True confessions time. I am not perfect. (Shocker, I know!) Can you spy the anachronisms in each of these excerpts from books I’ve written? “The carpentry shop door creaked open and Olivia started. Croome stood framed in the threshold, eyes narrowed suspiciously, fowling piece in hand. …“I seen the door open to this ol’ place and thought a raccoon or a tramp must have got inside.” “Only … [Read more...]
Summer’s Last Hurrah
Our boys returned to school after labor day. Our eldest son is a junior in high school this year, and our youngest son a freshman. The weekend before, we drove down to Illinois to celebrate the marriage of my youngest cousin and her groom. How wonderful to spend time with my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces as well as aunts, uncles, and cousins we rarely see. And what fun to dance … [Read more...]
Rewarded for the Risk: My Fun Summer Internship with Julie Klassen|Guest Blogger, Anna Paulson
Ever since I met Julie Klassen as a fourteen-year-old, holding out my copy of The Apothecary’s Daughter for her to sign, I have admired her elegant professionalism and, of course, her wonderful way with words. Over the past five years, I have frequented her book signings (promptly devouring each new novel), chatted with her at a church Christmas dinner, and attended her lecture at a Minnesota … [Read more...]
Research with Writing Friends
A few weeks ago, a group of writers from my local chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers took a field trip to break up our usual schedule of monthly meetings inside a conference room—a chance to see and do something different and to get outside on a beautiful Minnesota summer day. This year we went to visit an historic house in Taylors Falls, a fun river town some 30-40 miles north of … [Read more...]
Happy Places
This past week, my sons were both at camp, so my husband planned a getaway for just the two of us. I believe it is the first trip he has planned since our honeymoon. He was enthusiastic about the itinerary and teased me with hints of a few secrets in store for me. (P.S. I really dislike secrets.) We stuffed the car with our stuff (including a camp stove and sleeping bag for one night at a … [Read more...]