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Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

God and His Name

March 5, 2025 By D'Ann Mateer

Have you ever had a season where you find yourself face to face with the same theme everywhere you turn in life? I’m currently in a season like this. And I’ve learned that such things warrant my close attention! In January of this year, my next-door neighbor began a neighborhood Bible Study on the names of God. I was interested both because I haven’t done a ladies' Bible Study in years and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Faith, Reading Tagged With: church, George MacDonald, God's character, God's name, John Mark Comer, Kay Arthur, Names of God, sermons

A peek into my (very distant) past

February 19, 2025 By D'Ann Mateer

This is a story of boxes lost and found. Or rather found, because I really didn’t know they were lost!  When we sold our house in Rockwall after our move to Austin in 2015, I found some things we’d forgotten up in our attic when we were checking over the house before closing. They were boxes of things. My mother graciously let me leave them in her attic.  This summer, my nephews … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, Friendship, History Tagged With: elementary school, lost things found

Burns Night Supper

February 5, 2025 By D'Ann Mateer

So my husband and I did a thing we never in a million years thought we’d do.  We hosted a dinner party for twenty in our home.  And not just any dinner party, mind you. No, we had a full-on Burns Night Supper!  Do you know what a Burns Night Supper is? Well, let me enlighten you if you don’t!  Every year on January 25, Scots all over the world—and especially in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, Friendship, History, House and home Tagged With: Burns supper, Robert Burns, Scotland

D’Ann’s Favorites

February 2, 2025 By D'Ann Mateer

The authors of Inspired by Life...and Fiction are offering a new weekly post featuring some of our favorite things. We hope you enjoy getting to know a little more about us—and we'd love to hear your answers to these "favorites" questions in the comments below. Favorite Holiday: I love everything about the Christmas season! Favorite Vacation Spot: Ever? Scotland, hands down. We … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assorted & Sundry Tagged With: Author Favorites

A Different First Draft

January 15, 2025 By D'Ann Mateer

I’ve written many, many first drafts of novels, most of them “by the seat of my pants.” This means I have a story idea but don’t know exactly how it plays out until I write it. However, I have written a few (very few) first drafts from a synopsis. These drafts tend to have a little more structure when the story first goes down on paper (or screen).  I’m now beginning different kind of first … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: first draft, Writing Process

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