Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

How to Encourage Christians to Try Christian Fiction

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On my Facebook author page I recently asked, "Why do you think only some Christian readers read Christian fiction?" These are the top three answers I received.... 1) They don't know that such a thing as Christian fiction exists. Or their knowledge of it begins and ends with Redeeming Love, Karen Kingsbury, and Amish stories. 2) They perceive Christian fiction as low quality. … [Read more...]

Bingeing all the Books

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Last week, Indiana got enough snow that Purdue closed for a day. That may not seem significant, but I've lived near Purdue for twenty years, and this is only the third day that I remember the campus being closed. Needless to say, I was grateful to not do a snow dance to campus in my car, and it allowed me a bit of time to read. I adore reading. Y'all know that, and one of the books I read was … [Read more...]

Research on the Road

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Hi friends, Happy to be back with you this week. With all the information available at our fingertips for research, it’s easy for me to research from the comfort of my home. I can call and talk with experts via Zoom or on the phone, I can order research books online, and use search engines to find practically everything I need to write a strongly researched book. However, I love to take my … [Read more...]

Uplifting Reading & Viewing Suggestions

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Ever buy a book that disappointed you? Or sit down in the evening to scroll through the shows and movies available only to struggle to find something good to watch? In general, I try not to watch too much tv, but when I do, I don’t want to watch something I’ll regret. So, I thought I’d share a few of the books and shows I’ve been reading or watching lately that have been positive and uplifting … [Read more...]

When Grief Mingles with Joy

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First off, I want to say a huge thank you to Robin and the rest of the Inspired by Life… team who stepped in for me this past month when I wasn’t able to blog. I’m still reeling a bit, and trying to process two great losses in my life that happened within a 12-hour span. On February 1, Shirley Ann Turner Raney, my precious mother-in-law, passed away after a valiant battle with … [Read more...]

5 Must-Haves For Fan-Favorite Romance Novels

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Happy belated Valentine's Day! I just love romance, don't you? My favorite genre as a reader is definitely romance. As a historical romance author, I'd even go as far as saying that I'm more of a romance writer than historical writer. My stories always end up with a romance element. It seems to come out whether I'm writing time crossing or YA or historical. Most of the time readers … [Read more...]

When Texas Freezes Over

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Where I live in West Texas, it's rare to get much snow. We had our second largest snow on record back in January, but February refused to be outdone. On Valentine's Day, Sunday, we received 14.3 inches of snow. That smashed the single day snowfall record for our town of Abilene, TX. The previous record had been a whopping 9.6 inches. The snow is beautiful. Such a rare sight is a treat to … [Read more...]

Never Stop Learning

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My husband and I married just after he graduated from college—just before he started law school. While we were married, I finished my undergraduate degree. After he began working, we often harkened back to those days, lamenting that we couldn’t find a way to remain students forever while still making a living (because those mountain of student loans weren’t paying themselves off!). Both of us … [Read more...]

FUN NEWS & a GIVEAWAY (for The Chosen novelization by Jerry B. Jenkins)

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Happy Tuesday from ICY Nashville, Tennessee! I don't know what the weather is like in your corner of the world but Nashville is slip slidin' away! Give me snow any day over treacherous black ice. Our lovely city is pretty much closed down at present, but the hope of warmer temps springs eternal. As does the hope for Spring itself! Just as I love the changing of seasons in nature, I'm finding … [Read more...]

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