UNDERNEATH A SOUTH DAKOTA MOON

This year has been the "year of invitations."

Before I'd even really noticed, my 2025 calendar had filled with author presentation dates just in time for the release of book five in my suspense series, THE SHAKING. I've barely had to make a call, the invitations have been pouring in. If we stay in the battle long enough, maintain a steady confidence and hopeful expectation...success is inevitable.

The definition of success is an elusive one, isn't it? I've had to shift my stance over the years. At this point in my life, success means a long obedience in the same direction. A humble obedience that each day I do what I'm supposed to do. I used to think success meant money, and I think a lot of people fall into this trap. Or it could be defined as a perfect marriage, a promotion, or public status. Political power, perhaps. Gravitas. For me, it means staying in the moment. Listening. Using my God-given gifts and skills with excellence. Not wasting my most precious resource...time. Not that money isn't important, we have to pay the bills, after all. But true success isn't measured by the amount of money we make.

I am becoming less interested in others' opinions and more interested in listening to the voice of the One who holds the universe in his hands. I'm no longer nervous when I have a speaking engagement or walk into a group of people I don't know. It's a cool feeling to realize I'm increasingly free of fear, self-obsession, lamenting missteps or mistakes, or languishing over the need for someone's approval. The freedom to completely be ourselves within the context of the cinematic and discouraging divisiveness of 2025 is somewhat rare, isn't it? Everyone seems to be hiding under cloaks of silence, lest we disagree. Who cares if we disagree? That's what makes life interesting!

The folks I encounter are desperate for honesty. So many lose their footing amid shifting cultural norms, tangled truths, and the sting of rejection. Hiding starts to feel like the only safe response—not behind walls, but behind masks and practiced smiles, nodding along to ideas they don’t believe. Whatever happened to civil discourse, anyway?

Chasing Success

The race for success starts early. Our parents encourage us to learn our numbers and letters as toddlers, read by age four, take dance or gymnastics or excel in sports...we learn that success means being the 'best'. It's hard enough to figure out life in general, and entering the arena every day expecting to come out on top is frustrating. The truth is, not everyone excels in every area. God made each person unique, with a special set of talents. If we don't quite cut it in a certain lane, we should persevere until we discover that distinct groove for which we are made, because there IS one. We just have to find it.

The Day I Found my Groove

In 2008, my then-new husband and I moved to Pierre, South Dakota for a two-year contract opportunity. Everyone told us we were crazy, except our pastor at that time who said, and I quote: "Anyone can stand anything for two years." So, we sold our house and moved to the land of endless prairies, Indian reservations, and moonrises so huge they seemed to gobble up the sky. Pierre amazed us. Warm, welcoming people, beautiful landscapes, (Dances with Wolves country) and grassroots American values. During that time, one of my first letters to the editor was published. Then another, until I fell into an opportunity to write a local, weekly humor column which appeared on the editorial page, with a headshot. For two years, I wrote about a newcomers' view of South Dakota and the foibles of newlywed bliss. People around town began to recognize me, tell me how much they loved my column. My head spun with what-ifs. What if I could do this full time? What if this is what I'm (gasp) meant to do and never had time to try it? What if I'm specifically designed to write inspirational and entertaining stories? Is that even possible?

This marked the beginning of landing in my lane...finding my people...crafting a dream...defining success differently. My first book was born underneath a South Dakota moon.

Sowing & Reaping

The harvest is a fact of life. A farmer plows the soil, plants the seed, tends the land and crops arrive. It's an immutable law, barring floods and atypical weather events that might prevent it. This law applies to our pursuit of success, too. When I found my Groove, I didn't sit back and wait for God to rain on barren land, I started reading everything I could find about writing, publishing, the various options available. Yes, I wrote a book but discovered quickly I had no idea what I was doing. I was plowing a rocky field with little success. I needed to find fertile soil, locate appropriate seed, and pray for rain. I researched the industry, attended writing conferences, made connections with successful authors, hired a professional editor, and took writing classes. Determined to remain faithful to the Groove, I persisted until I eventually was offered a contract by my current publisher. Not a day goes by that I'm not grateful for them and how patient they were with a budding author. I persisted. I reaped. And this year, the harvest is amazing. Humbling. In conclusion, this post is simply a grateful nod to discovering a lane that I love, a field I enjoy cultivating, and the awesome harvest beginning to bloom.

Purchase your copy of Kerry's latest release, here!