Mollie Rushmeyer’s debut novel, The Bookshop’s Secrets, will be published in Love Inspired’s new trade paperback program for women’s fiction. She brands her style as “contemporary fiction with a heart for history” and lives in Minnesota with her family.
Harlequin: Tell us about yourself. Our readers want to know!
Mollie Rushmeyer: I’m a work-from-home fashion stylist with a background in psychology. Who knew I’d end up a women’s fiction author? But I’ve loved the written word all of my life, and am so excited to share the stories and real-to-me characters who live inside of my head with the world. My husband of almost twenty years (We married young!) and our two beautiful daughters love traveling, all things U.K., long nature walks, rowdy game nights, semi-coordinated family karaoke, gardening, and snuggling our fur-child, Brooks.
H: Why did you want to become a writer?
MR: Why I Write Romance:
H: What were the major steps in your journey to getting published?
MR: There were so many, both forward and backward! The first thing I ever did to make a move toward publication, over ten years ago now, was write down for myself, “I want to be a writer.” It was both a secret and a promise to myself. Eventually, I allowed others in on my soul-deep dream until it was no longer a secret.
My grandpa signed me up for my first-ever writing class, and I continued attending any class, group, and conference I could afford to hone my craft. I joined ACFW (the American Christian Fiction Writers association) and began attending the local chapter in my state. This led me to meet so many kind, supportive, like-minded people. After receiving many rejections, the lovely Cynthia Ruchti, literary agent with Books & Such Literary Management, took a chance on me and signed me as her client.
We worked on this story, actually, as the first project we wanted to put out into the world with my “Contemporary Fiction with a Heart for History” style. It sat for a while. I even completed a different manuscript in the meantime. I thought this story would never see the light of day, and then…Boom! I got the call!
H: What one piece of advice would you offer aspiring writers?
MR: Run this race like it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I don’t want to sound discouraging by any means. I know if someone had told me when I first wrote down my desire to be a writer that it would be over ten years before I’d see a book published, I may have run in another direction! I’m so glad I didn’t. Keep going. Push forward. Persevere. Just don’t give up.
Something I recently shared with another budding writer rings true for today: we never know how long something will take, but we can be good stewards of the time we have in the waiting room. Because, let’s be honest, sometimes this “race” feels more like an extremely long stint in the dentist’s waiting room. Elevator music included. Don’t forget to enjoy the journey of learning, making writing friends, and falling in love with writing itself. This may help shift your focus from the finish line goal of publication.
H: What did you do when you got the call from Harlequin?
Watch Mollie share her story below:
Now let’s hear from Mollie’s editor, Emily Rodmell:
“I was intrigued by this story’s premise from the beginning. It has juicy secrets, emotional back stories and lots of high drama. And it was set in a bookstore, which spoke to me as an editor. I had this story in house for quite a while because at first it wasn’t a genre we were looking for, but I couldn’t bring myself to pass on it because I felt there was something there. Then one day someone in leadership mentioned that they’d love to see a book set in a bookstore, and I had this one to share with them. It was fate. I’m so excited for readers to get their hands on this wonderful story in August 2022.”
Emily Rodmell, Editor, Love Inspired
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Mollie, and welcome to Love Inspired!
Read more I Got the Call stories from new Harlequin authors at our archive.
