Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Out of the Writing Desert

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For the past five years, I’ve been in a writing desert. I’ve wondered if it was of my own making or if the Lord had removed that part of my life forever. I’ve struggled and prayed and tried. I felt no peace about quitting and yet no desire to continue, either. Still, I forced myself to write. I even self published two novellas. But my heart wasn’t really in it. I did it because I thought I ought … [Read more...]

2 absolute must reads: the power of truth to fight lies

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Have you ever read a book that you simply couldn't not tell others about? I'm assuming your answer is likely yes, since we're part of a blog that focuses on the love for and inspiration behind reading. Specifically fiction. But today I'm sharing about two non-fiction books, and if I could buy them for you, I would. They're that good! They're very different reads as a quick glance at the … [Read more...]

Piecing Life Together With Slow Stitching

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by Cleo Lampos My mom seldom had empty hands. When she finished pressing dough into loaves, feeding the chickens, or ironing heavy cotton, her fingers picked up scraps of fabrics left over from the feed sack clothing she designed and stitched for my sister and me. From these bits of cloth, postage stamp quilts emerged. Cozy coverings for an uninsulated home in central Iowa farmland. Frugal … [Read more...]

Writing Update (and a giveaway!)

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I initially conceived the Misty River Romance series when.... And what if, miraculously... He did? The series catches up with the "Miracle Five" when they're all adults marked in different and irrevocable ways by the trauma they endured eighteen years before. In Stay with Me, I told the story of the younger of the two sisters, Genevieve. [By the way, if you haven't read Stay … [Read more...]

Do you ever stop reading a book?

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Usually, when I start a book I finish it. If I don't, it's because it gets buried in a corner. In the last week there were two books I was listening to that I had to stop and return to the library. One, there wasn't any saving it for me considering the number of curse words in the opening paragraph. The other was a 20 hours audiobook that I listened to for 8 hours. There was much I loved about … [Read more...]

Most Anticipated Reads of 2021

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I’m a writer, but I’m also a voracious reader. I’ve never actually met a novelist who wasn’t a reader at heart. I was captivated by stories at a young age—reading books, acting out stories with friends, and daydreaming stories in my mind. Daydreaming was my escape. I loved going for Sunday rides with my mom. We lived in New Mexico at the time, and every Sunday we’d go for lunch and then a long … [Read more...]

A Writer’s Purrfect Companion

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With many more people now working from home due to the pandemic, pet ownership has grown both in the US and abroad. The internet teems with articles about the pros, cons, and costs of pets, how to remain productive if you’ve adopted a needy pet, and debates about dogs vs. cats. Not long ago, my first-reader was trying to review my new manuscript to give me feedback and suggestions. She has a … [Read more...]

A Brand New Book

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I have a brand new novel out! Bridges is the first original novel from Raney Day Press. This means that my publisher, my art director, my graphic designer, my public relations person, and my accountability partner are all one and the same—my husband, Ken Raney. Here he is in his office the day we put the finishing touches on the book and hit "publish." The man can be a tough taskmaster at … [Read more...]

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