Rest In Peace

I just found out today that a friend (and editor) of mine, DeWanna Pace, passed away unexpectedly. She'd been on my mind lately but it never crossed my mind she'd passed. I was about to email her this morning to ask when I may send some of my manuscript for her to edit when my email system didn't pull up her email. I found it strange, but it had happened before so I got on facebook to message her and found several sympathy posts on her page. I didn't want to believe she died so I thought of every other possibility of what "you will be missed" could mean. Maybe she moved? But no. I'm still in complete shock because I literally had just spoken to her a few weeks ago. 
She was a very sweet lady. Not only did she jump start my new knowledge for writing, but she would encourage me to press on in school and that she was there if I needed anything. Even though I've always had a knack for writing, I still needed (and need) improvements. I would make sentences difficult at times and couldn't figure out how to shorten them to make them sound better and more powerful but God, through DeWanna, made the light bulb click. And I instantly had a new insight on how to write more effectively. DeWanna had a very gentle way about making corrections. She would never put me down or make me feel like I was stupid. She helped me finally see what P.O.V. (point of view) really was and how it worked. Before I sent my second manuscript to her, I was clueless as to what people meant by saying, "Watch your POV." People would try to explain it, writers from the Writer's Academy, but I just couldn't understand it, but God opened my eyes by DeWanna's thorough explaining. She took the time to actually give me helpful suggestions and corrections that made my writing ten times stronger, and I'm forever grateful for it.  

DeWanna wrote many Romance Novels and is a New York Times Best Seller! She has a great sense of humor that shows through in her writing. You can purchase her novels at this link:
 http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/804787.Dewanna_Pace 


I will miss seeing her writing on my manuscript, her encouragement emails, and her encouragement she gave me with my Christian Faith. I believe she is with The Lord and happier than ever!