Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Reporting from Idaho | Poppet Hatcher

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Hey, everybody. Poppet Hatcher here, putting on my reporter's glasses and filling in for my favorite human. (And don't I look just too cool for school in those red glasses??) It's been a crazy summer for Robin. She's done some traveling and will be doing more traveling in the coming months. But mostly she's been trying to "wrestle a book to the ground." She says writing is like that sometimes. … [Read more...]

Research with Writing Friends

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A few weeks ago, a group of writers from my local chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers took a field trip to break up our usual schedule of monthly meetings inside a conference room—a chance to see and do something different and to get outside on a beautiful Minnesota summer day. This year we went to visit an historic house in Taylors Falls, a fun river town some 30-40 miles north of … [Read more...]

All because two people fell in love

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Today is my 40th wedding anniversary. (Not sure how that can be since I'm only 35, but it's true.) And oh how quickly those four decades have flown! It seems like just yesterday I was that wide-eyed nineteen-year-old heading down the aisle on my father's arm, wearing a dress my mom sewed—like she did all my clothes. At the end of that aisle was the man I loved more than life itself. I'm not sure … [Read more...]

The Plot Thickens|Mindy Starns Clark

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Each Sunday "Inspired by Life...and Fiction" shares with our readers a Christian novelist's newest book and the garden spots where they find inspiration. Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of numerous books, both fiction and nonfiction, including perennial favorite The House That Cleans Itself and the Christy Award-winning The Amish Midwife. Mindy, husband … [Read more...]

The Power of an Idea + Dedication

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When my husband and I were new new new newlyweds, he took a job as the Tennis Pro at Cap Juluca Resort on the tiny Caribbean island of Anguilla.  Mind you, we'd never heard of Anguilla before his company told us they were sending us there.  We had to look it up on a map, and even when we did locate it on the map, we had to squint to see it.  Anguilla has an area of just 35 square miles and a … [Read more...]

The Wild West Lives On!

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In July, I had the privilege of attending the Romance Writers of America national conference in San Antonio, TX. I came home with a suitcase full of new books, a brain full of great information, and a camera full of pictures. This was the first time my hubby tagged along for the ride at one of these conferences, so he and I had a lot of fun exploring in the evenings. The River Walk was gorgeous, … [Read more...]

Diagnoses, Driving, and Dads

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You might remember that I was in Atlanta with my dad when I posted a month ago, and I'm back here again. I've been with Dad and Esta for about week now, staying with them as Dad's been struggling with continuing nausea and sickness following a stroke and subsequent gallbladder surgery. Dad had an upper GI last Thursday, and the doctor called us Friday saying the results were in but that she … [Read more...]

Summer

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It’s August already. I can’t believe how quickly this summer has flown past! I’ve only begun to enjoy all of my favorite things about this season—and I do love summer. In fact, I love all four seasons. With only two exceptions, I’ve lived most of my life in places where the four seasons were evenly spaced with three full months to enjoy each one—the cool, daffodil days of spring; the hot, … [Read more...]

The Plot Thickens|Melody Carlson

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Each Sunday "Inspired by Life...and Fiction" shares with our readers a Christian novelist's newest book and the garden spots where they find inspiration. Prolific author Melody Carlson and her husband, Chris, are in the process of packing up for a move, but while we wait for garden photos of their new home, here's a last view of their cozy cabin-style home in the beautiful Cascade Mountain … [Read more...]

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