Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Shutterbuggin’

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Does it ever amaze you how quickly and painlessly we take pictures these days?  Not that long ago it took fragile glass plates, tons of chemicals, and patience and courage galore just to capture one single photograph. I wrote about that painstaking process in From a Distance. And sometimes, when I’m snapping away with my phone, capturing pic after pic after pic with hardly a breath much less … [Read more...]

Recharging

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Don’t you hate it when the batteries go dead on devices you rely on like cell phones and laptops and tablets? But when we use them incessantly without taking time to plug them in, they eventually run down and stop working. After a year of hard work, I just completed another novel, and I have to admit that my creative batteries are dead. Totally dry. Used up. It’s time to take a break from writing … [Read more...]

The Plot Thickens | Jerry Jenkins

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Each Sunday "Inspired by Life...and Fiction" shares a Christian novelist's newest book and the garden spots where they find inspiration. Dr. Jerry B. Jenkins, former vice president for publishing and now chairman of the board of trustees for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, is the author of more than 180 books, including the 70,000,000-selling Left Behind series. Jerry Jenkins has been … [Read more...]

If You Can’t See a Web Page, Clear the Cache

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Hi, friends. In my Wednesday post, I shared that we had been having issues with the server for our blog. Seems it was under attack from a country on the other side of the globe. We think ... HOPE ... that the problems have passed. However, some readers think we are still off-line because the default message that the site is down is stuck in their browser cache. To be able to see the website … [Read more...]

Technology: A Love-Hate Relationship

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I have been battling problems with the Inspired by Life and Fiction blog as well as with my own website for over a week. You may have noticed that it has been down more than once during that time. I have spent hours and hours on the phone with tech support, and as I write this post, I have no idea if we have a final solution in sight. My friends know that I am a bit of a techie. I love learning … [Read more...]

Thank God It’s Monday?

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Ok, I realize it’s Tuesday (or later) as you read this, but it’s Monday as I write this! How do you feel about Mondays? Now that I work from home, I don’t get the Sunday-night-dread-of-Monday that I once did. But I admit I used to be guilty of the “Moan, it’s Monday” mantra. In our adult Sunday school class at church we are going through a series called, “The Monday Switch” and I am finding it … [Read more...]

Seeing through rose-colored glasses

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I've been accused of seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. My mom tells people that when I was just a little girl, my little sisters and I had set up a tea party using the piano for a table. My sisters were upset when Mothe told us we had to move our party because our "tea" (colored water, actually) would ruin the piano if it spilled. But according to Mothe (that's not a typo... We call … [Read more...]

The Plot Thickens | Dave & Neta Jackson

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Each Sunday "Inspired by Life...and Fiction" shares a Christian novelist's newest book and the garden spots where they find inspiration. Dave & Neta Jackson—husband-and-wife, best friends, and writing team—may be familiar from their series of 40 Trailblazer Books, historical novels for young readers about Christian heroes, or from Neta's Yada Yada Prayer Group series of … [Read more...]

A Writer’s Story

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I'm so pleased to have the opportunity to introduce you to Carol Moncado today!  Carol's such an outgoing, warm, and generous person.  She brings cookies to writer's conferences to share with everyone, makes you feel at home in her presence, and hugs you when it's time to part.  I asked her to visit today and share with you a little about her publishing journey.  Stay tuned for a GIVEAWAY!  More … [Read more...]

4 Easy Paragraphs to a Helpful Review

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Periodically, I'm asked to give tips on writing reviews. I'm always glad to help people feel more comfortable spreading the word about books they love. I love to tell everyone about books that I love...and now that I'm an author, I know just how much a well written review -- even if it's a few sentences can help authors. Many readers use the number of reviews as one way to decide whether or not … [Read more...]

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