Another Eastern student publishes a book

Some may doubt that social work is the most romantic of disciplines at Eastern, but Patience Domowski, a junior majoring in the field, has incorporated her love of children, adoption and international service into a published romantic novella.

Christiana and Alec: Traveling with Children is Domowski’s first published work, and tells the story of a young woman who travels internationally to transport children to their adoptive parents back in America.

The short work follows Christiana to Guatemala where she picks up orphans, only to meet Alec, a traveling businessman, in an airport terminal.

Their romance eventually winds its way to marriage, but Domowski promises it is not what most people would think of as a typical romantic novel.

“It definitely has an inspirational theme,” Domowski said. “It is something you could sell at church.”

Domowski emailed her manuscript to Publish America, an online publishing house that will produce an author’s work free of charge, and pay royalties on all sales. Domowski said she heard about the service after reading on article in the Waltonian about fellow student Becky Plourde, whose novel, Rose of many Colors, was published by the same company in 2003.

For Domowski, a life-long homeschooler from Pasadena, Maryland, writing has always been a hobby. Close to 50 short stories reside in her computer, and she said she comes up with a new one about every three days.

“I have been writing since I could hold a pencil,” Domowski said. “I didn’t write this one to get it published, but my mom suggested trying to get it published.”

Although she is the first in her immediate family to publish a book, Domowski said her mother has been working on a book of her own for eighteen years, chronicling her family’s experiences as missionaries in the Philippines. Domowski has encouraged her mom to finish the work and publish it through the same company.

Domowski’s book is available for $9.95 at publishamerica.com, or through any major book dealer by special order. Two copies will also be available through Eastern’s library, and Domowski hopes the campus bookstore will consider stocking it as well.

“If this really sells, maybe I’ll write a sequel,” Domowski said. “I have a hard time with endings.”