Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Meeting Readers in Gainesville, TX

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This past Saturday, Regina Jennings and I had the honor of participating in a book launch event celebrating the Serving Up Love Harvey House Brides novella collection in Gainesville, TX. We had such a great time! Readers drove in from as far as 6 hours away! (Kari Scott gets the award for driving the farthest. You rock, Kari!) We kicked things off with a tour of the historic Santa Fe Depot and … [Read more...]

A historic hotel and a good friend

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I went on a trip to Washington, D.C. with my husband last week. No surprise there. I often travel with him. And I’ve been to D.C. with him about a bazillion times. (Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration, but still!) We’ve stayed at several different hotels in the city over the years, but the one we’ve stayed at the most—and the one we returned to this trip—was the Mayflower Hotel. (Yes, that … [Read more...]

In these changing times, one thing never changes

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Are you old enough to remember life before cell phones? Before you carried 2,000 books—and at least that many songs—in your hip pocket, and could be reached anywhere, anytime (whether you want to be or not)? I write historicals. 19th century, to be exact—1860s-70s, during the Civil War and Reconstruction period—and I often marvel at how much life has changed in the past 150+ years. At other … [Read more...]

The Story Behind the Story

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I am so pleased to announce that this week, Tyndale House is offering a special ebook sale of my novel, "Fly Away." The story takes place in 1987—a time period too recent to be a historical novel like my other books, but too far in the past to be a contemporary novel. That’s because "Fly Away" was one of the very first books I wrote—and the year really was 1987. I was just starting to dream of … [Read more...]

How Authors Earn a Place on My Must-Read List

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I recently read a book by one of my favorite authors. As I neared the halfway point, I thought to myself, “I really should slow down. I don’t want to finish this book too fast, because then I’ll be done and have to wait too long for her next book to release.” Have you ever found yourself saying that? And then at the end, when you finally reach the last page and breathe a satisfied sigh, you … [Read more...]

The Story Behind Canteen Dreams and a Glimpse at November

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This week, my first novel Canteen Dreams is free on ebook platforms. There is something really special about this story of my heart. Partly because I never thought it was the type of book I would write...after all I was going to write romantic suspense like Mary Higgins Clark. When I told people I wanted to write, WWII wasn't on my radar. That changed after I met Tracie and Jim Peterson at my … [Read more...]

Loving Louisville

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Hi friends,  Excited to be back with you all today! Happy Wednesday. I hope your week is going well so far. If you’re waiting for the weekend, you’re halfway there. Yay! Last week my hubby and I traveled to Louisville, Kentucky for his semi-annual work conference. We had been to Louisville once before when our daughter was shooting (archery) in the National Championship, but that was many … [Read more...]

What’s On My Plate

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At this time of year, thoughts turn to the approaching holidays and the upcoming feasts at Thanksgiving and Christmas. But my thoughts are filled with writing, rewriting, editing, and launching a new book. So, while it may not be as delicious as turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and pie, here’s what's in store for me. What's On My Plate For The Coming Weeks December 3: Release Date for The … [Read more...]

Raney Day Trippin’ 3

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This is my third and final installment for the road trip my husband, Ken, and I just returned from. We were gone 50 days (Yes, FIFTY!), we visited 13 states, and were able to see quite a few friends and family along the way. We paid anywhere from $2.19 to $4.05 per gallon for gasoline and we put almost 8000 miles on Meriwether, our trusty camper van. I had told you last time that our plan was … [Read more...]

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