By Justin Adams | [email protected]

Long-time Millcreek resident Tiffany Rosenhan may have picked an inopportune time to publish her debut novel—right in the middle of a global pandemic. But with restrictions lifting, she’s recently been able to tour local schools to promote her book, but also to hopefully impart a love for writing.

“I love to discuss the book, but what’s more important is discussing creative writing. I encourage students to pursue writing as a tool they can use to understand themselves and the world around them,” Rosenhan said. 

That’s what writing has been for Rosenhan for most of her life. Growing up in Millcreek and attending Skyline High School, she had no intentions of becoming an author. She was interested in international relations, with aspirations of one day working for the state department or the CIA. But she enjoyed creative writing as a hobby and as a tool to process her feelings.

It wasn’t until later when she was married and living at home with a newborn daughter while her husband attended medical school that she began writing in earnest.

“The second my daughter laid down, I would start writing. I didn’t watch TV or other things. I embraced that time,” she said.

For her, it was a form of therapy.

“Whether it was 2 p.m. or 2 a.m., I needed that writing session to stay in tune with myself,” she said.

And that’s how her debut novel, “Girl From Nowhere,” came into being. In it, Rosenhan draws from her interest in international affairs to tell the story of a young girl whose parents’ involvement in international diplomacy lands her in hot water.

It’s a spy-thriller inspired by the likes of Ian Fleming, John le Carré and Tom Clancy, only with a teenage girl as the protagonist.

Part of the decision to make her protagonist a teenager comes from the admiration Rosenhan has for young people.

“Teenagers have a unique way of looking at that world. I embrace teenagers as powerful, adaptable humans,” she said.

She also draws inspiration from her own daughters and their friends in the community “who overcome really hard things.”

It’s that deep level of respect for young people that drove Rosenhan to base her book promotion around visiting schools. She has a goal to visit every middle school and high school in the state, as well as a handful of others in surrounding states.

It’s been a valuable experience for Rosenhan, one that she says has given her a deeper appreciation for all the teachers and librarians who are so passionate about instilling a love for reading in their students.

“I’ve been amazed at the work our librarians do in our community. I admire all that they do to increase literacy and learning, particularly in rural or underserved communities,” she said.

For anyone who wants to pursue writing in any capacity, Rosenhan said that her advice is to write for yourself and write what interests you.

“Writing what you love is so important in fiction. I look forward to being with my characters and building the world. It’s not a chore. I’m very fortunate to do something I love,” she said.

Readers can find “Girl From Nowhere” at local bookstores Frost Books in Millcreek and at the King’s English Bookshop in Salt Lake City, as well as online through Target, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.