Brooke's Debut Novel

Welcome Brooke Cox! She's sharing about her debut novel, Deadly Doll. 

 I have been writing or “making up” stories before I could write. As a small child, I would hand a pencil and paper to my relatives and ask them to write my stories down. To be honest, I got the idea of “making up” stories from my “Peanuts” books. I was fascinated by Snoopy typing out stories on his typewriter. As a teenager, I used to keep a lamp on the wall next to my bed and I would stay up at night reading and writing.

After I met my future husband Tim, I quit writing. I was busy working and going to college and then marrying and being a mother. One day I was watching my daughter Sara play and I remembered how I used to love to make-up stories. I picked my pen back up and the words flowed.  I realized my writing was a calling from God. I’ve been writing and honing my writing skills ever since. By the way, Sara is now out of college and married.

Being the little oddball in my family inspired me to write “Deadly Doll.” I wanted to show others that it was okay not be like everybody else. And I wanted the main character, Brooksie, to use her uniqueness to solve a family mystery that nobody else in her family had the imagination or daring to do. 

I have 3 themes I hope people get from “Deadly Doll.” The first one is to be the person Jesus designed you to be for His purpose. The only One you should worry about pleasing is Him. Second, there’s more to being a Christian than sitting on the pew. Third, everybody is carrying their own cross/pain in life. Keep that in mind as you encounter others.

Adventurous twelve-year old Brooksie discovered a hidden room in her grandparent’s attic. She opened up an old hat box and found her mother’s favorite childhood doll wrapped up inside. Brooksie’s great-grandfather sent it from Alaska and it was believed to have burned in the trash pile years ago. After showing it to her father, he takes it from her. A few days later he was murdered and the doll becomes a faded memory until it reappeared six years later after a freak accident. What was it about the doll that people kept hiding it? Could finding the doll have played a part in her dad’s murder? If the doll had remained hidden would he still be alive? Brooksie and her best friend Darlene delve deep into the doll mystery which has them learning about a past that Brooksie never knew existed. 

Along the way, Brooksie’s thirst for adventure and acceptance has the girls stumbling on the edge of danger. What shocking family secrets might she find and could they change her life? Will she finally understand why God made her so different from the rest of her family and will it draw her closer to Him? Can Brooksie finally accept who she is? 

Sounds like a must read and a definite addition to our to-be-read lists!