Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

10 Reader Stereotypes (Which one are you?)

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Those of us who’ve been reading long enough (or hanging around readers) have likely run across one or more of these stereotypical readers. Whether in a book group, library meeting, or even among online reading communities, we brush shoulders with all sorts of readers! 1. Speed Reader: This is the reader who posts that cheerful comment on Twitter about how she’s met her 1000 book reading goal for … [Read more...]

Making Books a Part of Your Holiday Traditions

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Christmas traditions. We all have traditions of one kind or another including baking, caroling, decorating, family gatherings, special outings, and more. As I was thinking of some of the Christmas traditions in my family, I realized that books have had (and continue to have) a special place in our Christmas traditions. One way I incorporated book into the holidays was by making Christmas … [Read more...]

How Can an Insanely Busy Person Make Time for Reading?

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For the past five years, I’ve had a lot of fun using Goodreads as a place to organize the books I read. As this year comes to a close, I’ve been keeping a close watch on my 2017 Goodreads shelf which lists all of the books I’ve read over the past months. 2017 is shaping up to be my best year to date. I’ve already read 50 books, and I plan to squeeze a few more in during December. My goal is … [Read more...]

Why the Traditional Publication Process Takes So Long

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One question that readers often ask me is: “How far in advance of publication do you work on your books?” A friend just asked me that question while I was working in my church’s Library Cafe on Sunday. Among the library books on display, she saw my first orphan train book, With You Always, and wondered when the second book in the series was releasing and if I’d written it yet. I told her … [Read more...]

Before You Protest, Take a Lesson from Luther

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This week, like many of you, I’m celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation! Reformation Day is celebrated annually on October 31 because tradition holds that a German monk by the name of Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Church Door in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517. His hammer blows started a revolution of sorts now known as the Protestant … [Read more...]

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