Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

With This Ring? Excerpt and Giveaway!!!

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I'm catching a flight at 5:30 a.m. this morning to head to a writer's retreat up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I've only been to Pennsylvania once before, and I'm really excited about having the chance to return. It will be chilly, but there will be plenty of warm spirit as 7 of us come together to write, brainstorm, and simply get away from it all. We even plan to write by the fire at … [Read more...]

Deadlines and Commitments

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I just finished up a couple of books that were due right after Christmas. It's always a relief to finish a book and hit SEND on it but after writing back to back projects all of last year, this was something to celebrate. However, the week before my deadline I wondered if I'd ever finish and if I'd even make my word count.  So I decided I needed a break and my husband and I took an afternoon off … [Read more...]

The Sweetest Things

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Deb Raney recently made a visit to Nashville, and we spent a quick—but oh so fun!—afternoon hitting some Nashville "musts!" Let's see if any of these would be on your "must" list! Deb and I have been friends since 2001 when we met at the first ever ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference in Kansas City. Been buddies—and writing critique partners—ever since! I took Deb to … [Read more...]

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

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Today is one of those days that probably inspired the lyrics of that famous song: “Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but inside it’s so delightful. And since there’s no place to go…let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!” I live in Michigan, so there is plenty of snow here. But I lived in Canada for eleven years, so I know lots of great things to do on a blustery, winter day. Here are just a … [Read more...]

Is On-Location Research Necessary for Creating an Authentic Book?

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This month I’m celebrating the release of my third lighthouse book, UNDAUNTED HOPE! While UNDAUNTED HOPE is connected to the first two books in the series, it’s also very easy to read as a stand-alone novel (at least that’s what readers who haven’t read any of the other books are telling me!). I’m super excited about this particular book because when I was in the process of writing it, I was … [Read more...]

The Immense Power of Words

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I make my living with words. Whether's it's teaching graduate classes at a Big Ten university or writing, words are my livelihood. I've had a love affair with words since I learned to read. I still vividly remember being a first grader and told I couldn't read a book because it was at a sixth grade level. Guess which book became my favorite of that year, and I still remember that story about … [Read more...]

Robin is Back to School

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The new college term began on Monday of this week at both the local university and community college, and I am truly excited about it. Perhaps the most excited I've been since I began this back to school adventure. Up until now, with the exception of taking some tests on campus plus some college prep math attendance requirements, I have been an online student only. That works well for me. I am … [Read more...]

Spotted Ponies

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I am married to a dreamer. You would not think a software engineer would be such a dreamer, but he is. For years now, he’s been saying things like: “When we build a cabin and live up north…” “When we live in England, we’ll do so and so….” “When we live in Fiji…or Belize..." And I confess that I had fallen into the Grinch-like habit of  laying out all the reasons why those dreams … [Read more...]

How to Encourage (or Discourage) a Writer on Deadline

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I triumphantly wrote THE END on a manuscript last summer, and here I am again on deadline. I came across a post I wrote (but never published) while I was on that squeaky tight deadline last summer. I’d been noting the things that enabled me to finally finish that first draft—along with the things that had not been quite so helpful, and thought I'd share a few of them with you. After more than … [Read more...]

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