she refocuses as Michael jabs again. Evangeline parries and attacks. She looks into his silver-gray eyes; she sees recognition and . . .
She can’t think. She blocks his cross swipe, and with a swift flick of her wrist she twists his sword away from her. She’s desperate to know how her father is doing against Gabriel. They are well matched, the master Gabriel having trained his then-protégé exceedingly well. But Gabriel is older and Lucifer fights with a passion unequaled in all the Heavens, so Evangeline is hopeful, but still, she can’t afford to look. Michael abruptly flies to her left, but Evangeline immediately spins to meet his blade. The wind picks up, pushing them past the cliff’s edge, out over the rocks frothing with waves. She hears her father’s roar.
“No!”
With a gut-wrenching fear, her head snaps toward him as he wrings the tips of Gabriel’s snowy wings. Gabriel drops in the air, but he’s able to control his descent, injured, as Lucifer launches upward.
“Michael!” Gabriel cries. Michael rockets after Lucifer, but Evangeline hurls herself at him.
She grasps a handful of silver feathers and yanks him back with all her might. They grapple in the air as Michael tries to shake her off, but Evangeline’s weight drags them both down. Out of control, they both spiral down, down, down. Michael tries to kick at her, and Evangeline’s grip slips, she but holds on. She has to; she has to make sure her father gets away.
They plummet toward the churning ocean. If Evangeline doesn’t let go now, they will crash into the shallow water together, landing on the jagged rocks. Evangeline calculates. The spray of the water drenches their wings. Another second. But Evangeline jumps away from Michael too late, and the ocean swallows them up. Like a spear, she shoots down through the water. She hits the rocks—the pain is a thousand knife slices—and she rolls, and spins, first her shoulder, then her head cracked against rocks. She feels dizzy, nauseous, dis- oriented. She spins around and around, unable to find the surface. She feels the current drag her away. Her lungs are bursting. She must breathe. Opening her mouth, she tastes the salt but keeps her throat closed. Air. She needs air. She slows in the water and then sees a pinprick of light.
With the last of her effort, she kicks toward it and bursts above the surface, gasping for breath.
What are the next steps in your career?
Continue writing and book coaching! I’m already hard at work on the sequel.
Why would you recommend a writing coach to get to this point in the writing journey?
Accountability, emotional support, expertise. All in one empathetic package.
Thank you for sharing your success with us, Jen!
You can purchase Evangeline’s Heaven on Indiebound, Amazon, and Jen’s website.
Follow along on Jen’s writing and book coaching journey on her Instagram!
