MAHOMET, Ill. (WCIA) – A local author published her debut novel on Sunday.

A few years ago, Cherie Roberson and her husband created a story about a real-life stranger who magically appeared from the fog on a Florida beach.

“You should write that story!” Her husband said. 

She accepted the challenge.

“My goal wasn’t to be famous or even brilliant,” said Roberson, who began publishing her work online through blogging in 2013. “I simply wanted to grow in the writing process, and find my voice.”

The romance novel, titled “Man in the Mist,” follows a young American widow in Scotland who confronts the ghosts of her past.

“I’ve always been a reader,” Roberson said. “I love a great story. My goal with this first novel is to put it in the hands of as many readers as possible.”

Currently, Roberson is at work on a romance novel set in a small town.

“At the end of the day, writers must believe their story needs to be in the hands of readers,” Roberson said. “That’s both a thrilling and vulnerable feeling.”

Roberson is hosting a book signing at YoYo’s Coffee in Mahomet on Oct. 15. For more information, you can visit her website here.