Birth, death, fear, hatred and love are the complexities of life, which all happen to be packed in Penny L. Freeman’s debut novel, “Heartache to Happiness.”
The Dade City native has been working on her book for three years, and it has now seen publication through RoseDog Books.
The story revolves around Kelsi, a young, pregnant woman whose world is turned upside down when her parents are brutally murdered and she becomes a prime suspect, sending her on the run.
The plot continues to escalate after Kelsi gives birth and her newborn is then kidnapped by her parents’ murderer.
Freeman said the story came to her spontaneously, with one idea leading to the next.
She hopes readers will take away the message that, like the story’s main character, they too can overcome life’s obstacles.
As a member of a fifth-generation Dade City family, Freeman said her humble beginnings were a far cry from that of her story’s main character.
Her father was a professional roofer and she had a stay-at-home mother.
“We had a great childhood – didn’t have much money, but we really enjoyed ourselves,” said Freeman, describing her growing-up years with her parents and her sister. “It was wonderful.”
Even during her early years, she knew she had a knack for literature, and she enjoyed writing poems and short stories.
As an author, she enjoys a wide range of genres, and traces of them can be found in “Heartache to Happiness.”
“I put a little bit of everything in it,” said Freeman. “It has murder, it has mystery and some romance,” she said, but it is not graphic in nature.
Freeman received her associate degree from what was previously known as Pasco-Hernando Community College, before starting a family.
It wasn’t until she was in her 30s, and was raising two children, that she decided to return to school.
She now has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in business administration from Saint Leo University, where she’s been employed since 1999.
She has represented the university as a member of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce for four years, which she characterized as “a really great experience.”
She currently serves as the university’s senior academic coordinator for English, fine arts, philosophy, theology and religion.
If she didn’t love her current position, she would probably be teaching in a classroom, instead of working in an office, she said.
She still writes short stories, and said that her stories always come from her imagination — instead of from real life.
One technique she enjoys using is to write out of sequence — creating the beginning of the story, then the ending, and then filling in the gaps.
With a fresh new novel out, she’s ready to begin work on her second one.
Published November 21, 2018
