Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

My Favorite Fourth of July

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When you read this, we will be on our way to spend the Fourth of July weekend with our granddaughter, Ivy. (And her parents, too, of course!) I bought her a darling little Fourth of July outfit, complete with a bow. In my anticipation of this very special Fourth of July, I got to thinking about other memories of the holiday, the most special of which was July 4, 1985. I had graduated … [Read more...]

With This Pledge Revisited (the love story—and love letters—that inspired a novel)

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Have you read my Carnton novel With This Pledge? If you have, then these photographs of the real people who lived and worked at Carnton—and who populate this novel—will mean even more to you. Especially the image of the heroine, Lizzie, that was just unearthed this year! Roland and Lizzie met following the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864, and the story in With This Pledge … [Read more...]

Bucket Lists

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What’s on your Bucket List—you know, that list of all the interesting things you would love to do someday before you “kick the bucket?” I had the privilege of crossing off one of my bucket list items several years ago when I worked on an archaeological dig in Israel for a month. Our team excavated the ancient city of Timnah, which is mentioned in the Bible as the town where Samson fell in love … [Read more...]

Road Trip Photo Album

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Our family recently returned home from a road trip that took us from Dallas, Texas to Riverside, California across ten days and 1,500 miles. We had the best time! That's my family's summer vacation story! Before I go, I wanted to let you know that my publisher, Bethany House, would love to hear your story about how a Bethany House book has impacted, encouraged, … [Read more...]

The Bookstores of Florence & Giveaway

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This morning, I'm sweating in Florence, Italy. It's supposed to hit 105 degrees, without the humidity added in. It's hard to be too miserable as long as there is plenty of shade and water. This year while I've taught study abroad in Florence, I've been popping in and out of a lot of fun bookstores. I don't think I'd realized last time just how many bookstores there are. While I haven't captured … [Read more...]

Canine Inspiration

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Hi friends, In my upcoming release, The Killing Tide, my hero Finn has an Australian Shepherd named Layla. Here’s a picture of the dog that inspired me. Isn’t she adorable? I love reading about canine characters. There’s just something endearing about a hero and his pet. It gives us a glimpse at the softer side of even the most alpha of men. My hubby is definitely an alpha guy, … [Read more...]

A Visit to Jane Austen’s House

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I just had the privilege of hosting a second group tour of England. One of our stops on this trip was to Jane Austen's House Museum in Chawton, Hampshire. I have visited the novelist's grave in Winchester cathedral, but this was my first time visiting Chawton cottage, the only house Jane Austen lived in and wrote in that is open to the public. In 1809, four years after her father’s … [Read more...]

A Day in the Life . . .

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One of the things I love most about my job as a writer is that it is rarely boring. Each day looks a little different and if I get weary of one aspect of my job, there's always another that's a little more exciting. Today I thought I’d share a “typical” day in the life of a writer with you. To be honest, there really isn’t such a thing as a typical day for a writer, but last Tuesday was a good … [Read more...]

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