In Loving Memory

I just found out that a dear friend has passed today. She is known as Anna-Alden Tirrill, Author. I know her as Jo and she knows me as Katie. I met her about 5 or 6 years ago when she sent an email asking to quote my blog in a devotional she was writing. I was so humbled and honored! I contacted her and we quickly became friends. She ended up quoting me several times in multiple books. But, that was just the spark that started a beautiful friendship even if we never would meet face to face. We communicated fairly regularly for a season and talked on the phone often. She was such a source of strength and support through some very difficult and transitional times in my life. She mentored me in writing and has had much to do with the things I am working on now. She even asked me for advice and sent me her works before publishing the final copies. I got to be a part of the process! The books I have now, I have memories with. I remember her sending me all kinds of proofs for the covers and how they came to be. I have old versions of her books that never went to market because of things we discovered that needed to change first. She even ran it by me when she was considering combining two of her books into one and it was a great idea! I still have some of her books if anybody is interested.

Thank you Jo, for being a loving friend when I felt I had lost so much. Thank you for lending me your shoulder and for sharing your life with me. Thank you for mentoring me as a writer and as a Christian. A part of you lives on through every life you touched and changed. I know it does through me. I will get a book completed this year in your honor and in honor of my bestie who passed years ago who, in our last conversation, celebrated that I had made a major life adjustment to make more time for writing. I will dedicate my first published works to both of you.