Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

The Power of Stories

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As an avid reader, I LOVE to be entertained by a well-told story. And of course as a writer, I LOVE when readers say things like: I couldn’t put your book down or it kept me up past bedtime. Fiction is supposed to be entertaining—a good story with lovable characters wrapped up in a riveting plot. But books are more than pure entertainment. They are laced with incredible power. First they … [Read more...]

Why I Love Spring

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Spring is by far my favorite time of year. Grass starts to green, wildflowers bloom, trees bud. It is a time of freshness, a time to witness God's creativity and beauty firsthand, a time to be inspired. I am not a plant person. As much as I love them, I am terrible about tending them. My knowledge base is extremely limited to start with and with my consuming schedule of writing, working, and … [Read more...]

What are you doing this spring? The Five R’s of Relaxation

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While most of the country is snowed in, Florida is having mild weather. Chilly but nothing compared to snow and ice and dangerous conditions. I've been enjoying springtime in Florida and thought those of you who are trying to stay warm will either love this post or hate it. I'm hoping soon we'll all be complaining about hot weather! Meantime, here are my five suggestions for Spring … [Read more...]

His Eye Is On The Sparrow (Cats, Too)

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Today’s post is a follow-up to one from last month called A Tale of Two Kitties. You can read it here. In it, I wrote about our newly adopted cat, Socks, and our beloved cat of several years, Mojo. They were fighting constantly—Socks tackling and biting, Mojo hissing and hiding, and we had precious little peace in our house for over three months. I confess I was coming close to giving up and … [Read more...]

We’re not in Kansas anymore

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Ken and I traveled to Seattle last week to visit our youngest son and his family, then on to a weekend adventure in beautiful Port Orchard, Washington. For these landlocked Kansans, the Pacific Northwest is like an amazing foreign country, and even though the weather was chilly and damp, with snow flurries, we had a wonderful time! After speaking to the … [Read more...]

Then Came a (free!) Novella

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The last time I blogged I mentioned a "top secret writing project that I’d been working on."  I'm back this week to tell you about that now-not-so-secret project. Are you familiar with the term "epistolary"? I wasn't, until I attended a writer's conference and heard Daisy Hutton, Fiction Publisher at Thomas Nelson, use the term. It sounded so intelligent and literary and biblical that I've … [Read more...]

It All Started with a Headline

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People often ask me where my book ideas come from. As a lawyer I kind of smile, because the answer is it depends. For Canteen Dreams, it was my grandparents love story and the way my hometown of North Platte, Nebraska, got involved to support the boys. For Sandhill Dreams and Captive Dreams, I knew I needed two more books that were set in Nebraska during World War II, so I went looking for … [Read more...]

Fact and Fiction, Part 3

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And the story continues (see Part 1 and Part 2) The Horse Connection My mom told me my first word was "horse" rather than "mama." That, I believe, was a fabrication - I don't personally remember - but I was horse-crazy from a very young age. I saved up and bought my first horse when I was 15. Marriage and motherhood caused me to sell my horses when there just wasn't a spare moment to … [Read more...]

How Research Changes You…and a Blog Party | Guest Post by Elizabeth Musser

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Hey friends! We have a treat today! A wonderful guest post from Elizabeth Musser whose new book, The Long Highway Home, releases today! In addition, Elizabeth's hosting a fabulous celebration blog party TODAY (link to that below) that I'm betting you'll want to attend. Thanks, Elizabeth, for filling in while I'm away this week in London and Dublin! Lynn Austin, me, and Elizabeth Musser on our … [Read more...]

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