Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Story Boards (and a Giveaway!)

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Do you like Sleeping Beauty retellings? BESOTTED, the third and final book in The Fairest Maidens, is now available and is a unique retelling of the old classic fairy tale. Each book of the series is fashioned after a fairy tale BEHOLDEN (September) is loosely tied to Cinderella,  BEGUILED (October) is developed around Snow White. And, as mentioned, BESOTTED (November) is a retelling of … [Read more...]

Five Surprises in Book Publishing with Amy Green

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Hello, readers! My name is Amy Lynn Green, and Karen Witemeyer invited me to share with you to celebrate the release of my debut novel. Things We Didn’t Say follows Johanna Berglund, the witty and slightly blunt translator for a camp for German prisoners of war in Minnesota during WWII. And it’s an epistolary novel, meaning that it’s written entirely in letters, newspaper articles, telegrams, and … [Read more...]

Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.

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I am so very grateful (warmly or deeply appreciative of a kindness or benefit) that in this crazy year God has not been absent. In fact, even though 2020 has often been a hard year in which to find things to be thankful (feeling or expressing appreciative gratitude) for, I think most of us are looking harder and seeing things small and large that God has blessed us with during these days of stress … [Read more...]

Wedding Showers . . . and Bells

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Two weeks ago we celebrated our son Kurt's upcoming marriage to his fiance Kellie Fuselier with a wedding shower here in Nashville. A dear friend of mine (waving to you Kim Pressley) hosted the shower and oh, she did such a beautiful job. Don't you just love people who have the gift of hospitality? I mean, everything Kim touches just turns into Magnolia Farms or Southern Living … [Read more...]

Courageous Heroines

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My two-year-old granddaughter is very active, and often fearless. My daughter sent me a video the other day of her attempting to climb the cat tree in their home. A more cautious, thoughtful child (like her older sister, who is four), might stop and think, first, before attempting such a climb: “Hmmm . . . I’m much heavier than a cat . . . and it looks a little wobbly . . . and . . . what will I … [Read more...]

How to Talk an Author off a Ledge

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I'm hard at work, editing my next book and trying to meet a tight deadline. Thus, my friends Crissy, Joy, and Amy offered to guest-blog for me! They're avid readers, active in the Christian fiction community, and wonderfully supportive of authors. Also, they're experts on today's topic. Writing despair/stress/fear has pushed me out onto a few ledges. :) And each time, they've talked me off. … [Read more...]

Reading & Writing Goals

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For years I've used Goodreads as a way to track the books I read. One side benefit of not going and doing as much this year is that I have read or listened to more than 140 books (you can see them and get the reviews I write here.) I read because it's like breathing to me. If I don't have anything else to read, I will literally read the Wheaties box. The book I started listening to yesterday is … [Read more...]

Inspired by Veterans Day

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Hi friends, Today is a special day. It’s the day our country sets aside to focus on our veterans—on those who served, sacrificed, and fought for freedom. I feel so blessed to come from a lineage of veterans—starting with the Revolutionary War that freed and formed our country, War of 1812, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and Operation Desert Storm.   I’m so proud of my husband’s … [Read more...]

A Few Fun Updates

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My new novel, A Castaway in Cornwall, releases in just three weeks (12/1/20). In anticipation, I thought I’d share a short video trailer a friend made for the book. Hope you enjoy it! The book is available for pre-order now and early reviews have been great: Klassen delights with a winsome love story between an orphaned young woman living on the coast of North Cornwall, England, in 1813 … [Read more...]

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