Back in 2012, I met a New York agent at a small East Texas Writers’ conference whose maiden name was McAdoo! I knew this was a divine appointment. My husband and I had nine titles published traditionally at the time—all but one from small regional presses. We volunteered to drive her back to DFW for flight home, and on the way, she told us, “Write me a historical Christian romance set in the 1800s, and I’ll sell it.”

We did, and she did! In only a few months! To Simon and Schuster!

That book VO...