We never planned to write about Native American history.

But as the threads of our modern-day mystery wove together, Cherokee voices and stories naturally emerged in the fabric of Book 1. And we knew—this mattered deeply.

Neither Gayle nor I (Jen) am Cherokee. We took a class on writing Native American characters and learned many things, including: we couldn't—and shouldn't—try to write cultural details on our own. If we were going to invite young readers into this story, we had to handle it with care, humility, and respect.

So we turned to prayer. Not just "Lord, make us better writers," but "Lord, who do You want to bring alongside us? Who can help us carry this piece of Your heart into our manuscript?"

We prayed specifically for someone Cherokee—ideally a Christian, perhaps even in ministry. Someone who would understand the discipleship heartbeat we're carrying for kids and help us honor this sacred responsibility.

Enter Randy.

Through what appeared to be a simple Google search, God answered our prayer in ways that took our breath away. We discovered Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley—not just any professional cultural consultant, but a recognized Keetoowah Cherokee descendant who was also a longtime professor of faith and culture, ministry leader, and advocate for Indigenous voices. He's spent decades teaching and writing about exactly what we needed guidance on. He even writes children's books too!

This wasn't a coincidence. This was God's direct response to our specific prayer, bringing us the exact person we'd asked for—and more.

In September 2025, we sat down with Randy via Zoom to receive his feedback on Book 1. As he walked us through his insights—page by page, cultural detail by cultural detail—we felt the weight of responsibility and the gift of partnership all at once. His feedback proved invaluable, catching nuances we would have missed and affirming elements we'd gotten right.

But more than that, Randy’s participation in our process affirmed the importance of writing with God, not just for Him.

And then came a beautiful surprise: Randy agreed to endorse the book.

WOW, GOD.

Every step of this series has unfolded like this—following the clues God lays down, trusting Him to connect us with the right people at exactly the right time. Writing with Him means these stories aren't just ours to tell. They're His.

Our Kid Detectives are gearing up to take you into a mystery that honors history, respects culture, and points kids straight to God's voice in the middle of it all.

Stay tuned, sleuths. This adventure is getting good.