Mountain Plains Press

I’m a little trepidatious as I sit down to write this Newsletter. Why? Well, I suppose because this is my first one, and my goal is to provide thought-provoking, inspiring content for you all. I want this newsletter spark excitement for what’s to come, to nurture faith, to encourage perseverance.

Reflection

Everything has been new this year. Not that my New Year’s Resolution was to try everything, but it sure turned out that way. Publishing Out of the Dark happened on December 19th 2025, but it was so close to 2026 that it feels like it was this year. In 2026 itself, I’ve been learning marketing, writing my 1940’s portal fantasy, writing posts for my blog, and creating YouTube videos. YouTube isn’t new for this year, but posting shorts is. I am amazed by how much planning and time is put into shorts, only for them to be a minute long at most!

The New Year is a wonderful place to evaluate our lives and make changes, but in reality, we should be doing so throughout the year. What goals do I want to set, for this week, this month, this year, these next couple of years? What area of my life needs improving? What kind of person do I want to be, and what must I do to get there, what must I change and improve to make the biggest impact possible during my life? How do I want to impact those around me?

These are all very good questions to ask, and I encourage you to be doing the same. For me, these questions have been floating around in my head for so long, I must sit down and journal about them at some point. As the writer I am, I do best writing my thoughts down so they’re concrete, allowing them to be reflected upon and turned into action.

Sitting still is the greatest enemy to success. I’ve seen that. In others, but especially in myself. Since writing Out of the Dark at the age of fourteen, I’ve dreamed of being a published author, and the only thing that got me to this point is putting my dreams and plans into action and doing them, despite the fear and lack of knowledge.

With our plans, we must be careful to keep our eyes on our God and lay our plans before His feet, praying for discernment and wisdom concerning His will in our lives. If you’re relying on God and are burdened to put your plans into action, do it. If lack of knowledge is keeping you back, research. If fear, pray for courage. The weapon that the enemy uses the most is fear and doubt. It is not lack of money, for if God is truly leading you He will provide the means; it is fear. Uncertainty. Don’t let this hold you back.

Will you make mistakes? Yes. I made many mistakes from publishing this book. Can you learn from the mistakes? Yes. I sure did. Analyzing what went wrong, what didn’t work, and brainstorming how to do it better the next time is necessary, so do not get stuck in over-analyzing, which will only lead to where you started: fear and standing still. Do not let these keep you from accomplishing God’s will for your life.

What’s Coming Next

I am thrilled to announce the eventual release of my next two historical fiction novels. Their titles aren’t decided yet, so you’ll need to wait to hear those. 🙂 The two books are connected, the second being the sequel to the first, and both are in the early editing stage. If you haven’t read this post on my blog, the early editing stage is reading through the manuscript before beginning the actual edits. Which is what I’m doing now.

The first book is about the Oregon Trail and a family who commits to crossing the dangerous trek to Oregon after their crops fail. The protagonist is a newly-engaged woman who decides to help her family and go, but the story also follows the character arcs of each family member. It is third person omniscient. It is currently 64K, but my goal is at least 80K or 90K.

The second book is set on the Kentucky homefront of the Civil War, with the same woman, who returned and married her sweetheart. The story mostly follows her children and their friends and explores what life might have been like in a rural Kentucky community during the Civil War. This book is more cozy than the first, and very sweet, as the children learn what it means to forgive, trust in God, and love one another.

Final Thoughts

I hope this year, you will step out in faith and do whatever God has called you to. This year, and the last, are years of trying new things for me, of facing my fears and going wherever God leads. This calls for earnest prayer, the reading of His Word, and an undoubting faith that transcends fears, doubts, and obstacles.

God bless,
H.E. (Hailey) Willis