Rebecca Cole

Rebecca Cole of Sallisaw did not begin writing a book until a couple of years ago.

She had written so many words, according to her sister, Yvonne, that she ended up writing two books in one year.

“I‚m not sure how that happened. The idea just clicked one day and I began writing,” she said.

“I was taking care of my father and I was running a thrift store in Sallisaw and was in the middle of selling my business, then my father passed. I hadn‚t sold my business yet, so, sitting in the shop in between customers, I had all this time on my hands and thought now might be a good time to write a book.”

Cole, who‚s authored name is Rebecca J. Cole, currently has two books published, “Sunday School Sweethearts” published in May 2020 and “For the Love of Mercy” published last month and is currently working on a third book.

Sunday School Sweethearts is about a young couple who fell in love until a mistake changed everything. The couple reunites later on in years with prayers, love and forgiveness as the underlying parts of the story. For the Love of Mercy is about Mercedes Stanton who has lost everything. Following the death of her parents, her only option is to sell land in Oklahoma once belonging to her family since the Oklahoma land rush of 1889. The story includes some history with the main character fighting against an attraction of a man from the family she is employed by, with uncertainty if he is the right person for her.

“Mercy discovers her inner strength as she survives the obstacles that life throws at her and finds true love, according to an overview of the book by Barnes and Noble.” Both books can be purchased online on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, Cole said.

“I mainly write romance novels. It‚s just something I‚ve always wanted to do,” she said. “My sister is also working on a book. She was living in Colorado until her husband passed and she moved to this area and now we spend a lot of time discussing our book projects. We plan to go to Eureka Springs in October to attend the Ozark Writers Conference. I‚m really looking forward to it.”

Cole was born in Tulsa. Her father was a teacher and the family moved a lot, she said.

Later the family moved to Vian which is where she has spent most of her time. She graduated from Vian High School in 1978.

In addition to her writing, Cole has spent a lot of time owning her own business. She has operated a nail salon, sold real estate and owned a flower shop, she said. She also enjoys restoring and selling small pieces of furniture.

“I enjoy staying busy. I might spend about eight hours a day working on my book. I keep my laptop close by. Sometimes, an idea will come into my head while I‚m in bed and I have to get up immediately and write it down before I forget.”

In addition to her writing, she enjoys working in her flower bed. She and her husband, Ron, have four children and three grandchildren.

She said she plans to take advantage of the upcoming cruise night in Sallisaw and other events such as the fall festivals to promote her books.

“I‚m enjoying this and I‚m hoping to expand my marketing skills and promote my books more widely,” she said.

“I hope people will stop by. It‚s always exciting when someone purchases one of my books. I enjoy visiting with them,” she said, smiling.

Just Folks. Just Folks is Your TIMES way of honoring the regular people of Sequoyah County, recognizing their unique talents, personalities, jobs, abilities, etc. Your TIMES appreciates the cooperation of each Just Folks and the public‚s nominations for this feature. If you know of someone you think might be a good story, contact Amie or Lynn at 918-775-4433.