Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

In Search of Thrush Green

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When we were in England recently, my husband kindly let me dress him up for the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, as I wrote about in my last post. So when he asked to take a day or two to visit a place he was interested in, I of course agreed. Poor guy had it coming!   He wanted to go to a town called Witney in Oxfordshire. He is interested in the history of the "point blankets" once made … [Read more...]

Early Autumn Garden Tour

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I gave a little tour of our yard here on the blog back in April, but I hope you won't mind if I show you around again before cold weather sets in and puts an end to all this loveliness! We've had an abundance of rain here in Kansas all summer long (even as I write this, a gentle rain is falling) and the flowerpots and beds have loved … [Read more...]

A Visit to Fixer Upper’s Magnolia Market

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Are you a familiar with the show Fixer Upper on HGTV?  We're fans!  It's fun and inspiring to watch run-down houses renovated and decorated gorgeously.  Plus, the husband and wife team of Chip (contractor) and Joanna (interior designer) are wonderful together.  They're talented.  Funny.  Sweet to each other.  And their farm house and kids are adorable. The only liability of watching Fixer … [Read more...]

5 Things Every Book Lover Needs

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As an avid reader and bibliophile, I love little more than spending an afternoon curled up with a book or strolling through the stacks of a library or bookstore. Now that the weather is beginning to hint at fall, rather than pumpkin spice lattes, I want to talk about the perfect season for curling up with a favorite book. So what does the ultimate bibliophile need? Here are a few items. (And don't … [Read more...]

My last conference of the year but a good one–Novelists, Inc.

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By the time you read this I will be in beautiful St. Pete, Florida, attending the Novelists, Inc. Conference (NINC). This conference is different from most since it is all published authors and it focuses on business. Lots of business. NINC has become very relevant over the last few years, due to the Indie publishing explosion where authors publish their own books. Industry marketing and … [Read more...]

New bakeware (aka: cheap thrills)

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Y'all already know I love to bake. But I gotta tell ya… Since I moved to a low carb/gluten-free lifestyle, I am having a blast with baking with almond flour, coconut flour, coconut oil, flax seed meal, Swerve, and other ingredients I'd not used much before. If at all! Here are some of my recent LCGF yummies… Zoodles! (Zucchini Noodles) They are delicious! Especially with spicy marina … [Read more...]

Waves of Mercy

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Have you ever prayed about a decision but when you followed through on where God was leading, everything went wrong? You probably asked, “Did I really hear from God? How could He allow this to happen?” My newest novel, “Waves of Mercy,” (which releases on October 4) tells the true story of the Dutch immigrants who settled the town of Holland, Michigan in 1846. These faithful Christian men and … [Read more...]

The Hardest Book I’ve Ever Written (Plus a Giveaway!)

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I’m super excited about the release of my next book, Newton and Polly, which hits shelves Sept. 20, next Tuesday!! This is another historical fiction in the same vein as Luther and Katharina. And this one is about another hero of the faith, the writer of Amazing Grace, John Newton the atheist slave trader, and his beloved bride Polly Catlett. One of the things I really enjoy doing with my … [Read more...]

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