Local resident, award winning author releases second novel

San Marcos resident Anna Daugherty was visiting family in Houston when Hurricane Harvey hit. After witnessing the catastrophic floods that devastated thousands of homes and businesses, Daugherty knew she would one day write about the experience.

The valiant efforts of her fellow Texans during this time of crisis inspired her to write her second novel, “Reaching for Grace,” which will be released on Aug. 29 through Texas publisher Black Rose Writing.

“I wanted to portray both the pain of loss and the strength of community in a situation like that,” Daugherty said. “My husband and I had plans to fly out of Houston in August 2017 with our then-fivemonth-old daughter. We drove down a few days early to visit my husband’s family in Kingwood, just north of Houston. At that point, Harvey was only a tropical storm.”

Within two days, the storm gained strength, surging into a massive Category 4 hurricane. Soon, airlines canceled air travel, leaving them stranded as the hurricane raged.

“Thankfully, we were safe and my in-law’s home never flooded, but the streets and homes all around us filled with water,” Daugherty said. “I witnessed firsthand both the heroic efforts of Texans and the devastation of destroyed houses.”

Three years later, Daugherty started writing a book series set in a fictional town along the Texas coast.

The second in the series, “Reaching for Grace” tells a tale of toxic family ties and a storm that shatters biases and exposes secrets. The story follows a woman from an impoverished past and her attempt to salvage what remains of her home after a devastating hurricane.

“This novel highlights the strength of Texans and the power of community, while also wrestling with hot topics like family boundaries and drug addiction,” Daugherty said.

Early reviews of the story hail it as “an honest novel, theologically sound and beautifully and compassionately written,” and “a must-read for readers seeking faith-affirming and uplifting stories.”

Daugherty’s first book, “Outside of Grace,” won First Place in the PenCraft Award for Christian Fiction and was a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Award, the world’s largest book award for independent publishers.

A lifelong lover of writing, Daugherty spent a lot of her childhood in search of opportunities to write, whether it was in the form of a family newsletter or connecting with a pen pal.

“I grew up homeschooled and took a creative writing class at my co-op in middle school,” Daugherty said. “Through that class, I wrote a spin-off to my favorite book series. The experience and encouragement from that class really set me on my writing path.”

Her passion for sharing stories led her to study journalism at the University of Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. After a few years working in the field, Daugherty became a stay-at-home mom — she and her husband have three daughters — and took freelance jobs on the side.

Then COVID hit, the world slowed down and Daugherty seized the opportunity to write.

“I started dabbling in writing fiction again and fell in love with it,” Daugherty said.

As a working author, Daugherty shared words of encouragement for fellow writers who are just starting out on their journey.

“My mom always told me to just take the next step, and I think that advice applies to nearly everything, including writing,” Daugherty said. “The big picture can be overwhelming, but when you focus on the next small step, you can keep making forward progress. Whether that’s getting the story from your head onto paper, sharing it with a friend for the first time or contacting a publisher, take the next small step. Your story matters and it’s worth telling.”

Described as Christian women’s novels with grit and grace, Daugherty’s books are listed at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target.com, Walmart. com and on the Black Rose Writing website at blackrosewriting.com.