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A fictional story with a memoir overlay as narrator Katie Blake reflects on life in small town America and the principles, influences, and big personalities she wants you to never forget.
It’s Memorial Day weekend, 2009, and the town gossips have their shorts in a twist about a mysterious newcomer who wears tie-dye, colorful headbands, clunky necklaces, and rings on every finger.“Who installs a ceiling fan on a Victorian porch?” cries Ned Boomer, Woodburg’s grumpiest man, and the town gossips concur, “She must be a hippie, witch, or maybe worse . . . a socialist.”
Hell-bent on preventing a neighborhood blow-up, precocious, nine-year-old Katie Blake launches a covert investigation to gather the truth about the enigmatic Rose. But when she discovers a decades-old secret binding her, Rose, and bad-tempered Ned Boomer, her world takes a turn.
Penning a memoir sixteen years later, Katie is forced to reconsider whether the real proof of love was in preventing a neighborhood war or finding friendship and comfort among three unlikely grief-stricken souls who should never be forgotten.
Read an Excerpt
Gram taught me to be independent, manage my anxieties, and have confidence in myself, showing me how to use my imagination to wiggle out of a jam or face the “grim crossroads” when confused or sad.
The first time I cried and lost it over a complicated computer problem, she said, “Be inventive, Katie! What can you do to calm down and think things through?”
We put our heads together to come up with ideas. Gram said she brewed herself a cup of tea when needing a break. Mom worked on crossword puzzles. Dad played solitaire. My one decadent delight was a FatBoy ice cream, and that’s how Gram and I hatched the plan of taking two ice cream sandwiches and hiding them under the frozen vegetables to create my private emergency stash.
“Close your eyes, breathe, take a bite, and replace the leftovers. No one will suspect anything. Our little secret. . .”
Author Interview
Why did you choose to self-publish your fiction work?
Most of my nonfiction work has been published through traditional publishers. However, when I began writing fiction, I decided to take a different path and create my own team of editors, book designers, writing coaches, and marketing experts. Why did I do this?
Having worked with traditional publishers, I knew that I didn’t have creative control over the content of my work, interior design, or even cover design. Frequently, the publisher's priorities took precedence over my authorial work. Besides creative control, traditional publishers also exercise control over various rights, such as publishing, distribution, and other areas, that can severely limit an author’s further opportunities. Having to hire a literary attorney and negotiate contracts with agents and publishers wasn’t something I wanted to repeat, which would take away from my creative work as a fiction writer. In addition, speed to market was a major consideration. Traditional publishers can take years to move a work forward—at my age, I didn’t have the luxury of waiting in a queue for my work to be released.
Consequently, I created my own publishing brand, Coffee Cup Press. I hired a trusted team of developmental and copy editors, proofreaders, and book designers who supported my creative work and my authorial priorities. Having this freedom has been one of the most valuable and fulfilling choices I have made, allowing my creative side to flourish.
What prompted you to switch from writing nonfiction to fiction?
Why would a retired university professor who has written textbooks in health information systems decide to write a novel? Wow! That is an off-ramp that doesn't make much sense to many folks.
Before writing fiction, I also practiced as a leadership coach. My focus was on helping women break the glass ceiling and fulfill their leadership and economic potential. One evening, I was on a conference call discussing concepts of what makes a fulfilling life with fellow life and leadership coaches. Bang! Like a thunderclap, I had an insight. What would it be like to help people understand the concepts of a flourishing life in a story instead of through a motivational book or text? After all, I thought, storytelling has been the most compelling form of communication for thousands of years. As far as I could recall, none of the great Profits fed up learning objectives and multiple-choice questions to their followers. No! They got their message across through stories.
This eye-opener was enough for me to take on the challenge of novel writing. Motivational books and textbooks give frameworks, theories, and ideas, but they don't immerse us in the human experience. They don't show us how others face challenges, embrace their passions, overcome sorrow, celebrate achievement, quash self-doubts, develop positive emotions and relationships, handle betrayal, or act on aspirations.
Storytelling ignites our imagination and emotion. We experience being part of the story rather than being served up a platter of facts, exercises, and information. As Dr. Pamela Rutledge says, with storytelling, "we become participants in the narrative. We can step out of our own shoes, see differently, and increase our empathy for others. Through imagination, we tap into creativity that is the foundation of innovation, self-discovery, and change."
Happily, as a fiction author, I have jettisoned learning objectives and test questions to help others catapult into the wonder of imagination and self-discovery, creating a flourishing life for themselves.
If you had to do your journey to getting published all over again, what would you do differently?
I’ve enjoyed my journey into fiction writing and self-publishing. Because of my background in publishing nonfiction through traditional publishing houses, I had a grounding in the publishing process. I understood the nuts and bolts of publishing and the contributions of key players, such as editors and designers. One thing I would do earlier in the process is to join a critique group and also engage the services of a writing coach.
Ebook or print? And why?
My fiction is published in both eBook and paperback formats. As for what I prefer to read, I’m old-school and enjoy paperbacks. I like the feel of the paper and the way a book feels in my hand.
What is your favorite scene in this book?
There are many favorites, but the one I’ll share is the Prologue, which invites the reader to join the protagonist, Katie Blake, through her internal conflicts and a transformative journey of understanding the inseparability of grief and love, the application of guiding principles, and the importance of remembering those who are special in our lives.
A Proof of Love is a fictional story with a memoir overlay. The Prologue begins the reader’s journey with the protagonist’s recollections of those special people in her life and why, as a proof of love, she feels compelled to share her story with the reader.
At heart, I am a storyteller who writes women’s fiction and stories of courage and discovery, showcasing the protagonist’s journey toward a more fulfilled self.
My passion is writing women’s fiction and exploring the human experience—how ordinary people tackle challenges, endure sorrow and betrayal, wrestle with doubt, and act on their aspirations to achieve flourishing lives. My insight into the power of fiction came during a conference call in late 2017 with a group of fellow life coaches. “What would it be like to help women and men achieve a flourishing life through storytelling?” I asked them.
After that phone call, I got started answering that question. The result was my debut novel titled Blackhorse Road, a compelling story of womanhood and the power of choice, gratitude, and forgiveness, published July 21, 2020, by Coffee Cup Press, followed by Flower Girl (2022), Flawless Witness (2023), and now A Proof of Love (2026)
Before embracing writing fiction, I was the author of health informatics and leadership textbooks. Later, I put my leadership experience to use as a leadership coach, focusing on supporting others to fulfill their leadership and economic potential. My range of nonfiction is available on my Amazon Author Page.
Substack: https://meridajohns.substack.com/
Facebook: https://meridajohns.substack.com/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/MeridaJohns
Website: https://www.MeridaJohnsAuthor.com
2 comments:
Thank you for hosting A PROOF OF LOVE today. We appreciate it!
Thank you for featuring a comprehensive post of my new novel A Proof of Love and for introducing your readers to Katie, Rose, and Ned. I hope these “Woodburg” characters touch their hearts, and I look forward to their reviews, comments, and questions about the novel and my work. A bow of gratitude for a spotlight that has heightened my day. Merida Johns
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