Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Author Appearances

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Having a day job in addition to writing makes it difficult for me to make many author appearances. However, recently two opportunities arose for events happening within a week of each other, and I'm delighted by the propspect of meeting with readers in person! The first event takes place TOMORROW! I'm flying out today to meet a fabulous group of writing friends in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We … [Read more...]

Do you finish (a series) as you start?

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I happened upon a dilemma recently:  If I start a series in one form, can I satisfactorily complete it in another?  Let me explain.  Say there is a series I started in paperback. Then the ebook for #2 goes on sale. Do I break format to read the book? Or do I wait and finish the whole series in paperback?  I know this might sound a little crazy to some of you, but … [Read more...]

Do writers read reviews?

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Some don't. I do. I read all of them--good, bad, and ugly. Am I a masochist? No, but I love to learn, and reading reviews helps me do that. I get to know my readers better. When a reviewer likes my book, I smile with a great deal of pleasure because it means my hard work "paid off" in terms of reaching a reader's heart and mind. When a reviewer hates my book, I tell myself, clearly, this … [Read more...]

Inspired by Scripture

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Wishing a very happy Father's Day to all the fathers and father figures who have encouraged and built us up in Christ. We are grateful for you and the example you are to the world. This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashVerseoftheDay.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with Scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online. … [Read more...]

Mom Life/Writer Life

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Are you familiar with the hashtags #MomLife and #WriterLife that people sometimes attach to their social media posts? Well, there are times when my #WriterLife comes to the forefront, like when I attend a conference or I have a new book releasing. And there are many other times when #MomLife comes to the forefront, like now because it's summertime at the Wade house and my college boy and high … [Read more...]

A Tour of London and Bath Bookstores & Giveaway

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Monday I returned from a trip to London -- Eric, two of our kids, and I spent 2.5 weeks there with 16 students on study abroad. It was a great time to explore -- and for me to teach in a compressed timeframe, but what I wanted to share with you today is some of the delightful bookshops we explored while we were there. There were other bookstores we explored, too. We love Waterstones, and Oxford … [Read more...]

Authors Who Inspire

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Hi friends, and happy Wednesday! Today, I was thinking about authors who have paved the way before me and my peers, who have inspired me with their words, filled me with stories of hope, and even changed me as a person—helping me to see things in a new light or to deepen my walk with the Lord. Today, I thought I’d share two authors who inspired me deeply, along with a short list of my peers who … [Read more...]

Regency-Inspired Dressmaking

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This past weekend, I attended another interesting talk hosted by the Jane Austen Society of North American (Minnesota chapter). For this month's meeting, we met in a dressmaking studio in St. Paul. The topic: The Art of Regency-Inspired Dressmaking: Tips and Tricks from a London-Trained Dressmaker. Our speaker was master seamstress, Colleen Kahn. Colleen talked about dress design and how (and … [Read more...]

Oh dear! Oh! Deer!

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We're coming up on five years living in Southeast Missouri next month and something that is equally delightful and frustrating are the deer that wander (or sometimes stampede!) through our yard daily. We live along a waterway between two wooded areas and the deer make forays from woods to woods daily. We've counted as many as 42 deer running through the yard at one time! Forty-two! That's not a … [Read more...]

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