Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Dr. Seuss’s Birthday

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This week marks the birth of a literary legend. Theodor Seuss Geisel, more famously known as Dr. Seuss, was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. It's hard to imagine a childhood without Dr. Seuss. I vividly recall several of his books being among my childhood favorites. Those catchy rhymes and silly stories. What child wouldn't be captivated? I remember my favorites being One Fish, … [Read more...]

Book Movies

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In the past few weeks, my husband and I have watched three book movies—movie adaptations of classic literature. (One was technically a mini-series, but still.) We love these kinds of movies, both because we know the story will be good, for it has endured the test of time, and also because we enjoy the historical world on screen.  Also, It’s always interesting to see how closely a filmmaker … [Read more...]

Celebrating Milestones

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Celebrating milestones is important. And I'm celebrating three this week! #1 I recently finished editing the final galleys for my 17th book, Colors of Truth, a Carnton novel, which releases this summer (JULY 7). Galleys are the last time an author sees her book before it goes to print, and it was both fabulous and bittersweet to let go of this one.I realize that 17 books is by no means … [Read more...]

Many Plans

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This past week, my publishing company invited me to attend the Public Library Association conference in Nashville. Librarians are among my very favorite people because they share my passion for books and reading. And the librarians I met were a warm, dedicated bunch who knew their patrons and were focused on finding the very best resources for them. I had a wonderful time. I also made a … [Read more...]

Surprise Story! (And a giveaway)

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If you're a faithful reader of this blog (with an especially sharp memory), you might remember this post from last July in which I blogged about the novella I was working on. I told you about Eli, my fighter pilot hero. And Penelope, the heroine and owner of a mobile pie shop. That's the one and only time I mentioned the novella anywhere because, soon after that post, I finished the rough … [Read more...]

What if & Giveaway

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These are the questions that drive writers through their days and nights. What if? Any time I'm reading a magazine or newspaper, in the back of my mind I'm wondering what could happen or how I could mix it up. Then when I'm ready to hunt for new ideas, I'll review links and ideas I've collected over time. Maybe the article doesn't spark an idea right away, but I just proposed a story idea … [Read more...]

The Lies Our Characters Believe

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Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today I’m so honored to have my friend and fabulous romantic suspense bestseller, DiAnn Mills, guest posting today. When I was an aspiring writer, DiAnn was such a person of inspiration. I admired her talent and her kind and outgoing personality. I know you’ll enjoy hearing from her today!  Our characters can be stubborn. Just when we think we know them inside and … [Read more...]

I’m an Instagram fan; are you?

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It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. As a writer, I’m not sure how I feel about that! 😊 But I certainly agree that a photograph, painting, drawing, or graphic can convey an idea or emotion more quickly than the written word, often at a single glance.  Even though I am and will always be a word lover, I thoroughly enjoy Instagram—a stream of vibrant photos with very brief … [Read more...]

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