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Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Have you reached your 2024 reading goal?

December 18, 2024 By D'Ann Mateer

Do you do the reading challenge on Goodreads? I confess I love picking the number of books I want to read for the coming year and then trying to reach that goal.  Of course, I’ve been keeping spreadsheets for years that include “books read” column which I tally up at the end of the year.  I went back to see if the numbers for the past few years of Goodreads challenge compare to the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Reading Tagged With: Goodreads, reading goal

The Things We Do for Love

December 4, 2024 By D'Ann Mateer

The old 1970s song “The Things We Do for Love” ran through my head often last week. And while it’s a song about romantic love, my context was the love of parents for children and grandparents for grandchildren.  You see, we are not beach people. We enjoy looking out at the ocean and hearing the waves crashing while reading a book. We don’t particularly enjoy fighting for a bit of shade … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: beach, Florida, Grandchildren

Rendezvous Surprises

November 20, 2024 By D'Ann Mateer

When my sister Debra retired from teaching in May, we wanted to plan a trip for just the two of us simply because we could. I brought up the Just Reads Rendezvous. Debra is a reader, too, and I’ve long wanted to introduce her in person to some of the wonderful authors whose books she has read. So we signed up, both of us attending as readers. When we discovered we could add on the Christy Awards … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Faith, Friendship, Reading Tagged With: becky wade, God's encouragement, Just Reads Rendezvous, sisters

Our Gracious God

November 6, 2024 By D'Ann Mateer

Earlier this year, I read about Dani Pettrey’s Writers at the Well retreat in Texas, and my spirit stirred. My prayer for 2024 has been to establish myself in the writing community again. To renew old relationships and make new ones. I had already signed up for the ACFW Conference, but this was a more intimate setting, something usually better for me as an introvert.  However, committing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Friendship, Writing Tagged With: Dani Pettrey, writer friends, writing retreat

Backyard Days

October 16, 2024 By D'Ann Mateer

I’m not an outdoorsy girl by any means, but I love my backyard. Not becuase it’s beautiful. And not because there is any gardening to do—it’s just grass—I simpy the cozy space and the peace it provides.  Because we are on a corner, we have a view on two sides. Straight out the back, there is a tree line, which is lovely. To my left is our community clubhouse and pool, separated from us by … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, House and home Tagged With: backyard

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