New Madrid woman pens romance novel

NEW MADRID -- If someone had told Christy M. Jones this time last year she'd have written and published a romance novel, the New Madrid resident said she wouldn't have believed them.

But Jones has done just that.

Her romance novel, "The Stranger in the Rain," was published Oct. 9 by CreateSpace Publishing.

In March, Jones retired after working over 30 years as a Family Support Division supervisor for the state of Missouri.

"I have to stay busy, and my mind doesn't shut off," Jones said. "My mind is constantly spinning about stuff, and I needed something to channel so I sat down and started writing this story."

Jones said she's always loved to read.

"I've been an avid reader as long as I can remember," Jones said, adding Sidney Sheldon is among her favorite authors.

So, one day Jones sat down at the computer and began typing.

"When the creativity is there, you just keep going," Jones said. "I kept typing and typing, and the next thing I knew, I had a novel."

People have asked how Jones wrote the novel so quickly.

"That story had been in my head for a while, and I was working on it six to seven days 7 days a week, 12 hours a day," Jones said.

When Jones completed her rough draft, she had her family and friends read it.

"I wanted the feedback because I wanted it to be the best novel I could put out," Jones said. "... I told my family and friends: 'I don't want rainbows and puppies. I want to know the truth and it won't hurt my feelings.'"

The first person to read it was one of her cousins.

'She doesn't hold back anything," Jones said. "She told me: 'I think it's one of the best books I've ever read."

For the complete story, see the Sunday, Oct. 25 edition of the Standard Democrat.