Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Time Well or Poorly Spent

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Hi friends, I always look forward to spending time with you all. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to spend a little of it with me. I’ve been looking at my priorities lately. Particularly as I deal with continued and increasing health issues. It is times like this that it makes you sit back and really think the best way to invest your time. I took the last few weeks and kept … [Read more...]

Teatime (with a side of Gratitude)

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I have posted in years past about the pleasures of visiting one of my favorite groups of women, the Tantalizing Ladies Tea book club. (These are the women I fictionalized as the “Ladies Tea and Knitting Society” in my Tales From Ivy Hill series.) But in the stressful, isolating year of 2020, this recent visit was even sweeter, especially because author-friends Michelle Griep and Erica Vetsch … [Read more...]

A BIG Giveaway (and a great reading list)

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Mark your calendars! Lisa Tawn Bergren's annual fall scavenger hunt starts this Thursday, October 15 at noon through Sunday, October 18, 2020 at midnight, MOUNTAIN time zone. Several of us here at Inspired by Life...and Fiction have books in the offering, including Becky, Robin, Tammy, and me. Not only is the hunt an opportunity to win some great prizes, but it's also a great place to … [Read more...]

Sisters Giveaway

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The Sisters Giveaway that Deborah Raney, Beth Vogt, and I are currently offering (scroll down for info on that!) has me thinking about how grateful I am for my own sisters. I'm the oldest, followed two years later by Kristen, followed two years later by Carrie. I can't imagine taking three kids this age on a driving trip of Europe for an entire summer, but that's what my parents did. (My … [Read more...]

I miss Libraries & Book Clubs

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It's October and there are many things I'm missing as the pandemic drags on. These may be limited to Indiana, but maybe you can relate. I miss having some of my Purdue students to our home for cookouts or taco bar. I miss being able to worship at church without a mask. I miss wild hugs and even simple handshakes. I miss reading my students non-verbal cues that are covered by masks. I missed … [Read more...]

The Coffee Shop Conundrum

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I love coffee. I love working and reading in coffee shops with nice spaces. You’d think that would be a win-win. And it usually is. But not lately. You see, due to COVID, many of my favorite coffee shops are still take out only. Or their small outdoor spaces are always full. And given the nature of most of my time spent in my small downtown living space, I’m itching to get back to the … [Read more...]

Behind the scenes of Colors of Truth, a Carnton novel

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Colors of Truth officially releases today, and I'm both excited and relieved to see this day finally arrive. Thank you, friends, for your love and encouragement in recent weeks as this novel made its way to publication—and this author had a crash course in indie publishing! <g> You made this journey a much sweeter one. Colors of Truth is a Carnton novel, meaning it's a story steeped … [Read more...]

Saving Ellis Island

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Several years ago, when I was writing and researching my novel, “Until We Reach Home,” my sister Peggy and I took a day trip from her home outside New York City to visit Ellis Island. As I’m sure you know, Ellis Island was the iconic landing place near the Statue of Liberty for millions of immigrants who came to U.S. shores seeking a new life. My novel tells the story of three sisters, Elin, … [Read more...]

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