Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

5 Tips for How to Start the First Chapter

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Recently Abby K sent me an email and said: “I am 15 and my dream is to be a published author. I am currently working on a medieval fantasy and having a hard time starting it. Do you have advice on how to start the first chapter? Do you have any advice on how to finish a manuscript and keep yourself motivated? I always jump from one project to the next.” Beginnings and endings. The take-offs and … [Read more...]

When Cover Dreams Come True

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A book's cover is such a critical piece. It sets the tone of the book. It must grab a reader's attention and invite them in. I've been very blessed to have some really wonderful covers. But they don't just magically appear. There is a lot of hard work that go into them, and OK . . . a little magic. When my first Hanger's Horseman book came out, I fell in love with having a rugged cowboy on … [Read more...]

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Reading)!

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I confess, it was hard to decide what to post for today, knowing that today everyone would be dealing with the outcome of the election. But then Lynn Austin took the pressure off with her wonderful post on Monday. Click here to read it—or to read it again! Thanks, Lynn, for wise words and a kingdom perspective. So today I’m going a bit escapist. It’s November, which for me ushers in two … [Read more...]

Election Day 2020…and puppies

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Yes, it's Election Day 2020 and there are two things I'd like to say— First... "Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in … [Read more...]

And the Winner Is…

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Is there anyone in America who doesn’t know that tomorrow is election day? With our country deeply divided between the two opposing parties, I think it’s safe to say that when the outcome is announced, half of the people will be happy and the other half won’t be. Many of us will just be relieved that it’s over! In the midst of all the anxiety and nail-biting and fear for the future, I’m … [Read more...]

Finding Hope in the Chaos

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Hi friends,             How do we find hope, or better yet, maintain our hope when the world around use seems hopeless? As I was preparing to write this post, so many thoughts flooded my mind. It was like God was pouring out examples from my life and truths from Scripture into my mind. The difficult part for me is figuring out how to put all these brain bubbles into a cohesive post that touches … [Read more...]

Through a Glass Darkly

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Yesterday I spent several hours waiting around awkwardly in my own home as an installer worked to replace two windows. One side of my big office window cracked and discolored months ago and it has been no fun trying to look out of it, especially as it often fogs up. This is the window right in front of my desk, so I see it for many hours a day. It’s been like wearing a pair of glasses with a lens … [Read more...]

Riding the Tunnel Hill Trail

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Ken and I have been taking little two-day trips to ride some of the Rails-to-Trails bicycle paths within a few hours' drive from us. These are paths created where once a railroad was, so they have very few steep hills and they are in the prettiest settings! Did you know that Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has over 2200 rail-trails across the U.S. covering almost 25,000 miles? And with another … [Read more...]

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