Last Friday, my morning was interrupted by some terrible news. Golden Keyes Parsons had been killed the evening before in a tragic traffic accident. My heart still aches at this news. It would have regardless, but especially because I’d just exchanged emails with Golden a couple hours before the accident. I had a Skype call scheduled with her book club for this past Monday. The same day I was sending her edits on her book, The Gift of the Inn, that WhiteFire is scheduled to publish this autumn, in time for Christmas.
Sudden loss is always hard. I can only imagine how her family is feeling right now–Golden was a woman of deep beauty, inside and out, who loved nothing as much as her family. This was clear within minutes of talking to her. She was a woman who loved her Lord and believed first and foremost in doing the work He called her to do–also clear in a single conversation with this amazing lady. She leaves behind her a true legacy of love and light and service. It was an honor to know her.
I met Golden online many years ago. We were both members of an off-shoot of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) called HisWriters, that was for writers of European-set historicals. I had my biblicals set in Rome and was working on the series that eventually became Ladies of the Manor. Golden had just contracted her Darkness to Light Series with Thomas Nelson, about the Huguenots of 17th century France, following a family through trials and tribulations that eventually led them to America.
Waaaaaaay back in 2009, when I was re-releasing A Stray Drop of Blood as a paperback, I asked Golden if she would read the book for me, to endorse it. She agreed and provided an encouraging quote for me to use–and then asked a question. She asked if WhiteFire was accepting submissions from other writers. She had a series of Biblical novellas she’d always wanted to write, and Stray Drop made her think it would pair well with WhiteFire.
She was the first author friend to ask this question. In the last 8 years, WhiteFire has signed nearly 30 authors, and she was one of the first few. We published her Hidden Faces series, those four biblical novellas about the unnamed women of the Gospels. So not only did I get to know Golden as a fellow writer, as a friend, but she became one of my authors, and I her editor. Which was so hilarious to me at the time, as I still felt like a kid in comparison to her.
As the WhiteFire list grew, our authors became a bit of a family themselves. And Golden always called herself “the grandmother of the WhiteFire crew.” She was always there to pray with us, to encourage us. She always, always proved herself a woman of grace and wisdom.
A few months ago, her agent contacted us about another book Golden wanted to place with us–this one set in Colorado during World War II. We ended up contracting The Gift of the Inn, a Christmas story about reunion and love. Given that edits were underway, I’d been talking to Golden a good bit about her book, her website, her vision. So looking forward to bringing life to another of her dreams.
Tragedy will always leave holes in our lives; that’s part of existing here on Earth. Everyone who loved Golden can take solace in the sure knowledge that she’s with her Father in heaven. But we’ll miss her. And we’ll remember. And we’ll do all we can to honor the name and memory of a woman who epitomized a good Christian, a good person, a good writer.
I am proud to have counted myself her friend.
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
What a beautiful tribute! A sad loss to her friends and family, and the Christian fiction community, but a beautiful gain in our heavenly home. ❤️
Aww … it's always hard losing friends. I was just looking at her books on Amazon a few hours before I saw the news on FB – so I knew exactly who she was when I saw the news – and it must have been all the harder for you as her friend and editor in the middle, as it were, of a conversation about her book. Praying for you as well as her family at this time. <3
We hope so too! We haven't talked to her family about it yet–no desire to intrude upon these first days for them with business–but I do hope they want us to go forward.
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I met Golden online, we exchanged Facebook messages online and emails, I got to know her pretty well. I loved her books and was hooked. Golden and I were like kindred spirits in prayer. We lost connection in the last few months because life got busy for both of us. In the last week, I've posted this several times about Golden: her passing will leave a legacy that will have a rippling effect. Her passing will not be in vain.
Roseanna, I hope her new book will still have a chance to be published.
Thanks for sharing such wonderful memories of Golden! Hugs!!
I'm so sorry we never met in person… Yet. Looking forward to that day. She was so encouraging and prayerful and sweet. She loved helping authors of all experience. I'm so glad our paths intersected at WhiteFire. She'll be so missed.
A lovely tribute. I never met Golden, but, everything that I am learning about her shows me that she was a wonderful, caring, loving woman of God. Thank you for sharing about Golden. Praying for her family and friends.
I have so enjoyed all the tributes to Golden. After meeting her once and being part of the HisWriters group, I admit to putting her up on a well-deserved pedestal. (She wouldn't like it!) but she was just such an incredible person, there are few that compare. My heart breaks for her husband Blaine. Thanks Roseanna!
I met and sat next to Golden at a Thomas Nelson dinner in 2009 – the first ACFW conference I ever attended. Her love of God and family, her beauty inside and out – all that you describe above I found true that evening. The encouragement she gave me I will hold close. Thank you for the beautiful tribute, Roseanna
Beautiful tribute to a lovely lady, Roseanna. Thank you for sharing your memories.
Such a sweet tribute. I met Golden when she spoke at the Central Texas ACFW group a couple of years ago. She was so sweet and genuine and took such an interest in me and my blog. I was so sad to see the news of her passing.