Emily's Tree
a novel
It really didn't make sense—beginning a novel as a stay-at-home mom with five young children. But in January of 2017, I was in a very special place and had a very special feeling that called me to do it. So I started writing. Seven and a half years (not months, years!) later, it's finally complete.
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The Plot:
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​Emily Hughs’ senior year is tainted by struggles with poverty and a broken family, and the only thing that keeps her going is her passion for art and a beautiful recurring dream about the premortal life. Emily thinks the dream is urging her to fulfill her potential by going to college, but just when higher education seems within her reach, Emily’s mother admits that she spent all of her college funds.
Emily hits rock bottom, and two young missionaries find her and offer their help. At first Emily is skeptical, but she begins to open up as she learns from them and starts making friends at church, including an extremely good-looking boy named Andrew Baker. A few visits to seminary class, a date, and a heart-stopping rescue later, Emily finds that she is falling in love with Andrew, his family, and his church. And she is slowly unraveling the mystery of The Dream: the woman in it has been asking Emily to find two of her “lost” children and complete their temple work. But just when Emily is beginning to feel at home with her new faith, Emily’s brother arrives from out of town. He is bent on tearing Emily away from the Church and away from Andrew forever. And there is a good reason: he knew Andrew’s older brother in the past and the association wasn’t pretty.
As Emily is grappling with this news, and with the possibility that Andrew is moving on to another girl, the opportunity of a lifetime falls into her lap: an art contest that just might be her ticket to affording college. Emily paints, prays, and paints some more until her entry is finally finished. But on the morning of the contest deadline, she finds herself suddenly grappling with a loss she never thought she would have to face.
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Woven with threads of humor, romance, and faith, this novel will both entertain and inspire young readers. Those who aren't members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will better understand what learning about the Church may look like. And youth already part of this faith will get a glimpse into the everyday difficulties that other kids their age sometimes face; they will also see the fruits of missionary service and how small and simple things like going to seminary and choosing uplifting friends can have a lasting impact for good.
