First novel published by Providence Forge author

Three years ago, Mary Lou Gediman took the bold step of quitting her job to concentrate on writing. And the move is starting to pay off with the publication of her first novel.

“Journeywoman,” the story of a divorcee whose uneventful life takes a dramatic turn thanks to advice from a Native American, became available on-line (print on demand) to the public through Amazon and Barnes and Noble in December. Now, the Providence Forge resident is striving to get her novel on bookstore shelves.

“It’s been a lot of fun, and it’s been a journey,” she said, borrowing a bit from her book’s title to detail her publishing efforts.

“I’ve never really been published,” she said. “I have a blog, and I’ve done newsletters in jobs. I guess I’m sort of a late-bloomer.

“But I’ve always had a passion for writing,” she said. “I’ve taken a lot of creative writing courses and always had a desire to write. So finally in 2007, I said I’m going to do it.”

With her husband’s blessing, she left her job at the University of Richmond. She had dabbled in short stories and poetry before embarking on “Journeywoman,” a task that took about eight months. Another eight months were needed to get her novel into print.

“It reaches every genre,” Gediman said in describing the work. “It’s really about the main character’s journey to herself, and there’s a little bit of mystery with two murders that have to do with her dad.

“It’s very quirky,” she added. “The main character is very quirky, and she’s obsessive/compulsive. It’s a journey of self-discovery for her.”

A Connecticut native, Gediman and her husband have resided in New Kent the past five years. Recently, she has been on the road promoting her work. She just returned from a book signing tour through New England for Borders and Barnes and Noble. She has upcoming book signings scheduled in Petersburg, Harrisonburg, Christiansburg, and North Carolina.

She has set up her own web site (www.marygediman.com), which lists information on how to order her book. And when not away from home, she is engrossed in writing her second novel. It’s the sequel to “Journeywoman.”