Hi, I’m Deena, and I’m a scaredy-cat.

Now that I’ve let that cat out of the bag, (sorry, couldn’t resist J) I’ll explain. I’ve never been much of a risk-taker. I tend to play it safe and escape pain and broken bones—and a broken heart—any time I can.

As a new writer, I deal with fears like rejection, failure, inadequacy, being judged, and getting hurt on a regular basis. If I succumb to these fears, I’ll be paralyzed and unable to move forward in God’s calling on my life to write.

When I attended my first writer’s conference in May 2019, I fought against several of the aforementioned fears. What if I make a terrible first impression? What if I choke when someone asks me what I’m writing about? Is my hook and pitch catchy enough? Will a publisher or agent tell me I’m wasting my time?

These are just…