Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Back to Being Back to School

By

Some years ago, I attended a college graduation ceremony (remember when they had those in a normal fashion?), and while sitting in the bleachers, I had an epiphany. I’d always said I was going to get a college degree (something I didn’t do at the usual age) “when I had the time.” And sitting in those bleachers I realized, as with anything else, I would never have the time. If this was something I … [Read more...]

Different Editions, Different Covers (and a giveaway)

By

I really enjoyed Lynn's recent post in which she shared pictures of the variety of cover art her books have received. Her post inspired this one! Here are the several faces of my novella Love in the Details.... And here's the artwork worn by my novella Because of You: A large print publisher recently purchased the rights to my most recent release, Stay with Me. The … [Read more...]

Books to Encourage in Chaotic Times

By

In our hourse we're preparing for the kids to return to school and for me to return to face-to-face classes at Purdue. We all came home in mid-March, and I'd say we're largely ready to see what the fall has in store. This year has been the year of Flexible Chaos, and I'm certain it's not over yet! Those who know me well would be quick to confirm that I don't do chaos well...at all. In fact I … [Read more...]

Life in My Office

By

Hello friends! As I complete this manuscript and turn it in, I am looking forward to dancing around the house and then crashing for a much-needed nap. Once I ‘recover’ from the long, intense weeks leading up to deadline, I have what I like to term ‘Organize my Life Week.’ It’s ambitious but given I dive into revisions within a week or two of turning in my rough draft, that’s about all I’ve … [Read more...]

A Busy Year for Books

By

For most of my 26-year writing career, I've written one novel a year, and sometimes a novella in addition to that. But 2020 has been anything but ordinary in every way, so I'm not surprised that it's been a strange year for book releases too. When January rolls around, I will have five new titles out in the span of a year! I certainly didn't write five books this year, so how did that … [Read more...]

So You’ve Written a Book. Now What?

By

I recently received an email from Iris, a fifteen old writer, asking me a few questions about publication and writing. Here are a couple of her questions: “I am fifteen years old and want to be an author someday. I have already finished my first book but I have a few questions. Was your first book rejected by publishers, and if so, how did you deal with it? I read a lot about books being … [Read more...]

The Graduations that Almost Didn’t Happen

By

2020 is the year of resilience, flexibility, and creative solutions. It also happens to be the year that two of my three children celebrate major milestones. My youngest, Peter, graduated from high school, and my oldest, Bethany, graduated from college. However, they both almost lost their ceremonies. Peter's ceremony was delayed about three weeks. The venue was moved outdoors to the football … [Read more...]

C.S. Lewis and The Reading Life

By

I am a big C.S. Lewis fan. It started with the Narnia books in my childhood. Later in life I found books such as Till We Have Faces and The Screwtape Letters. Then I discovered his truly non-fiction works. This is the not to say I understand all his writing. I don’t. But I try. For me, my pleasure in his work often comes down to the connections he makes between spiritual truth and literature. That … [Read more...]

Recent Posts