“The 19 Year Detour” is an autobiographical story penned by Iolan Luann Rogers, that tells the story of reconnecting with a lost love.
Rogers wrote the story over the course of nine months, then had it published and printed earlier this year.
“I’ve always written, but I didn’t think I’d ever get to this point,” Rogers said.
The impetus came after Rogers visited with a creative writing teacher at Neosho County Community College, where she worked as a custodian.
“I’d written about 10 pages, and she thought it was a neat story,” Rogers said.
She expanded her story, after several revisions, to 28 pages.
Rogers was born in Colorado Springs before moving to Iola as a child, where she graduated high school and has remained.
After reconnecting, Rogers and the other subject in the book have subsequently broken up, but they remain friends, she said.
“The story ended up being everything it was supposed to be,” she said.
The book, published by Christian Faith Publishing, LLC, is available for $11.95 via Amazon, iTunes or Barnes & Noble websites.
Rogers said she was dedicating the book to her sister, Deanna King, who died Sept. 29.
“She knew I’d written the book, but she never got a chance to read it,” Rogers said.
