Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Behind the Scenes of My Cover Shoot

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I first saw the cover for Stay with Me (which releases in just a week and a half!) back in September of last year. My editor emailed the cover art to me and here's a quote from the email I sent her in response. "Oh my goodness! I love it! I absolutely adore it.  I’m so happy!  Bravo, to Jenny and the design team.  I really think they nailed this one. The model looks exactly like … [Read more...]

Research, books & thanks, oh my!

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Very early Wednesday morning, I turned in the macro or substantive edit for my next book, Lethal Intent. With this book I spent a lot of time on the hero and heroine because I wanted to make them deep. And that meant lots of flow charts and things. In my office I have a blank wall right next to my desk and computer, so I turned it into a "white board" where I posted my ideas. This is what it … [Read more...]

Our Anchor

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Hi friends,  I pray you are healthy and safe during this time of crisis. I may have mentioned that I have been listening to Alistair Begg sermons via Truth for Life since my daughters were young and homeschooled. Every day we’d get our breakfast and sit down with our bibles and have what we called ‘Breakfast with Begg.’ My girls are grown, but I’ve kept the practice. I get my breakfast, … [Read more...]

Author Reading from Colors of Truth

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I saw a meme the other day about the challenges of "sheltering in place" that stated, "I'm even missing the people I don't like!" That gave me a chuckle. How are you, friends? How are you doing in this reduced bubble of life? I pray you're well and that our country (and world as a whole) is swiftly approaching a "reopening" and that together we'll face the new normal—whatever that turns … [Read more...]

Birds of a Feather

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One of the hardest things for me about the current shelter-at-home orders, has been being apart from my friends. I miss them terribly, and I’ve had to find different ways of getting together with them. A week ago, Ken and I drove to our beach and parked six feet away from our friends’ car so we could watch the sunset together. We rolled down our windows and talked and laughed as we enjoyed … [Read more...]

Romance Tropes: Like Them or Leave Them?

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Trope. You may have heard this term tossed around a bit within the fiction-reading community. The first time I saw the word, I was like—huh? What in the world is that? I’ve since learned that “trope” is a common plot device or theme used in the fiction-writing community. These are tried, true, and time-tested concepts that catch a reader’s interest (usually through the book blurb). There are … [Read more...]

Reading Therapy to Relieve Pandemic Stress

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I've been blessed to have a job that still keeps me working 8-5 during the pandemic (not the writing gig, but that's going, too - ha!), so I have not had as much home at time as some. I have not accomplished a single spring cleaning item, nor have I organized any closets or garage shelves. What I have made time for is a little escapism through reading. Besides watching DVDs and playing board games … [Read more...]

Laughter is the Best Medicine

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With everything heavy going on the in the world, my husband and I have been seeking clean, old-fashioned, laugh-out-loud comedies to help lighten our spirits. I’d forgotten how many good ones are out there! We've watched some old standbys as well as some we haven’t seen in ages. And we have laughed and laughed and laughed. Here are a few we’ve watched recently—and a few waiting in the wings. … [Read more...]

Feeling Like a Castaway?

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If you feel like a castaway, stranded on a desert island about now, I can relate. I just turned in revisions to my editors today (whew!) for a novel I’ve been working long hours on, called, A Castaway in Cornwall. Hunkering down to work on rewrites during a quarantine wouldn’t have been so different from other years, as I am usually at home derriere-in-the-chair for weeks on end when deadlines … [Read more...]

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