Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

The Unheralded “Blogger” Who Gave Us Thanksgiving

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Guest Post by Brian Klassen (History & Genealogy Buff, and Julie's Husband) What more can be said about Thanksgiving? We all know that the holiday is about eating turkey, being thankful, and spending time with family and friends. We all know that Thanksgiving started with that plucky band of self-styled Pilgrims who got together with a group of Native Americans and gave thanks to God for … [Read more...]

Family readers (and a Cyber Monday deal)

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My family members were some of my earliest critics, reading my manuscript before I ever even tried to get published. Ken, the world's most supportive husband, first read the prologue of the manuscript that would become my first novel, A Vow to Cherish, and deeply encouraged me. I'm not sure I would have continued without his affirming words. But he gave me the courage with his words: "This is … [Read more...]

Inspired by Scripture

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We hope all of our American readers have had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. We are so grateful for YOU! This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashEntertainment.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...]

4 Ways to Keep Christ at the Center of Christmas

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I'm grateful to Pure Flix for contributing information and resources to help families and loved-ones better bond as they spend time together. To that end, they graciously supplied today's post. Be sure to scroll down for details on a Christmas giveaway offered by the authors of The Christmas Heirloom! -Becky With Thanksgiving behind us, the holiday season is officially in full swing. As … [Read more...]

Plenty to be Thankful for

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  I love, love, love Thanksgiving day, though I often cringe when thinking about all the work involved— the prepping, the cooking, and especially the cleanup! But this year, my thankfulness overflows to the point that I might not even mind all the work. You see, this Thanksgiving is special for two reasons. First, all of my kids were able to get some part of Thanksgiving week off work and … [Read more...]

When Fiction Takes On Real Life

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I often wonder how Captain Roland Ward Jones and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Clouston—real people who lived in the 19th century—would feel knowing that their lives and love letters are the inspiration for a 21st century novel. Captain Roland Jones and Lizzie Clouston are the real life hero and heroine in With This Pledge who met and fell in love at Carnton in Franklin, Tennessee during the Civil War, … [Read more...]

The Final Judges

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I had the honor and the privilege, recently, to serve as one of the final judges for a prestigious Christian book award. The judging criteria that I was given served as a great reminder to me of the qualities that I hope to include in my own novels. I’m nearing the final stages of my current work-in-progress, and it has been a great exercise for me as I edit my own novel to compare it to these … [Read more...]

Projects That Are Bigger & Tougher Than Anticipated

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Over the past couple of weeks, my home has been undergoing some overdue improvements. The carpet on our stairs desperately needed replacing. After almost 13 years of seven people and five cats traipsing up and down the steps multiple times a day, the carpet had worn down to nothing. Rather than putting in new carpet and risking more wear and tear, we decided to make the stairs hardwood. Much of … [Read more...]

Social Media: A Sort of Love/Hate Relationship

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As a true extrovert with a very solitary occupation as a writer, I truly enjoy social media. Sometimes I tell people I’m not sure I could have survived my 24-year writing career without it! (Of course, there was no such thing as social media the first ten years I was writing, but I did connect with several wonderful groups of writers via e-mail loops and writers organizations.) Now, being able to … [Read more...]

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