Today I’m taking a turn blogging about a strong woman in my life.

She was Jane Jordan Browne, my literary agent. She acquired me in 1997 just before I sold my first book to Love Inspired. I knew I had made the right decision in signing with her when I told the editor who called to offer me a contract that Jane Browne was now my agent. In an awed tone, she asked, “Jane Jordan Browne?”

Jane was a fantastic agent who took a real interest in the careers of her authors. She read all my early manuscripts and critiqued them before my editors saw them. She made sure I connected with editors who would help grow my career.

I often still hear her voice in my head giving me advice. After every conversation we had about a new project, she would end it by saying, “We shall see,” as in “We shall see how it will turn out.” And it usually turned out WELL.

I was horribly shocked and saddened when she died suddenly of pancreatic cancer the first week of February 2003. (Pancreatic cancer is hard to diagnose.)

Before her unexpected death, Jane had asked one of the young women she had trained in the 90’s to come back and begin taking over the agency so Jane could retire. I’m so thankful that Jane did this because her successor Danielle Egan-Miller was there to take up where Jane had left off.

Danielle has been a real blessing to me too. And I’m sure Danielle would agree that neither of us will ever forget Jane’s impact on our lives both personally and professionally. Jane and Danielle have been blessings not only in my career but in my life. Jane is one the people I look forward to seeing again in Heaven. Thanks to a strong woman who helped not only me but so many authors.